Squid Game: Five reasons why show is a huge success

When was the last time the entire world came together to watch a show? Our safest bet would be Game of Thrones. The show, albeit leaving some fans disappointed with its last season, was a huge hit. Today, Squid Game is moving in that direction, or at least we would like to think so after a brilliantly executed first season.

For the uninitiated, Squid Game is a South Korean series on Netflix that portrays capitalism as ugly as sin. 456 people, all in dire need of money, are part of a ‘Battle Royale’ where they play children’s games with a ‘deadly’ twist. Literally.

Ironically, Squid Game was written in 2009, three years before The Hunger Games, a movie with a similar theme had been released. After being rejected for over a decade, the Hwang Dong-hyuk directorial received the green light from Netflix. The nine-episode thriller premiered on Netflix on September 17 and boasts of making it to the #1 spot in the OTT platform’s Top 10 list in 90 countries, including the UAE.

With that said, here are five reasons why we feel Netflix’s Squid Game is such a success.

Theme

Be it movies, series, or video games, the ‘Battle Royale’ theme has gained massive popularity in the last few years. The idea of having people bid against one another, not only adds thrill but also a state of unpredictability to the show. It is every person for themselves. Be prepared for heart-wrenching twists and turns.

Characters


We have a bully, a sweetheart, a nuisance, an intellectual, an amiable person and one you just cannot bear. What’s interesting is that these character arcs change throughout the show, and we have the brilliant cast of HoYeon Jung, Park Hae Soo, Lee Jung-jae and many others to thank for this.

Relatability

How far are you willing to go for money? The show, despite being written over a decade ago is quite relatable among the majority of the working class that feels exploited by corporate sectors.

Foreign Appeal

International films and shows have gained massive recognition over the past few years, cue Parasite, La Casa de Papel, and quite a bit of Korean content. The modern world’s audience is more open to watching foreign-language content. Hence, it is no surprise that Squid Game created such hype across the world.

Plot

The plot of Squid Game is so addictive that you might want to finish the entire series in a single day. Deep down, you might know how things are going to end up but you can’t help wishing otherwise. The audience will build a love-hate relationship with the characters, such is the intensity of the plot. To sum it up, Squid Game will have you hooked.

husain@khaleejtimes.com