Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
I am sure by now that almost everyone at Connecticut College has at least heard of the Netflix Original Series, Squid Game, directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. The miniseries came out only about a month ago, and it has quickly become Netflix’s most popular series. According to IMDb, there were over 100 million views (about 111 million viewers, more specifically) of the series before even a month had passed since its release. On Oct. 24, a little more than a month since the premiere, I checked Netflix and the show is still in the “Top 10 in the U.S. Today” list, at #2 currently. Squid Game has spawned praise, memes and fan artwork over the past few weeks, and the show has gained immense popularity and attention. What makes the show so special are the exciting concepts and complex characters, both of which build up even more as the episodes progress.
Squid Game is a nine episode series about a group of people struggling with debt who are invited to play a series of games to win a large amount of prize money. The characters play what appear to be (based on) childhood games, such as “Red Light, Green Light,” however things take a brutal turn when players begin to be executed for losing or making mistakes in the event. The series mainly focuses on the character Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), a divorced father who needs money to be able to support his mother’s medical needs and hopes to create a more stable living environment for his daughter. The problem is he continues to use any money he has on gambling, and he owes people money as well. Once joining the games, Gi-hun meets several characters, including reuniting with his childhood friend, Cho Sang-woo (played by Park Hae-soo). Gi-hun, Sang-woo and many others must lose a part of themselves to try and be the sole recipient of the bountiful prize, while sacrificing those they care about in the process.
Overall, the show itself is incredibly fascinating. While at first it appeared as though the series was attempting to convey a message about the risks of gambling and spending money unwisely (through the main protagonist, Gi-hun), the show is mainly a criticism of the large divide of societal classes and the repercussions that can come from wealth, as well as those who abuse power. It also brings up the question of how far someone might go to create a better life for themselves, even if that means destroying one’s own morality (and others’ lives) in the process. Squid Game is thought-provoking, and it leaves the audience with questions, heavy emotions and fascination. Specifically, those in the United States have become overwhelmingly enamored with the television series, spreading praise and discussion across social media platforms.
In terms of American fans this is not the first time that Korean television and film have increased in wide popularity across the country. With the 2019 release of Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho and the many awards that it received, the film became one of the most discussed films for months, with the common response when asked about it being, “You just need to see it!” Although American audiences enjoy these films and series that have been released on streaming platforms over the years, the releasing of international films has still been fairly uncommon in standard movie theaters. A hope for the future is that there are more opportunities to release and play films from across the globe in theaters, to further encourage movie-goers to explore outside of their country’s movie collection.
While less universally known, the 2016 South Korean film Train to Busan, directed by Sang-ho Yeon, also gained massive popularity among general audiences and horror fans alike. However, what worries me is the U.S.’s influence on entertainment distribution. There was confirmation from several verified Instagram accounts such as “GameSpot” that Train to Busan would be receiving an American remake, much to the dismay of myself and many others due to the repetitive mistakes that many film companies make. The issue that Hollywood and American studios have as a whole is taking pre-existing titles and films from other countries and reforming them to cater to American audiences. In creating an English language remake, it only prevents viewers from exploring works from other countries and opening themselves up to more international films and television. American remakes tend to erase both cultural and linguistic aspects, as well as societal issues that occur in the country that the original would take place in, and therefore an important piece is missing from the reproduction. While some viewers may find out about the original versions through remakes, and eventually watch and appreciate the former work, many won’t look further into the background of the films they watch. In doing so, the originals created in other countries are often underrated and missed.
Going back to the success of Squid Game across the world, specifically the United States, there is a lingering question about the fate of the series: will there be an American remake in the future? What might save Squid Game from this fate and what separates itself from many other international works is that it is streaming on Netflix. The presence of streaming services does help in directing subscribers to more films and shows out in the world, but it can only go so far. What will happen in the future, no one knows, however I can only hope that Squid Game is not recreated by American studios.
If you have access to Netflix, I highly recommend you check out Squid Game. In terms of content warnings, there is a great deal of violence and gore, as well as depictions of suicide. It is in no way a happy show. It’s thrilling, intense and emotional, and I was entranced by the first episode. I do worry about the U.S.’s history of adapting international entertainment and remaking it to satisfy a specific audience’s palettes. However, due to the show being on the considerably most popular streaming service, I remain hopeful that the original stays relevant and known, and remains to be acknowledged by many in the present and future.
