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Squid Game is a South Korean Netflix Original survival drama series, written and directed by Hwang Dong Hyuk. The series began streaming on Netflix, on the 17th of September 2021 and contains 9 episodes.
Main Cast:
Lee Jung Jae as Seong Gi Hun
Park Hae Soo as Cho Sang Woo
Jung Ho Yeon as Kang Sae Byeok
Oh Yeong So as Oh Il Nam
Heo Sung Tae as Jang Deok Seo
Anupam Tripathi as Abdul Ali
Kim Joo Ryoung as Han Mi Nyeo
Wi Ha Joon as Hwang Jun Ho
Supporting Cast:
Yoo Sung Joo as Byeong Gi
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Lee Yoo Mi as Ji Yeong
Kim Young Ok as Gi Hun's Mother
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Park Hye Jin as Sang Woo's Mother
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Park Si Wan as Kang Cheol, Sae Byeok's Brother
Special Appearances:
Gong Yoo as Games Recruiter
Hwang Dong Hyuk says he originally developed the script for Squid Game in 2008 when he was in a bad financial situation and living in a manhwabang, reading books such as Battle Royale, Liar Game and Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji, however, he feared the storyline was "too difficult to understand and bizzare" at the time. He stated "I wanted to write a story that was an allegory or fable about modern capitalist society, something that depicts an extreme competition, somewhat like the extreme competition of life. But I wanted it to use the kind of characters we've all met in real life."
Hwang based the narrative on Korean games of his childhood to show the irony of a childhood game where competition was not important, becoming an extreme competition with people's lives at stake.
Hwang had tried to sell his story to various Korean production groups and actors, but had been told it was too grotesque and unrealistic.
Squid Game has become the first Korean drama to top Netflix's Top 10 Weekly Most-Watched TV Show Charts globally, it has reached No.1 in 90 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
Squid Game definitely has some odd songs within it's soundtrack, but they are tracks that makes you think of the series and takes you right back into those moments that pulled you in.
Jung Jae Il - Way Back Then
23 - Pink Soldiers
A group of 456 people from all walks of life are invited to play a series of children's games with life-threatening consequences to have a chance to win a ₩45.6 billion prize.
It was Skye that brought Squid Game to my attention, and she's the one that placed it on to my remind me list to later be added to my watch list, as she knew it was a Korean series and had seen that it had a similar concept to Alice in Borderland, that we'd also enjoyed. For me what sealed it's fate on being watched, was when I saw the trailer and saw it starred Lee Jung Jae, I loved him in the Chief of Staff series, so wanted to make sure I checked him out in this series.
Me and Skye watched Squid Game within 24 hours, we were hooked from the very first episode, the only episode Skye didn't watch was episode 6 as she went to bed, I told her the next day she would have been glad that she didn't watch it as I was sobbing.
Hwang Dong Hyuk did an amazing job in writing and directing this series and I hope even though there is a big demand for a 2nd season, he takes his time and doesn't rush out a plot and story for season 2 just because of public demand. I have to mention the creator of the sets, she did an amazing job and even though the series is gory, it's still like many Korean drama's I have watched aesthetically pleasing.
I think this series is definitely a series that gets you thinking and talking about poverty, as well as social standings, whether you come from money or are classed as working class, it's definitely something that we still see to this day, the rich save and help the rich, while poorer people and families are hit harder with rises in bills, even more so since the Covid-19 pandemic hit all over the world.
The cast did an amazing job, I don't think I could have picked any better to play the characters they did, each actor makes their role memorable, and I think everyone can relate to one of them in some way.
I will honestly say that Lee Jung Jae really blew me away with his acting for Squid Game, I only really have the Chief of Staff series to compare it to, and while I loved him in Chief of Staff, for me his acting as Seong Gi Hun is on another level. You go on such an emotional rollercoaster with him throughout the series and I think you get to see his caring side, a lot more during his time in the games, he's the main contestant willing to make friends, team up and really help others. I've seen many people judge him for his actions towards the end, but I feel I took a completely different perspective from other people about his choices. It's hard to really go into detail about what I think because I don't want to give anything away about either the show or his character, but for me, you get to see some real growth, acceptance and taking control from him.
I will honestly say from the very start my gut was telling me not to trust Sang Woo, which shows that Park Hae Soo did amazing in his role. For me because of his educational background, Sang Woo feels he's the one that's the most deserving of winning the money, he seems to have the same mindset as the V.I.P's in that he has the power to do what he wants because he's succeeded better than the others in the games. We also see that he will do anything to make sure he wins, no matter who has to die in his place, something we see in episode 6, at times though we do see his conscience get the better of him, but he quickly changes his mindset.
I really want to applaud Jung Ho Yeon because this is her debut acting role and she did amazing as Kang Sae Byeok, I was rooting for her throughout, but with shows like this you really can't have a favourite, because there can only be one winner. I was completely shocked to see this was Jung Ho Yeon's acting debut, because she was so good in her role, you can tell Sae Byeok has a hard time trusting people and seems to believe she is her only friend and ally, until she meets and becomes close to others in the games.
I can't imagine anyone other than Oh Yeong So playing Oh Il Nam, Il Nam really pulled at the heart strings, watching him deteriorate was heartbreaking, watching him made me think of my grandparents, and how some elderly are alone, he's really in the show to pull at the heartstrings.
Heo Sung Tae did an amazing job as Jang Deok Seo, he did such a good job at playing the villain, he really thinks the main way he is going to survive is by taking out the weak, when in reality, he could be seen as one of the weak ones himself. He'll align himself with anyone as long as it gets him closer to winning, Gi Hun really makes him aware that those he's teamed up with, will also have the same mindset and will easily turn their backs on him.
From the very start I was in love with Anupam Tripathi as Abdul Ali, I think we can all agree that he's the fan favourite, I think out of all the cast, Ali is the one that is the most naive, but also has the purest heart, you can't help but fall in love with his character.
I feel that I have to applaud Kim Joo Ryoung as Han Mi Nyeo, because I really hated her character, which for me, means she did her job perfectly. Han Mi Nyeo is a very manipulative woman, when we first see her she's crying to be let out of the game because she has a baby on the outside who she is yet to name, when she returns, we see a completely different personality, which makes me wonder if she really did have a baby, or if she was just trying to guilt people into letting her go, because at the drop of a hat, if your in her line of sight, you're done for. I will admit though that I cheered when it came to her and Jang Deok Seo, she really kept to her word.
I was rooting for Wi Ha Joon as Hwang Jun Ho throughout, at times I found myself holding my breath, thinking he was going to be found out, but one thing is for sure, he's a clever and skillful policeman/detective. I guessed from the very start who his brother was, but was blown away when the actor was revealed. The main thing I want from any future seasons is if he was successful in his mission, did his messages get through?
I have to mention Lee Yoo Mi as Ji Yeong, even though we don't see much of her throughout the series, in just a short time, she makes a big impact on the viewer, for me, she embodies the whole don't judge a book by it's cover. When she was first introduced, I had a feel that she wasn't to be trusted, but the more we see her and as she reveals her story, you can't help but feel that all she needed in her life was a friend that she could turn to and just maybe, she wouldn't have to to deal with the things she had to on her own, she just wanted and needed someone in her life that made her own with living. Just thinking about her story, writing this makes me a little tearful.
We get two special/guest appearances in Squid Game, both of which I would have never expected and both blew me away, I'm only going to mention one as I don't want to ruin it for anyone that has yet to watch the series. I screamed so hard when Gong Yoo appeared on the screen, and I'm so glad I got to see his cameo long before the shows hype, as I don't think I would have been as blown away if I had known beforehand, if you're unfamiliar with Gong Yoo then I will highly recommend watching him in Train To Busan and Guardian: The Lonely & Great God, they are his works that pulled me into being a fan of his.
I keep saying how much I'm fed up of seeing all the meme's etc for Squid Game, but I can't deny that I'm extremely happy and proud to see a Korean drama gain so much success, especially here in the UK. I will highly recommend watching Squid Game, just for the sets and cast alone, and I hope for many this is just the stepping stone to checking out more Korean dramas, as for me they're always aesthetically pleasing and they always pull me in, I'm often always hooked from the very first episode.
I'll happily watch Squid Game all over again to see if I can spot any clues that I may have missed the first time round, and maybe even get Skye to finally watch the heart wrenching 6th episode. I know this isn't to everyone's taste and not everyone believes it lives up to the hype but for me it's a well done to the cast and the crew and a massive congratulations to Hwang Dong Hyuk, for me it's a masterpiece and definitely a contender for the top spot as my favourite drama of 2021, your persistence paid off as did your hard work. While I'd love their to be a 2nd season, I'm also happy if there isn't and I also hope the western countries don't try and get their mitts on it and ruin it all.
Have you watched Squid Game?
Were you a fan of the cast?
Did you enjoy the plot and script?
Let me know in the comments below.
See you soon!
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