It’s no secret that Squid Game is one of the biggest shows of 2021. In fact, the series might
even become Netflix's largest sensation yet. According to ABC News, Squid Game is on track to
become the most-watched show in Netflix's history -- a title held by series such as Stranger
Things and Bridgerton. An article by No Film School states that these shows received 582
million and 625 million hours watched respectively, and with Squid Game challenging the top
spots in such a small amount of time, one cannot invalidate the series’ accomplishments.
But what makes Squid Game so popular?
Perhaps the distinct colors are a contributing factor. The staff that stand guard in each of the
games are dressed in a vibrant reddish-pink jumpsuit with a black mask. The contestants don a
dark green and white-striped tracksuit with a number identifying each one. Remarkable visuals
are also added to each set. The set from the ‘red light, green light’ game is possibly the most
notable in the series. The doll with the appearance of a little (or rather large) girl is the
centerpiece of the set as she stands against a tree within a vast, barren room and eyes closed.
That is, until she turns around and opens them, murdering nearly half of the 456 contestants
who have failed to stand still after she calls “red light.” Who could forget gruesome imagery as
such?
Maybe Squid Game’s prevalence within pop culture today falls within its characters. Each
character is laced with their own unique backstory and reason as to why they decided to
become a contestant. The main character, Seong Gi-hun is determined to win the prize money
to sustain his mother and regain custody of his daughter. Kang Sae-byeok, a strong and
thick-skinned woman, decided to compete to be able to take her orphaned younger brother out
of the orphanage and into her own care. Ali Abdul is a foreigner from Pakistan who enters the
game to be able to assist his family. As an avid watcher of Korean dramas, I can attest that it is
never a typical sight to see a foreigner star in these shows.
Possibly, the series’ mainstream success can be due in part to the substantial rise in recognition of Asian media in more recent years. Just last year, at the 92nd Academy Awards, Parasite won the Oscar for Best Picture, which made it the first foreign language film to win that title in the award show’s span of 92 years. As of October 5, 2021, K-Pop group BTS had received their sixth No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making them the first group of all time to achieve such a feat. However, these examples aren’t the only ingredients added in the virality of not only South
Korean culture, but Asian culture as a whole.
Whatever the case for Squid Game’s popularity may be, its undeniable success has raised
many questions, the main one being if there are plans for a season two. As of now, Hwang
Dong-hyuk, the director of Squid Game, has no plans to make a second season. He states, “I
don’t have well developed plans for Squid Game 2. It is quite tiring just thinking about it.”
Honestly, none of us blame him, especially since it took him ten years to write the first season
alone. However, that's not to say there won’t be another season. Seeing how the series is
currently #1 on Netflix in 90 different countries, a season two isn’t entirely out of the question,
and would be beneficial for all parties involved in the creation. In fact, Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s
executive of global TV, has said that their creative teams are trying to find the “right structure”
for a second installment.
Squid Game is a show that is definitely not lacking in twists and turns. Its colorful sets,
personalities, and plot are all major components of its success. It's no wonder that the show
shot up in popularity after just a few weeks.
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