You know what other list this mega-hit is topping? Everyone’s drama watchlist. In case you are still of two minds about this, this could be the review you need!
Just when you think this goes against my principle of not watching new dramas - in case it ruins my perspective of older shows - Squid Game ("SG") was actually created in 2009! #dodgedabullet there
[Plot]
456 participants take the greatest gamble of their lives, for 45.6B won (~USD 45.6mln). Will you do the same?
[Pros]
Plot/ The Games: Simple, but comes with life-and-death stakes. Easy to follow yet dangerously exciting.
Binge-worthy/ Cliff-hangers: At 9 eps, Squid Game is a speedy, binge-able ride for one weekend. Are you not sold yet?
*Somebody needs to pray with me that this forms the new K-drama norm though*
Violence: A seemingly growing necessity for a popular Netflix k-series (eg: Sweet Home, Kingdom), SG’s brand of violence gives you prep time before traumatising you.
Shock value: Curiosity, Shock and Thrills are precisely what SG is selling, and they won the world with it.
Survival Instincts: As crazy as the show gets, SG’s realistic portrayal deserves praise.
*More about actions than acting*
Acting: Adequate. But to name a few, Lee Jeong Jae earns respect, Kim Joo Ryung steals each scene, and Anumpam Tripathi is memorable.
Discussion value: I love it when a show leaves us with areas for discussion. Will you do the same things as the characters did? How much money is enough to live comfortably? How far would you have gone? What will you do with the cash prize?
OST: For a feel of SG I recommend “Pink Soldier” - hauntingly iconic instrumental
Cinematography: Good choice of colours, angles, composition and lighting to purposefully underwhelm, and overwhelm the viewers.
[Cons] #UnpopularOpinion
Plot/ Character Motivations: For any K-drama fan, the setup lacked ideas and took too much time, that it can desensitised you to the players.
Plot/ The Games: For a Liar Game reader/viewer, the games could not compare.
Content/ Ep 8: The penultimate ep was a disappointing 32mins. For an already short series, this further exposes how little content it actually has, or that the story was sacrificed for the shock value.
Shock Value vs Content: By pushing for the spicier effect, SG had to abandon its narrative continuity within the series. My curiosity was killed, the minute someone is eliminated.
Casting: Certainly no issues, but it did make me much less curious.
Acting: I couldn’t tell if the general lack of emotions stem from an intention or was deemed unnecessary.
The Last Player: When I think back, I wondered hard what this person’s role was and I just couldn’t see the character’s purpose/value.
Gong Yoo: What else? Too little of him of course! #GongYooMoreMore
Twists: I honestly didn’t see the twist coming due to the shocks. But for the k-drama fans - ehem - honestly this shouldn’t have come as a surprise.
Ending: I can’t say if it’s a good or bad ending. One thing is for sure, it was predictable and it left me empty.
M18 rating: If violence has never been a part of your drama diet, either you get someone to accompany you to narrate what happens while you close your eyes (hurhur) or skip SG. The hype is not always right.
Overall comments:
SG was ultimately a very regular k-drama, but with quality pacing and extreme stakes that help made the smaller flaws more forgettable.
As someone who enjoys comedies, Squid Game became increasingly gloomy and uncomfortable to watch and as a result, I just couldn’t relate to the hype.
Rating: 4/10 because the last thing a drama kills, is curiosity.
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