Squid Game TV Show Review
Squid Game (2021), directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, is a show that depicts how far people are willing to go to get out of crippling debt. The film’s namesake comes after a children’s game that the main character used to play when he was growing up in Korea. This takes a major role in the show later on that will leave viewers shocked.
The movie tells the story of Seong Gi-Hun, a man struggling with extreme debt. He depends on his mother for support, and, as a divorcee, also has a young child that he has to take care of, which adds to his level of responsibility. The individual that Seong Gi-Hun owes money to is very adamant on getting paid as soon as possible. This leaves a very desperate Seong Gi-Hun to start gambling in an attempt to pay off his creditors. He did win a significant amount of money, but ended up losing it shortly before trying to pay his debt back. His creditors gave him a very simple deal; pay back his debt within a month, or he will face serious consequences.
After this point, Seong Gi-Hun was desperate for any opportunity to make some money to pay off his debt. As he was waiting at the train station, he ran into a well-dressed gentleman who offered to play a game whose winner would obtain a significant amount of money. Seong Gi-Hun agreed to play the game and lost several times. Alas, the well-dressed gentleman kept offering him the opportunity to play for the cash prize, and he eventually did win one round. This led to Seong Gi-Hun being offered an opportunity to play another game for another cash prize. A desperate Seong Gi-Hun agreed, and this is where the story really begins.
Seong Gi-Hun is taken to an undisclosed location where 455 other contestants are waiting for him. The premise is simple; play six simple games and, if you win, receive a hefty cash prize. This grabs the attention of every single contestant, as they are all struggling with large amounts of debt. Shortly after arriving, Seong Gi-Hun meets one of his childhood friends, Cha Sang-woo, who is also participating in the games.
In the beginning, every single player is excited to participate in the games due to the possibility of getting their debt paid off. However, it doesn’t take long for the players to be petrified to continue playing due to a horrifying twist.
Some of the other characters that make an appearance in the show are Kang Sae-byeok, Joon-ho, Ji-yeong, Jang Deok-su, and Han Mi-nyeo. Kang Sae-byeok is a young woman who is very independent and struggles to interact with others. Joon-ho is a detective who is looking for his brother who he believes is participating in the games. Ji-yeong is a carefree young woman who cares more about others than she does about herself. Jang Deok-su is an arrogant man who is willing to do anything to win the cash prize. Han Mi-nyeo is the lunatic of the show who gets her sweet revenge on a character later on in the show.
Squid Game is a must-see show this fall that you can view on Netflix. It leaves viewers hanging off of the edge of their seats waiting to see what new twist will come next. The characters are extremely entertaining to watch, and the plot is filled with surprises around every corner. Overall, this show was extremely easy and fun to watch, and I would recommend it to anybody who loves action-packed shows with twists and turns that will leave you speechless.
Image obtained from Squarespace
