The Brutal Truth Behind the 'Squid Game' Obsession

By Nikash Bawa and Samuel Rapoport

A show made completely in Korean, about down-on-their-luck people forced to play children’s games to the death…and it was a hit? “Squid Game” came as a shock to many. In 2021, it burst on the scene, becoming the most popular show on Netflix for multiple weeks straight. And in 2024, with the release of season two, it came right back. Over the three years, “Squid Game” has become a cultural phenomenon, captivating audiences throughout the world, especially in the United States.

“Squid Game” is a South Korean show that follows protagonist Gi-Hun as he struggles to manage his severe gambling addiction as well as his fraying relationship with his daughter and ex-wife. He finds himself thrown into the games, struggling to balance his morality with his intense desire to win.

The show is well-known for its violent imagery. In the first episode of the second season alone, hundreds of contestants are ruthlessly gunned down as they struggle to grasp the horrifying reality of the competition, and placed in caskets. Inside a casket, a body continues to move and struggles for freedom, shown in excruciating detail. This casket, along with the others, is then thrown into an incinerator, an extremely painful death.

Then, in the final episodes, enter the VIPs. These masked, extremely wealthy individuals arrive at the “Squid Game” purely for pleasure, reveling in tragedy. These VIPs blatantly embody a criticism of capitalist greed as individuals whose wealth has rendered them disconnected to human emotion. They bet on human lives, demonstrating a system that turns survival into a game rigged in favor of the privileged.

But “Squid Game” doesn’t just criticize the VIPs, it also goes after the audience. Just like the VIPs, we find ourselves unable to look away, enthralled by the scenes of violence and desperation. The show forces us to question whether our fascination is a product of empathy or the same malicious impulse that drives the VIPs.

Within the North Shore community, many students have watched and enjoyed the show, particularly its violent aspects. Abby Hardy, a sophomore, believes that the violence and gore is what makes the show interesting, and that it adds to the plot. “I like how it’s gory,” she said, “I like how the show is deceptive and disturbing.” Other students agree, saying the show wouldn’t be the same without the violence, one of the main reasons for its popularity.

As for the show’s reflections on society, the consensus among students is that “Squid Game” comments and criticizes our society as a whole. Many believe that the show’s popularity demonstrates how violence and struggle is normalized in our society. Abby, in particular, believes that the show is so popular because society likes to see things happening to others — such as oppressive governments and financial struggles — problems with which we ourselves are not dealing with. The result? Shows like “Squid Game,” which won best foreign language show at the Critics Choice Awards last week, skyrocket in popularity.

Deming Gantz adds that the show is “a comment on society’s greed and the things people will do for money.” Clearly, students agree that “Squid Game” is a sharp social commentary on both the world and ourselves. “Squid Game” will soon take on a new title; summer blockbuster. Season 3 comes out on June 27!