Squid Game?? More Like Death Games
Squid Game was truly something else. I expected a bunch of games, but did I expect everything that happened during and after the games? No, definitely not. This obviously needs a season 2 since the ending was kind of crappy. Don't get me wrong, the beginning and the show in general was excellent. However, I wish the ending was a little more developed.Seong Gi Hoon was an interesting character. He was naïve of a sort, even though he was been through a lot. Even after what happened at the end, he continued to live his life the way it was before. Cho Sang Woo honestly did not deserve to last so long in the games. This man was dangerous and we couldn't even detect it. Kang Sae Byeok was the best character, hands down. She faced everything head-on which is something I want to do whenever I'm in the middle of a situation. Hwang Jun Ho was pretty irrelevant in my opinion because his purpose was to only find his brother who went missing. The hot thing about him was that he always used the words of someone whenever he was "violated". There's no closure about him, which I wish did happen. Hopefully in season 2, we'll get closure about him. Ali was too innocent in this drama. All he wanted was money for his wife and kid, poor guy couldn't even get anything, but he left his family a good amount. Oh Il Nam...I don't know, I have a confusing view about him. He treated the guys so nice, but at the end what he explained was messed up. Ji Yeong was also badass, her ending is undeserved, she deserved a second chance.
There's a bunch of other characters I would have reviewed, but meh it's whatever lol
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WOW!
The show was AMAZING! the way I was crying for characters I have only known them for 1-4 episodes is just crazy cause this is the first time it has happened to me. The way they have developed the characters even if we don't know that much about their background other than gi-hun but honestly, they never tell us anything like why he debt or any other information, so it's crazy how i started crying, this also just proves how the acting is just amazing and i loved the cast and they fit so well with the roles and the chemistry with each other was amazing too! Also, i was so happy seeing a south asian character because it's not very common to see them and even if you do see them they are small roles no main characters so I WAS VERY VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT me being an indian myself. The music was also so good, the song matched the vibe so well such as when they played happy songs in bad situations it really matched well with the children's game theme or the pink soldiers song gave such an eerie vibe but i kept wanting to listen to the song even though it kinda freaked me out a little. Lastly, i loved the story so much but if I'm going to be honest, the story was pretty basic but it was still so addicting and i binged the whole show in one sitting so i still TOTALLY RECCOMED WATCHING!i love this show so much and I'm SO HAPPY FOR THE SHOW AND THE ACTORS FOR ALL THE INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION THIS SHOW IS GETTING AND OTHER KDRAMAS SUDDENLY GETTING AFTER SQUID GAME... LIKE THE STORIES ARE SO GOOD THEY DESERVE IT!! YAYYYY!!
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THANKS FOR PLAYING WITH ME
Squid Game was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. It's definitely something you could finish in one day if you were willing to give up that much time, but I think you'll find yourself getting sucked pretty easily into this cutthroat death game that also serves as a critique on capitalism.First and foremost, I need to talk about the characters, or more specifically the participants of the game, because they were definitely a driving force in this story. Even though the time spent with each character varied, I still thought that most of them were really well-written and were able to provide a huge impact on the overall story. Each one had justification for participating in this game and I didn't find any of their actions to be overly forced. I found myself rooting for a majority of characters, and when each of them was killed off, it definitely struck an emotional blow. These are definitely not the usual 2-dimensional stock characters that are written into survival stories that we often see today. It was also really interesting to see how the different characters changed over the course of the game due to moral decay, or in some cases, didn't change at all, which helped to further the show's illustration of capitalism.
This then brings me on to the next thing I'd like to talk about, which is Squid Game's stance on capitalism. They pretty much nailed their argument against it, which basically boils down to: there is no equality under capitalism, and the poor will always suffer for the sake of the rich. The people who were running the game kept on stressing that the rules for each game were created in order to be fair for everyone and that every player would be given an equal chance to win, but it's also important to keep in mind that the reason these games were started in the first place was for the entertainment of the rich. There was never any equality to begin with because it was their poor status that placed them there in the first place.
The characters were also supposedly given the option of participating or not participating in the games, but in reality, just like with capitalism, there was actually no choice. Even though the people who were controlling the game insisted each player was there because it was their own decision, we're actually shown that these characters have literally nothing to lose. Nothing could be worse than the hellish situation they were placed in because of their debts under capitalism. It was only an illusion of free will, and ultimately, the choice was already made for them. This is an exceptionally well-crafted representation of how capitalism works. You have to participate in this rotten system in order to survive, and if you don't, you're basically deemed as having little to no value and are seen as less than a human being and basically become forced into poverty.
And even if you think you have a chance at beating this corrupt system, it doesn't come without a cost. No one becomes a millionaire or a billionaire without stepping on other people. There is no ethical way of achieving that status of wealth. Squid Game brilliantly illustrates this point by setting up the games in such a way that you can only win at the expense of other people's lives. Every dollar that was added to that heinous piggy bank represents the value that was attached to the life of every player who died. Specifically, players who were poor and impoverished and were only playing this game in order to pay off their debts. Capitalism strikes again by forcing poor people to compete with each other in order to survive and make a living, all the while the ultra-rich get to kick back and enjoy the show. There were lots of moments that were truly sickening to watch, but unfortunately, they are pretty accurate in regards to how a capitalistic society functions. The poor stay poor and the rich get richer.
Okay. Rant finished. I'd like to point out that I also highly enjoyed the production, acting, and music of Squid Game. It was all extremely well-executed and helped to add to the intensity of the show.
However, I did not like the ending. It felt like the writers were really building up to this big, grand conclusion, but instead, we were given an ending that was underwhelming, and quite frankly, didn't make much sense. It also seemed to undermine a lot of the character's actions from beforehand, so I was pretty frustrated with it.
Overall, I still pretty much enjoyed the show up until the ending. I kind of went into this with pretty low expectations if I'm being honest, so I was pleasantly surprised. If you're looking for a good show with lots of action but isn't mindless and cheap in the slightest, I would definitely give Squid Game a chance. It definitely deserves all the attention it is receiving since its Netflix release, and I hope that it can really help to pave the way for people to reconsider their beliefs about capitalism as we know it, as well as to help encourage Western audiences to branch out more when it comes to the kinds of media they consume. As director Bong Joon-Ho said while accepting an Oscar for his film Parasite, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." I think Squid Game's popularity will help more people realize the meaning behind this sentiment.
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Suspenseful
Oct. 2, 2021Squid Game is one of those dramas where humans are in such a desperate state that they have lost their ability to have human compassion. To be honest, I really love the first half of the series. I am assuming that there must be a plan for a second season as the ending implied it unless they really wanna fk us up and give that ending with no sequel.
For the characters of the Squid Game, I think that the writers really gave us a huge variety of personalities and perspectives through each ones. Though, there are some characters that I absolutely despised and thank god they are gone. But I fking hate those VIPs. I need them dead, I don't think I will be able to rest and I will not continue to shut up unless those mfs get their deserved karma for using people for their fking entertainment.
With all these, I did feel a bit underwhelmed with the latter half of season 1. I feel like the writing has become sloppy and that it kinda fell into the constant repetition that made it a bit harder to finish the series. I did skip multiple scenes in the latter half as it seems uninteresting and unnecessary. I did cry for all the characters that I loved since they all really just died. Like damn, that hurt like a bitch tbh. I wished they kept my girl like come on. But oh well, it is what it is.
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A strong impact on audience
** Note : I've already watched them 2 or 3 weeks back . But , I'm just writing the review because I was pretty free and suprisingly not having house chores . **As I finished Squid Game last weekend I saw that it was # 1 on Netflix. On my tiny little island of all places. Just a couple of years ago people scoffed at me when they found out I was watching kdramas. Squid Game is basically just a korean movie that has been extended to 9 episodes and in many ways I think it is a very typical gory and violent story that you often find in Korean movies. Something that has been slowly finding its way into Korean television in recent years, especially with shows produced by Netflix. And it is clear that a lot was put into this series from what it’s visuals, to the choice of actors and the budget etc.
As I said Squid Game was a bit of a typical story from this type of entertainment that you often find in movies from countries like Japan and Korea (like Battle Royal) and for me it was not that original with them and neither did they do something new with this type of narrative. Which may be why there was very little to the story that actually surprised me. even if I really enjoyed watching it. I found it a bit typical and it mainly just reminded me of other such stories that have come before it.
The violence is not for everyone. I can stomach quite a bit of it without it bothering me. I often think the violence in this type of stories goes a little too far but there is a purpose to it in some ways and the story puts a lot of pressure on your endurance as a spectator, because that is the purpose of it. It’s hard for the characters, it should be hard on you. You can hardly look away even if you want to and that is one of the traits of these types of stories. And in that Squid Game is very successful.
The story starts off with a bang, but after that is does take it’s time to find it’s footing but when it manages it toward the middle part the show becomes really binge-able, before taking a slight dip towards the end. The theme of the effects of late stage capitalism and it’s grip on our society and the situation that has created among us is very interesting and the story does a good job underlining that.
Really good amount of suspense going on there and some good character moments in between them, although I thought the story never really took full advantage of it’s characters as it spent more time on other aspects of the story. It was also a little too noticeable to me that this was written by a man based on how some of the characters were written and it bothered me a bit. I think the choice of actors, who are all great, made the character more interesting than they might be.
I felt the ending was a little too empty which slightly made the ride on this roller-coaster of a story slightly less thrilling. It didn’t leave that much behind. I felt I was missing some emotional payoff from the story. I felt like the personal journey was a bit lacking in the end so it didn’t stick the landing. And I didn’t feel like enough questions were answered in the narrative. It was as if the story was relaying little too much getting another series. And I appreciate kdrams for giving me complete stories in one season.
This is a nine-part gory Korean film. It really felt like it was made with that sort of target audience in mind; those who really enjoy this genre of Korean and Japanese films (as this is one of the most popular genres of Asian films in the west, which I sometimes find a bit sad but I also understand the appeal). It’s good gory entertainment and I can see why it is as popular as it is. It’s thrilling, violent and addictive while it’s going on but it didn’t leave me with much in the end except maybe blood and gore.
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Great start and mediocre ending
The ending of the kdrama kind of felt meh compared to the rest of the episodes. Rushed explanations that were unsatisfying (regarding the old man) and the delayed help that GiHun should've given to the family members. There are a lot of plot lines to still develop, the police story line and GiHun trying to take down the operation. It's clear that they wanted to make a season 2 with this show. But that may have affected the quality of the ending for this season.Nevertheless, it's an interesting dive into the morality and extremes that humans are willing to go for their own survival and desires. At what point do crossing those lines become too much? It had compelling side characters as well, SaeByeok was my absolute favorite with her backstory and characterization. I'm sad about what happened to her. The subplot with the police story line was most intriguing and I look forward to that development in the next season the most.
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A Recommended Watch - Especially for the Acting
This series has a little bit of everything - good and less-than.I think the premise is relatively standard. It's a survival horror/death game type deal, however, with the participants being there of their own free will. Yes, even after the killing starts. The team does a very good job of building the tension during the first half, but as the number of participants decreases, so does the coherency of the plot. I think this drama could have used a couple of more episodes, maybe 2-3 more, to progress and conclude the plot better. There are a lot of the participants who have interesting backstories and possibilities for torture. What about the married couple who had decided to join? There could have been plenty more scenes showing the pain characters like them would have felt. The husband is forced to kill his wife in one of the games, and we see nothing of it? How can you leave something like that out? What about Mi Nyeo who has a baby? It's mentioned twice and never addressed again. The doctor harvesting organs? What was that about?
The story gives a lot of focus on the main three characters, but even that isn't a lot. But how can you give any more depth when you have so little time to do it? Gi Hoon and Sae Byeok definitely get the most development. Sang Woo is rather quickly made out to be a manipulative villain, and it never goes beyond that. Gi Hoon and Sang Woo's past seems so dishonest when you know how SW is. SW's betrayal feels genuinely weak, because the viewer already knew what kind of person he was.
At times, I feel like the production team was so obsessed with making this big story, that they sacrificed the plot and characters along the way. Everything just feels rushed and sort of incomplete. There are certain times where an incomplete story works out really well, but here it just seems lacking. Sure, there are some tragic deaths in this, but they just did not have the impact they'd have if you knew the characters a little better. The B-plot, even with it's lacks, was actually a lot more interesting to me than the A-plot.
Of course, I can't leave out the things I liked: The casting and acting is AMAZING. I love how the different characters interact with one another, and how everyone bond over their shared situation. But they were still different from one another. Some are in debt because they're shitty people, and some are just trying to save their loved ones. It makes for an interesting dynamic. The actors go all out, and I love it. Especially Mi Nyeo - I love how unhinged she is. Big kudos to the amazing actress. Everyone is great in this, no matter their role.
I also want to mention the set design. I normally hate the survival game genre for how boringly realistic it can be. However, I adore the visual theme that was used for this drama. The bright colors, and the focus on children's playgrounds really emphasizes the disparity between the basic premise of the games, and what actually goes on in them. I mean, the people betting on the players are supposed to be having fun, so of course the surroundings should be fun looking!
As I said in the beginning, this series has it's good and not-so-good sides, but I definitely feel that they are worth living with. I do recommend watching this series, especially for the characters and acting. If there will be a season 2, I'll be looking forward to see how some of the unanswered questions are dealt with. If there won't be a continuation, I won't be disappointed. I'm content either way.
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Average for it's genre.
Don't get me wrong, this is a pretty decent show. But at the same time the ending didn't satisfied me at all.It ended like this in order to have more seasons ofc but idk... for me it lacked smt.
Survival movies or tv shows are never a concept i find revolutionary, so i think it's pretty funny how of all the kdramas out there, this one is the most watched on Netflix. Not only that but it's the TOP2 most watched shows on Netlix of all time.
I understand everything and all that, but if i ever survived such a crazy hell i would either end up killing myself regardless or just really living and doing everything i've ever wanted. Might as well... what's the worst that can happen?
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yeah. Worth the hype.
I wasn't wowed by the first episode of this drama, nor entirely enchanted by the second. But by the end of the second episode I thought... dang, okay, fine, I guess I want to keep watching. And I'm glad I did.The most thrilling and emotional parts of this show took place within the game itself. The games are simple children's games, but are games that don't necessarily require skill. Most of the time, it's luck; which number you drew, which shape you got, that sort of thing. The game purports to be 'fair', but it's only fair in the way that real life is fair. You're stuck with the cards you've been given. The poor characters take part in the game because the real world is so terrible for them that the game is the best alternative they've got. Sadly, some even think they can win, despite (as we've discussed) the games being largely luck-based.
The characters are mostly pretty decent in this. The main character, Gi Hoon, is initially kind of a piece of trash, but you realize that he's a gambling addict, and this leads to him hurting the people he loves. He's not an inherently bad person who wants to hurt others, and you see that come out in the game, where he's one of the kinder people there. The rest of the cast are also great, not a weak performance in sight. I'd say the cop's plotline and character are mildly confusing and vague and you're just not that emotionally invested in it compared to everyone else. The show continues to get better and better as the games keep going and people die.
People die in very emotionally impacting ways, and I think they did all the character deaths very well. They often feel different too; whether it's because it was accidental, somebody cheated so they lost, or just bad luck. And the deaths can weirdly almost feel like a part of their character arcs. I don't know how the writers pulled it off but they did it well.
tl;dr it's really worth watching because it's not just trashy fun, it has so much to say about the unfairness of the systems in this world that keep poor people down. I'm not sure I'd rewatch it because it's so emotionally overwhelming at times but it is super good.
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Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures or do they?
I really liked how this showed some realities of the lengths that people would go for the allure of money. Yes, even risking their lives despite not knowing much of what would happen with each game.Each game really kept one at the edge of their seat or hugging a pillow as I did for the most part of this show. I think a reason why this is a show that is really trending is not just the story line which is really well-written by the way, it is also because of how the different characters are portrayed. You see their backstories and understand the desperation that fuels their drive to complete each game. Kudos to the actors who really did a good job at making us love or hate their character!
Something I didn't like though was how they made me think differently of the waltz that I used to dance to. Hehe. All in all, it was a good show although I don't think I can handle watching it again unlike with Alice in Borderland for some reason.
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Current rating is spot on
I don't normally trust the rating here in MDL because we all have different preference but this time i do agree that this series is good but not so great.I like the first episode. It left a lasting impression similar to the Titanic movie where the band kept playing while the ship was sinking. It was captivating and sad.
The story is like building a matchstick tower, there's a feeling of fear and excitement as you build up hoping that you'll be able to use your last matchstick without it collapsing. But the storyline were not able to hold its standing. It eventually collapse in the end and did not meet the expectations of a good ending. The main game was ruined by too much talk and less play time. Well, good luck to season 2 where matchstick building will start again.
The main lead is too much, his acting is OTT and you can't feel his sincerity. Whereas Park Hae-Soo and Ho Yeon Jung played their role brilliantly.
Cinematography and music are in sync to the storyline. Overall, its a good watch but except for the first episode, i don't think i will watch it again.
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