“무궁화 꽃이 피었습니다”
(mugunghwa kkochi pieotsseumnida)
Those who have watched Squid Game would be familiar with that iconic innocent-sounding tune, which triggers unexpected and brutal bloodshed in the first episode.
Movie poster of Squid Game. Source: Netflix
The new South Korean Netflix series, Squid Game (2021) is profoundly allegorical and revealing of dark truths of society. This series, ranked #1 in more than 90 countries on Netflix, has received widespread popularity and critical acclaim. It has also propelled many rising actors, such as Jung Ho-yeon and Wi Ha-joon, to worldwide fame.
In Squid Game, 456 cash-strapped individuals are invited to participate in children’s games where the last man standing brings home a cash prize of ₩45.6B (approximately US$38M). Orderly rows of bunk beds, bright-coloured indoor setup and the gentle classical music at the Squid Game venue seems surreal but innocuous, giving the players no hint of the deadly price they will have to pay in pursuit of the enticing reward.
“I’m Alive Because I Did My Best to Survive.”
Squid Game capitalises on the human tendency to let self-interest override morality and conscience. Shocked by realising what “elimination” from the game entails, the players are given a chance to vote on leaving the game. Yet many decide to continue playing; some even resort to deception and murder to win the game – a testament to their extent of greed, desperation and lack of regard for the value of the human life.
For many audiences, the marble game of episode 6 is the most heart-rending scene of the series, since it means betrayal or sacrifice of the fellow-player whom one most trusts, from one’s spouse to another’s confidant. Even the main character Seong Gi Hun (Lee Jung-jae), who has been portrayed as kind-hearted and heroic, seeks to gain the upper hand by deceiving Oh Il Nam (O Yeong-su), a genial elderly player who suffers from dementia.
Another scene when we see the dehumanising effect of the game is when Han Mi-nyeo, a female participant, casts aside her dignity and trades her body for the perceived protection from the unreliable gangster Jang Deok Su (Heo Sung-tae). Makeshift alliances forged out of pure self-interest prove fragile as many of the games require teamwork and good tactics, leaving the selfish self-destruct.
“The Most Important Aspect of This Place - Equality”
Photo Source: Netflix
Despite the emphasis, or rather, obsession with ‘Equality’ in the terms of the Squid Game, the actual interaction among the players portrays a realistic picture of the society, which, in contrast to its ideals, marginalises and discriminates against ‘the weak’.
Sexism, ageism, ableism and racism are various forms of discriminations that occur throughout the Squid Game. For example, female players are considered “weak” and are rejected from joining the male-dominated teams, especially during games that require muscular strength. Han Mi-nyeo is estranged and violently shoved away by Deok-Su, who previously uses her for sexual gratification.
In another instance, while younger men band up into groups, Il-nam crouches in a corner with a frown for he is seen as senile and useless. Even a resourceful male character as Ali (Anupam Tripathi) is told to hide his arm in the pocket of his tracksuit as his amputated fingers “makes him look weaker than the rest”. Outside the game, Ali is a poor migrant worker in South Korea, exploited by his employer, who refuses to pay him salary for months.
Moreover, the discrimination in Squid Game is nuanced and intersectional. One of the prominent characters, Kang Saebyeok (Jung Ho-yeon) is alienated both on the basis of her gender and her status as a North Korean defector who lives off pickpocketing. She is denigrated and labelled as a “communist”, a “spy” and is even beaten up by Deok-su in an early scene.
Clearly, the surreal setting of the Squid Game and its sequestered location do not change the fact that it remains an image of the society outside, with elements of alienation and oppression.
“Take your mask off. I want to see your face”
Following the subplot of Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), a police officer who goes undercover as a guard in the game to solve the mystery of his missing brother, the audience see yet another facet of the terror in Squid Game. While the players, dressed in uniform green tracksuits, are ruthlessly slaughtered, we are occasionally reminded that the guards, masked and dressed in pink Money-Heist-like jumpsuits, are also humans, placed at the heart of a tragedy scene. Who are these guards? And what could be deciphered from their appearances in the series?
But first, how are these guards recruited to begin with? Think the prospect of hiring hundreds of men to commit murder on a secluded island, where they themselves risk getting purged. Some put forward a theory that those who choose the green ddakji offered by the mysterious man at the train station (Gong Yoo) become players, while those who choose the red one become guards. While convincing, such theories do not fill the obvious hole that is the identity of these masked men.
Photo Source: Netflix
The mask both literally and metaphorically signifies the depersonalisation of the guards. Perhaps it is the anonymity that emboldens these men to commit the heinous crime of homicide. Yet the deprivation of personal identities also brings negative effects on the guards, as they are treated by their superiors as less than humans. When not regulating the game or incinerating the “gift boxes”, these guards are imprisoned in their individual cells, and they are always subjected to (the possibilities of) being constantly observed. Reminiscent of Bentham’s panopticon?
It is clear that the masked guards are dehumanised and totally reduced to units of labour. In an interview, the director of Squid Game said that the black masks with symbols of hierarchy serve to replicate the image of an ant colony, while the pink costumes superimpose childish traits onto their depersonalised selves. Thus through the costume design, the creators of Squid Game have effectively conveyed meaningful themes such as the banality of evil and exploitation of labour in a capitalist society.
“Would You Like to Play a Game with Me?”
Photo Source: Netflix
Overall, Squid Game is certainly not for the faint-hearted due to the excessive amount of violent and gory scenes. Nonetheless, the series subtly taps into important themes such as poverty, marginalisation and the value of human lives. The story of competition and mistrust, but also relationships and compassion, speaks to the majority of us struggling in the rat-race. If you are ready for a 9-hour emotional roller coaster, grab some popcorn and be our guest (VIPs).
Written by: Chan Wen Hui, Cheryl (21S74), Tran Vu Phuong Uyen (21A15)
Edited by: Ryan Tan Zhen Xuan (21S73)
Bibliography
Cheddar, & Organization. (2021, October 04). Netflix's 'Squid Game' No.1 in 90 Countries, on Track to Become Platform's Biggest Hit. Retrieved from https://cheddar.com/media/netflix-s-squid-game-no-1-in-90-countries-on-track-to-become-platform-s-biggest-hit
[ENG SUB] 오징어 게임 코멘터리, 찐이다!! 오겜 연출, 미술, 연기의 비밀 폭로!! Squid Game Commentary | 오징어 게임 | 넷플릭스. (2021, September 29). Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://youtu.be/QjuB2eC7Mmc
Opie, D. (2021, October 04). Squid Game includes tragic detail non-Korean speakers probably missed. Retrieved from https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a37849780/squid-game-hoyeon-jung-kang-sae-byeok/
Romano, A. (2021, October 06). What Squid Game's fantasies and harsh realities reveal about Korea. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/22704474/squid-game-games-korean-references-symbols
Comments