The "Squid Games" Take Over

 Unless you live under a rock, you’ve heard of the newest viral TV show, Squid Games.


This South Korean show, directed and written by Hwang Dong-hyuk, went viral for good reason. Personally, I binge-watched the entire season in one day. This show will take you on a journey of many emotions through immaculate character development, acting, and thrilling plot lines.


A show that was once only available in South Korea made its way to Netflix. According to The Business Insider, Netflix’s co-CEO said that “Squid Games” could most definitely become their biggest show ever (Sept. 28, 2021). 


“Squid Games” envelops themes of greed, what it takes to survive, and what it means to be a good person. As participants play in life-or-death children’s games to win a large cash prize, they must decide who they can trust. Heo Sung-tae’s portrayal of the main antagonist, Jang Deok-su, is outstanding. I found myself terrified and infuriated with him. In contrast to Jang Deok-su is the main character that we all identify with, Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae. Seong Gi-hun is faced with many problems that he seems to only make worse for himself. However, his internal growth throughout the “Squid Games” reveals his golden heart and strong spirit. 


Although some are wary of jumping on mainstream trends, I must say this is one worth jumping on. “Squid Games” will hook you from the very beginning with likable and realistic characters, as well as a thrilling plot. There is a lot we can learn from this series, from enjoying the little things, never asking for too much, and, most importantly, you don’t have to have the strongest team to win at tug-of-war. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"A Promising Young Woman" Review *SPOILERS*

When I saw the trailer for “A Promising Young Woman” back in 2020, I knew that I had to watch it. Now that it is on HBO Max, I was finally able to. Cassie’s badass and merciless character, played by Carey Mulligan, represents the general population of women who are fed up with rape culture as well as those who have seen the suffering of a loved one who has been sexually assaulted. This secondhand view of the rape of Cassie’s best friend, Nina, makes the film a little bit easier to digest-- especially for the men watching the film, who cannot understand the female experience of rape culture. However, men can relate to Cassie’s character by imagining Nina as their best friend, sister, wife, etc.  The film opens with Cassie pretending to be so drunk that she is unable to stand. A “nice guy” comes over and offers to help her. Unfortunately, he cannot resist his desires and ends up taking her to his apartment where he makes unwanted advances on her. When Cassie drops the “sloppy drunk” ...
Read more

A Different Kind of Romantic Comedy

  A Different Kind of Romantic Comedy “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” had me doing what I expect from all romantic comedies-- laughing and crying. This 2012 film starring Steve Carell and Kiera Knightly is not your typical romantic comedy-- although it does have common archetypes. With Knightly playing the quirky optimistic romantic who loves records and Carell playing a middle-aged depressed lonely nobody. When I came across this Lorene Scafaria film on HBOMAX I wasn’t really expecting to be emotional about it, so don’t make the same mistake I did.  The unlikely couple is brought together by the world’s impending doom. The beginning of the movie announces that there is an asteroid heading toward Earth and despite scientists’ efforts, it is going to destroy the world. When Dodge’s (Carell) wife leaves him, he expects to spend his final days alone. However, Penny (Knightly) comes along and changes that. They go on a journey together with the goal of Dodge taking Pen...
Read more

Anticipating "Never Have I Ever" Season 3

  If you’re anything like me, ten 20 minute episodes in a season are too easy to binge-watch.  I binge-watched both seasons of  “Never Have I Ever” on Netflix in one week. I was hooked after the first episode. I fell in love with the inclusivity and loveable characters of this show immediately. Unfortunately, there is no official release date for season three.  For many shows, COVID halted their filming. For example, “Stranger Things,” another Netflix original, had to push back their fourth season (which I also cannot wait for). Thankfully, it was confirmed in August of 2021 that “Never Have I Ever” had been renewed by Netflix for a third season. We may not have a release date, but at least we know that it is coming! According to What’s on Netflix, “‘ Never Have I Ever’ made it into the top 10 lists of over 70 countries around the world, making it number one in several countries. The show was able to make it to number one in the United States for a short period of t...
Read more