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Squid Game became a global sensation when Netflix launched it in 2021. It wasn’t surprising when it became the most popular series on the platform. As per the Squid Game series rating, it attracted over 1.65 billion viewers within a month of its launch.
Did you watch the show? We enjoyed its unique story-telling. Violence: not so much. But the constant suspense and thrill have their own charm.
Squid Game Series Online: An Overview
Lee Jung-jae is a popular Korean actor. So is Cho Sang-woo. But most of the cast comprised of new actors. And they shot to popularity with this show.
The show starts with Gong Yoo inviting Jung-jae (Gi-hun) to a game of ddakji. Upon winning the game after several tries, he wins 100,000 won. Later, the guest actor invites him to higher prize games. He accepts due to his financial situation.
In the show, participants play a series of games for big prize money. But the biggest twist comes when organizers start killing losers at the end of each game. Here are the games they played throughout the show:
Ddakji (for recruitment)
Red Light, Green Light
Sugar Honeycombs
Tug of War
Marbles
Hopscotch
Squid game
Squid Game Series Rating and Characters
The leading star Lee Jung-jae plays the role of Player 456. He is a gambler and is in huge debt. His ex-wife is planning to leave for the US with his daughter. So, he joins games to gain money to obtain her custody.
Cha Sang-woo is Player 218 Squid Game. He is Gi-hun’s childhood friend and SNU graduate. He worked as an investment banker. But he gets into debt due to illegal investments. Also, his mother is about to lose her home and shop that he used as loan collateral. The character of player 218 Squid Games takes a darker turn as the show progresses.
Jung Ho-yeon is a model. She shot to stardom with the role of player 067. Also, she won several awards on her acting debut.
Wi Ha-joon also plays a major role in the show. He is a police detective who is looking for his lost brother. But all he knows is that his brother participated in previous games. He is detective Joon-ho who plays number 29 Squid Game.
You may be wondering who is 240 in Squid Game. Lee Yoo-mi plays the role of an ex-convict, Ji-yeong. She later starred in All of Us Are Dead. Other notable actors of Squid Game include Kim Yun-tae who acts as 069 Squid Game. Also, Anupam Tripathi is player 199, whereas Oh Il-nam is Player 001.
Some Interesting Facts about Netflix Squid Game
Did you know these fascinating facts about the Netflix hit?
It cost around $21.4 million to produce the popular show. The set wasn’t a result of VFX. Rather, the creators actually built it
The drama set was as large as we saw in the show
At first, Hwang Dong-hyuk was planning to create a movie. And he initially thought of naming it Round Six. COVID ’19 delayed its shooting for over a month.
The writer began working on the script back in 2009. He got this idea due to his own struggles with debt. So, he added games he enjoyed playing as a kid.
On the dorm walls, there are several doodles that represent games played by players.
The set smelled like sugar for three days. It’s because an expert was there, making real dalgona.
The creator knew Lee Jung-jae and Park Hae-soo will be the perfect choices. But he looked for new faces for other roles.
Gi-hun’s technique of licking dalgona was based on the writer’s technique from his childhood.
The creator lost six teeth while shooting the series.
Game sets represent the solemn nature of games. So, the choice of colors moves to darker shades as the show progresses.
The masks of game organizers represent an ant colony.
There are 456 players in games. So, 456 people participated in filming too.
Now, the writer has confirmed there will be a Season 2. Are you happy with this news?
Squid Game Costumes
Lee Jung jae suit in the show was a green tracksuit. All players on the set wore the same outfit. They had numbers on the front for identification.
On the other hand, organization members had red full-body suits. Also, they covered their faces with masks to maintain anonymity. In the first episode, a worker accidentally removed his mask. So, another member shot him to death. They also told players not to share personal details with each other.
The Squid Game guard mask was quite interesting. They had unique black masks with distinct shapes for identification. BTS’ Kim Taehyung made waves when he wore the outfit to a concert.
The circle sign in white color indicates the lowest level workers. They perform cleaning and disposed of dead bodies. Those with a triangle on their mask were their superiors. They acted as protectors and enforcers. So, they carried weapons as well. Their supervisors wore masks with square shapes. These members supervised workers and monitored players and the premises.
The show featured 4 elite VIPs who sponsored these games. They wore shiny gold masks. These masks were in the shapes of different animals: lion, bull, panther, and eagle. The organizer of the games was the Front Man. His mask was of geometric art style. He revealed his identity in the last episode. And it was quite a shock!
The Giant Robot Doll
Red Light, Green Light is a popular children’s game. The game is widely popular among kids. Kids around the world enjoy this game. Although, they may know it by a different name. The US knows it as Statues. The UK calls it Fairy Footsteps or Grandma’s Footstep. It’s also called Chocolate-Chocolate in some parts of the world.
It’s a popular street game. A person counts or says a specific line that indicates a green signal. During this period, players move towards them. But when they move around, it becomes red light. If anyone moves, they lose.
The giant-sized doll is quite terrifying. Squid Game added a twist to the game. If someone is caught moving at the red light, they are shot dead.
And you may wonder what does the doll say in Squid Game. Let us tell you!
The doll says in Korean, “The Mugunghwa flower bloomed”. It’s the national flower of the country.
Organizers displayed the 4-meter doll at the Seoul Olympic Park in October 2021. It captured the attention and many people visited the place on Halloween.
Squid Game Prize Money
Spoiler:
The winner of the game wasn’t really a surprise. The lead character won the games. Lee Jung-jae aka Seong Gi-hun took home the prize money. But the trauma he faced made it difficult for him to accept the results.
For winning the games, he won a big amount. He received 45,600 million Won or 45.6 billion Won prize money. 45600 million Won to USD is $36 million and 90,000 approx.
There was only a single winner at the end. But did you think how many people can win Squid Game? Or you may ask could there be more than one winner in Squid Game?
The show left it ambiguous. But there are some hints.
In the beginning, organizers said that players who won all six games would win money. So, if any member had survived and partnered with Gi-hun, they could share it.
But it’s also true that VIPs and Front Man would never let it happen. They wanted more fun which they gained through bloodshed. So, it was more likely they would manipulate the rules to get the same result.
Squid Game Season 2
Squid Game series rating shows it’s a fan-favorite show. So, there was immense support for a second season. The best news is that the show creators listened to viewers.
In an interview, Hwang Dong-hyuk announced they are planning the next season. It’s not clear whether he has started working on the script. But he said they will likely release the show by the end of 2024. The Squid Game season 2 trailer isn’t ready yet. But we’re waiting like other fans.
Many fans asked where can I watch Squid Game except Netflix? The show is a Netflix special. But you can still watch it if you don’t have a subscription. Many online platforms stream Korean shows for free.
Dramacool is a popular free platform. Some YouTube channels also stream Kdramas. Or you can visit Kocowa, Viu, AsianCrush, Viki, and OnDemandKorea for this purpose. This way, you can binge-watch your favorite show with ease.
