Squid Games has become a new obsession for Netflix streamers. The Korean drama was released on September 17 and in less than three weeks this dystopian South Korean TV series has made it to Netflix’s global top 10 charts.
Currently, it is the most-watched show in 90 countries and as Netflix announced, it’s on its way to becoming the most popular series from the streaming giant. This would mean that Squid Game will surpass Bridgerton which has 82 million accounts viewing.
Squid Games is a violent drama that puts fictional people in a situation of dangerous games. There are no exit doors available for the characters. They have to survive till the end to win a huge cash prize that will change their fortunes. And this bait is enough for people as they stay throughout the game, facing all kinds of dangers, to win all the money. As the name of the show goes, the games reach out to you like tentacles, pulling you into it. Also, its popularity has been squid-like, reaching out to people, playing with their violent dark sides, becoming number 1, grabbing headlines, and showing the dark reality of humans that we all revel in the unknown and the trauma that comes with it.
The theme of class struggle has attracted the streamers to stream this dram in a loop. Although. this kind of theme has always been a universal one and as more years pass by, the disparity has grown. However, instead of just focusing on two polar opposite classes, the show captures smaller themes like survival of the fittest, trust-building, kindness, and family. Another example of a successful Korean film based on the theme of class struggle is Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite.
The spectacular production value is another reason that brings netizens to watch. Despite being a dark show, it is shot in a very vibrant, colorful setting, highlighting the violent absurdity of the games. The sets are elaborate and give off a dystopian feeling to them.
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Squid Games is helmed and penned by South Korean director and writer Hwang Dong-hyuk. The show opens with a pensive gambler who has been running out of luck with loads of debt, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-Jae), is recruited by a mystery man to participate in an ambiguous game that he promises will allow Gi-hun to settle his finances and start his life over. He arrives at a secret venue to find 455 other contestants. He is number 456.