[TV Review] Squid Game (2021)

**Warning: Mild spoilers for the series**

In recent years, the UK has seen a dramatic shift in how we access international content, with SVODs like Netflix supplying a huge selection of films and TV shows from all over the world, right at our fingertips. 

As a diehard fan of South Korean dramas, I say it’s about damn time. I’ve loved these shows since my teen years and I’m so glad they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve. With swelling soundtracks and dramatic storylines, it’s very easy to binge watch a K-drama, no matter what genre you’re into. Squid Game is an ideal example of this and could act as a gateway to other K-dramas for a Western audience. 

The plot follows gambling addict and failed father Seong Gi-hun (played by the lovable Lee Jung-jae), who finds himself in a world of debt and unable to prevent his daughter from moving away with her mother and new stepfather. Desperate to find money by any means necessary, Gi-hun agrees to enter a tournament with a big cash prize after meeting a mysterious stranger at a train station (shout-out to Gong Yoo of Train to Busan fame who plays the businessman). Eventually our protagonist is picked up in a car, gassed, and taken to an unknown location to earn his cash. 

The rest of the series is set primarily in a Willy Wonka meets Labyrinth structure full of fake doors, twisting hallways and arenas that contain killer challenges. Every task is based on a South Korean playground game; most are recognisable to an international audience. As well as murderous contests, Gi-hun must survive against the other competitors, who are just as likely to off you in your sleep as they are to beat you in a game. This show is a terrifying study of human nature and really focuses in on the morally questionable behaviour of desperate people.

Although there are quite a few bad to the bone players (here’s looking at you 101), its easy to find yourself rooting for some of them just as much as  main man Gi-hun, otherwise known as Player 456. Personally, I found myself greatly attached to; 199, the ever-polite Abdul Ali (played by Anupam Tripathi), 067, North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok (played by Jung Ho-yeon), and of course 001, the oldest player in the game, Oh Il Nam (played by Oh Young-soo). The true highlight of Episode 1: Red Light, Green Light, was watching Player 001 express utter childish glee at playing the game, whilst everyone else around him screams and runs in terror. I want to say that would be me in that situation, but in reality, I know I’d be the first person to run away and subsequently die…

The characters are the main reason that this show should be watched immediately, but it’s a good idea to go into Squid Game without knowing too much about their backgrounds; part of the enticement of this show is learning how they all got into this situation, and the type of person they turn out to be when faced with life-or-death decisions. As you can predict, not everyone survives this ordeal, and many of those who perish will have you yelling at the screen in horror, sadness, and frustration. 

The show itself isn’t perfect. The narrative has quite a few cliché twists, and those familiar with K-drama formats may give the odd groan over the predictability of the final episodes. However, those looking for a wild romp of competitive violence have certainly come to the right place. For what it lacks in surprises and subplots, it truly makes up for in gore, tension, and emotion. As mentioned above, you will be demanding justice for some of the characters that you become overly attached to, as well as their families and friends in the outside world. If you’re not prepared to bawl your eyes out at a TV show, I would highly recommend you not to watch Episode 6: Gganbu; I am a haggard witch with a heart of ice, and even I was sobbing by the end. 

To conclude, Squid Games is thoroughly enjoyable for people who like getting stressed at a show. It’s not one to watch just before bed as your mind will be left reeling at what just happened and who you lost in that episode, but if you have a weekend free to indulge yourself in some good old binging, this is the exact show you could be looking for.

The only criticism left to mention is that hair… I am not going to spoil the meaning, but trust me, you’ll know it when you see it. 

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