“Squid Game” has taken over pop culture and social media, but what’s it all about?
“Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games,” the Netflix description reads. “Inside, a tempting prize awaits – with deadly high stakes.”
The nine-episode Korean thriller was released Sept. 17. The series follows the story of Seong Gi-hun, played by actor Lee Jung-jae, as he and hundreds of deeply indebted contestants compete in a violent competition for a substantial cash prize.
Only one person can win the prize, and those who lose the deceptively simple children’s games will pay with their lives.
“Squid Game” broke records in mid-October, becoming Netflix’s most popular series launch after surpassing more than 111 million views. The hashtag #SquidGame on TikTok has been viewed more than 22.8 billion times.
Global audiences are resonating with the unapologetic critique of capitalist exploitation and individualism. “Squid Game” is the most recent addition to a growing list of media focusing on dystopian realities.
Shows like “Squid Game” capture our attention by dehumanizing the human race through literalizing the metaphors for the greatest critiques of capitalism.
While “Squid Game” hasn’t been officially renewed by Netflix, an announcement for a second season is greatly anticipated considering its overall popularity.
The show was first announced by Netflix in 2019, meaning that the production for season one took two years to complete. Viewers are anticipating a second season’s arrival as soon as late 2022.
Speculation on potential plotlines for the second season have already begun. Due to the nature of the games, a continual plotline using the same characters is somewhat impossible. Exploring “Squid Games” on an international level is a possibility, as well as creating context for the first season through potential prequel episodes.
There are other ideas that the show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyukm, is interested in. “While I was writing season one,” he said during an interview with The Times, “I thought about the stories that could be in season two if I get to do one – one would be the story of the Frontman. I think the issue with police officers is not just an issue in Korea. I see it on the global news that the police force can be very late on acting on things – there are more victims or a situation gets worse because of them not acting fast enough. This was an issue that I wanted to raise. Maybe in season two I can talk about this more.”
