I will start off by saying that user "Proxy" wrote the strongest and best-worded review, which entirely captures my feelings on the show start to finish. My additions are brief, but I think relevant:

1. I do not enjoy media that essentially holds up a cue card for me when I am "supposed" to feel a certain way; I just like to feel that way because I am so immersed in the story. Squid Game felt like a constant slap with this card, "Be sad now! Be shocked now!" and I could never truly experience those emotions.

2. I have a concern that the VIP moment, where he attempts to sexually coerce and assault the undercover officer, perpetuates the stigma that gay men are predators. There is no other gay content in the show--for understandable but unfortunate reasons--so this made me extremely uncomfortable. Given such a popular show is gaining such popularity in areas which are progressive AND conservative socially and politically, and because much of this popularity is occurring through apolitical consumption , I worry what this presents for the (my) gay community. This is a historical issue for gay representation in media, so I hope the reception doesn't follow previous representations of such a stereotype and have real-life consequences for gay people.

The acting was great, but the story lost itself, and the ending was absurdly bad. The show absolutely kept me hostage. Did I enjoy it? Not really. I won't rewatch. I appreciate a user who turned me to Alice in Borderland instead, a death game show which does not at all lose its purpose and has a canon trans character.

Squid Game was worth the one viewing if just for the class commentary and the very solid acting. But that's really it.