Squid Game (2021)

L'art de Netflix d'américaniser les dramas... ^^'

« Squid Game » est un série comme on en voit beaucoup depuis quelques années : un Death Game/Survival. Il s’agit d’une mode qui a touché le continent asiatique comme américain & à laquelle nous ne pouvons réchapper ^^.

Me voici donc lancée dans ce nouveau Death Game qui m’annonce du « lourd » de par sa bande annonce. Cependant, très vite, nous nous rendons compte que le schéma ne sera pas différent des autres dramas de ce genre (comme pour « Alice in Borderland » également produit par Netflix). C’est ainsi que nous retrouvons l’éternelle bande de personnages considérés comme « nuisibles » par la société qui finit dans un jeu où la plupart perdra non seulement leur humanité mais également leur vie… (Ba oui, après tout, c’est le principe d’un Death Game x’D !!)

Donc finalement, en quoi ce drama se démarque-t-il ?
• Les jeux utilisés pour ce « Death Game » sont des jeux d’enfants… (Et oui, cela devient quelque peu traumatique d’imaginer que des jeux pratiqués en toute innocente deviennent la cause de nombreux morts… Les coréens ne reculent vraiment devant rien ! x’D)
• Des hommes masqués qui surveillent le bon déroulement des jeux. Ces derniers portent des symboles sur le faciès afin de définir leur place dans la hiérarchie. (Dans l’ordre de hiérarchie : le rond, le triangle, le carré, le sans symbole & finalement les masques d’animaux)
o Cerise sur le gâteau… Un des membres imminents du jeu s’est glissé parmi les candidats afin de participer aux différents jeux… (Il y a vraiment des malades partout =D)
• Les décors sont étonnamment bien réalisés. Je retiendrai particulièrement les nombreux escaliers avec des portes sans fin =D !

Finalement me voici à la fin du drama mais de nombreuses questions sont restées sans réponses… En voici quelques-unes :
• Qui est réellement derrière tout ça ? Car les VIP (qui sont des américains) font la remarque que les parties en Corée sont les meilleures… (Ce qui sous-entend que le groupe de personnes réalisant ces Death Game est bien plus large que ce que l’on nous montre…)
o On nous dit que le jeu a été créé par ennui des gens qui ont trop d’argent… Et puis ? On ne nous donne aucune réelle justification x).
• Pourquoi faire rentrer un policier dans l’infrastructure du jeu… Le laisser évoluer & graviter autour du jeu si c’est pour le faire tuer à l’avant dernier épisode ? (En prime, par son frère ? Encore une fois, on ne nous donne aucune réelle explication…)
• …

Et parlons de cette fin s’il-vous-plaît !!! Netflix a vraiment l’art de nous laisser sur des fins qui ne n’en sont pas réellement… Je finis donc encore une fois, frustrée en finissant cette histoire… (Comme souvent hein ! Puisque Netflix aime ce genre de fin x’D)

En somme, « Squid Game » est un Death Game des plus classique produit par Netflix… (On ne peut d’ailleurs pas douter que cela soit l’une de leur production… Pourquoi ? Car nous retrouvons le genre de scènes que je fuis dans les séries américaines… En gros… Principalement du sexe & des hommes plus misogynes les uns que les autres… x’D !)
Vous l’aurez compris, ce drama n’apporte rien de nouveau au genre & se campe même dans les fondamentaux…
Néanmoins, il reste plaisant à voir & découvrir pour les non-initiés comme les initiés !

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Squid Game ou comment perdre foi en l'humanité

Je ne sais ce qu'il m'est passé par la tête quand j'ai décidé de regarder ce drama alors que je n'aime pas les Survival xD (le seul autre que j'ai vu de ce genre est Battle Royal). Sans doute me suis-je laissée influencée par le succès que l'on m'a dépeint, par le fait que plusieurs personnes de mon entourage l'ont vu également.

Enfin bref... Je ne l'ai sans doute pas regardé pour les bonnes raisons en tout cas. Ce dont je suis sûr c'est que je n'étais pas préparée à ce que j'allais voir. Ce drama m'a vraiment bouleversée et je ne suis pas prête de l'oublier. Reste à déterminer si c'est positif ou négatif xD. Je ne sais pas non plus si je regarderai la saison 2 quand elle sortira.

Quand j'ai débuté cette histoire, on m'a avertie de ne pas m'attacher aux personnages. Je n'ai pas trop compris pourquoi sur le moment mais c'est on ne peut plus vrai. Mieux vaut éviter de s'y attacher. Mais même en ayant été avertie, je n'ai pas pu m'en empêcher (c'est sans doute logique xD).

Un des points qui m'a un peu déçue, voir dérangée, est qu'ils ont fort "américanisé" ce drama. Par exemple:
* Quelque chose qu'on voit souvent dans les séries américaines, c'est le cliché du gars asiatique qui a la tête patibulaire et qui est systématiquement un "mauvais/méchant". J'étais un peu choquée de voir ce cliché ici alors qu'il s'agit d'un drama coréen (mais produit par Netflix... ce qui explique sans doute cela XD).
* Un autre élément très "américain" est la scène des galipettes dans les toilettes O_O... Euh... Ok ! Vous m'expliquez l'intérêt de cette scène? :o Vous ne pouviez pas vous contenter de la sous-entendre? Surtout vu la finalité de cette "relation"... Bref !
* Vous me direz que ce 3ème point est sans doute lié au genre mais j'avais vraiment l'impression de voir du trash pour du trash :o

Bonne nouvelle ! Pour les clichés américains, je n'ai rien à ajouter XD

Je ne peux pas dire que ce sont des points que j'ai "aimé" vu que j'ai été épouvantée par ce que j'ai vu mais... l'histoire est vraiment bien construite et nous montre un aperçu abominable de ce que peut faire l'espèce humaine pour survivre. Je peux aussi dire que les acteurs étaient extrêmement convaincants et ils ont bien réussi à me transmettre l'émotion.

Plusieurs éléments m'avaient été dit à l'avance (oui, par définition, c'est ce qu'on appelle du spoil XD) mais malgré ça, à aucun moment ce qu'on m'a révélé n'a réussi à atténuer l'impact du moment quand je l'ai vu. Je me dis que c'est peut-être pour ça qu'il a eu tant de succès.

Pour ma part, je ne sais toujours pas si je l'ai aimé ou non.

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Strong Start, Weak Finish

Contrary to the popular opinion here, I really appreciated the extensive backstories of the characters. It effectively provided justifications for why the participants would engage in such an insane project, which is quite rare for the typical Death Game film (usually, the participants are lazily thrown into their circumstances due to some metaphysical element within the story or deus ex machina reasoning). I also enjoyed the softer social commentaries in the beginning of the film and the fairly realistic and reasonable depictions of the main characters. That is, none of the characters are overly virtuous or exceptionally talented, and they all act or respond appropriately to the situation at hand; I can see these characters in my day-to-day life. Finally, the cinematography and acting (of the main characters) were masterfully executed.

Where the series started to go seriously wrong was in the final few episodes when the filmmakers decided to use caricatures for their characters as if they were holding a contest to use as many tropes as possible to fit the bill of the caricature in question; at some point, I was not sure whether the series abruptly became a satire. Not only were these caricatures agonizing to watch, but the decisive shift in narrative presentation really killed the immersive experience evoked by the previous episodes. Additionally, the moral justifications for why the mastermind started the entire project were banal, forced, and unconvincing; the creativity of the "midnight bet," from which he grounds his perspective, is what you would expect from a #SocialExperiment YouTube video, not a Netflix produced K-drama.

All in all, for someone who does not enjoy the typical Death game flick, I found the series very entertaining and well made within the category, but beyond this, it is forgettable. Although the cast, cinematography and music scores were appropriate and exceptional, there was, unfortunately, nothing noteworthy about the screenplay and directing.

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Winner Takes All

Squid game is a South Korean children’s playground game that was popular back in the 1980s. It is similar to hopscotch but with a more expansive playing area and team-based approach. It forms the basis of the game setting that is featured in Squid Game.

Production Details

The drama is written and directed by the award-winning Hwang Dong Hyuk, known for critically acclaimed films The Fortress and Silenced. Jung Jae Il, who is known for composing the score for Okja and Parasite, serves as the music director. Produced by Siren Pictures exclusively for Netflix, this is a pre-produced drama with all 9 episodes released worldwide on 17 September 2021. It is given an R-18 rating and contains sexual references, nudity, and violence. Strobing effects present in certain episodes (especially episode 4) may cause discomfort for photosensitive viewers. Other trigger warnings include scenes of violent deaths, as well as gratuitous blood and gore.

Premise and Plot

456 participants competing in a “Hunger Games meets Battle Royale” series of challenges modelled after traditional South Korean children’s playground games for a chance of winning the jackpot of 40 million won, rising up to 45.6 million won with the elimination of all other participants right to the last person standing.As for who the organisers are and the reason for the competition, all shall be revealed as the story unfolds..

The story revolves around the points of view of a number of characters who share one thing in common - they are in serious need of cold hard cash to resolve their respective predicaments. Central to the core narrative is the main character and protagonist, Seong Gi Hoon, a gambling addict down on his luck who is facing debt problems and child-custody issues, as well as dealing with his mother’s deteriorating health.

What I Liked

As expected of a Netflix original series, I enjoyed the production quality and values, unique set designs and costumes, exceptional cinematography especially during some of the stunning choreographed action sequences and the game or challenge settings.

The cast is outstanding, comprising veterans in Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, Heo Sung Tae, Kim Joo Ryung and Oh Young Soo, among others. The newcomer Jung Ho Yeon gives a decent debut performance complete with the North Korean accent. I was pleasantly surprised to see brief appearances by Gong Yoo and Lee Byung Hun. Even with limited screen time, their charisma absolutely shines through to light up the production.

The edge-of-the seat thrills and suspense plays out in a riveting pace. This drama is well worth the binge because it is as captivating as it is addictive to consume in a single seating. Moments of extreme tension are aplenty along with the heart-wrenching emotions which are deftly interspersed amidst the high-octane action sequences throughout. I particularly enjoyed the epic final showdown between the finalists in the concluding arc of the drama.

The music score composed by Jung Jae Il is sublime, along with classic compositions used courtesy of the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and Big Band. They include The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II, Trumpet Concerto in E Flat Major by Franz Joseph Haydn and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. A cover of Bart Howard’s Fly Me to the Moon also plays a major part as the BGM for one of the more stunning game sequences in episode 1.

What Could’ve Been Better

As much as I enjoyed the drama, I thought 9 episodes were somewhat overlong. 6 or 7 episodes would have made the storytelling more compact and compelling. A significant portion of the drama was taken up by the story-building of the main character as well as four other major supporting characters. I appreciated the respective backstories of tragic circumstances and such but those components impacted on the pacing of the more engaging aspects a little bit. In addition, the final episode did feel dragged out unnecessarily.

The characterization of the ML Seong Gi Hoon (no 456) wasn’t convincing to me, although I accepted it as part of the drama’s depiction of “character growth”. How an irresponsibly hopeless father, unfilial son, and washed-out gambling addict suddenly developed a moral compass, sense of righteousness, and leadership traits came across as somewhat unrealistic.

Overall

Notwithstanding the qualms I had and as long as expectations are tempered, Squid Game represents great entertainment value complete with a sufficient dose of suspense, thrills and excitement in a nicely packaged production that makes it the perfect binge-worthy viewing experience for an evening at home.

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If you want to see this concept done well - watch Alice in Borderland

What is to like: the cast and set design is very good quality.
What I don't like:
The idea of the games according to the 'host' was to make them equal. They were anything but equal, just take the last game (crossing the bridge) as the perfect example - people that picked the first numbers had 0% chance of survival, whilst those at the end had almost guaranteed survival.
The 'organ selling' sub-plot went no-where.
The main charater was sold to us as this guy down on his luck. This is incorrect, he was just a pathetic gambling addict. I was actually happy his daughter was taken away. Not a character to root for.

I'm only writing this to make some people aware that this drama is just overhyped because it was produced in a more 'americanised' style. There weren't any signature korean OSTs to remember and there were a lot of senseless deaths (this is all too common in american shows). Overall, as a show it is pretty average but for a korean show it is pretty disappointing. Like the title says - Alice in Borderland beats this drama by a large margin for me.

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The Hunger Games Without Substance...like eating a cake shaped piece of cardboard.

I struggle to rate this drama highly. On one hand, it was well done with beautiful cinematography....on the other hand it is a pretty overdone genre across all countries. Sick, demented, rich people playing a game with less fortunate people's lives. I didn't really see anything new or innovative in this tale, it's the same old story dredged up again with blood spouts sprinkled in for effect. It's one of the single most overdone themes in horror. And, while the backstories and human character development made it tolerable, I still struggle to understand why this sort of show still draws viewers.

Recently, I watched Alice in Borderland, which is a similarly themed violent games survival drama. Alice in Borderland was much more effectively done, however, and added in the mystery element of who was controlling the game much more effectively along multiple other story arcs. Squid Game, on the other hand, focused more on trying to force parallels between the players' poverty lifestyles and the lifestyles of the game creators/betters. Simultaneously trying to convince you that all people are vile while also fighting to convince you of the opposite through various redemption arcs. The main theme that a select few characters seem to be fighting against is that all human beings are morally depraved monsters when their life/money is on the line.

In the end, I think the drama tried to be deeper than it was. It spent too much time forcing the viewer's opinions of people/situations into trite knotholes and ended up limiting itself with its inane rhetoric, especially at the end. Usually, I'm a fan of dramas with dark themes and ambiguous, unhappy endings...but this one I didn't like much. It's just another regurgitation of depraved humanity with nothing new or insightful to add to the existing backlog of dialog from exactly the same story.

That said, the lead actor was great in this drama. He did an incredible job realistically depicting a wide variety of emotional states. His reactions were on point in almost every case. Unfortunately, he was pretty much the only one who produced that range of emotions, so the viewer is forced to interpret situations based almost entirely on his reactions.

One of the best elements of a good Kdrama is how intensely they develop even minor characters. This drama had only 5 or so developed characters out of hundreds, the rest were just fodder for the blood cannon. Even characters that seemed initially well developed, actually end up being just cheap tools to reiterate the drama's main theme. Like the police officer looking for his brother, you eventually realize his only purpose in the drama is to get a peek at behind the scenes horror. His story didn't matter, all that mattered was that the audience had another set of disposable eyes to look through. The North Korean defector's story ended up being the same, pointless and just tossed in to provide a single tear jerk moment and a generic plot device for the lead to rebound off of. The characters, apart from the lead, had zero depth, the entire thing was intensely superficial.

Overall, I wouldn't watch this show again. A season 2 where the lead (minus that horrible red hair) fights against the game creators would be interesting, but a season 2 with the same exact show and a different cast I wouldn't go near. It was vile, but vile without the usual Kdrama depth of philosophy/morality exploration. I can't see myself ever recommending it. Out of every Kdrama I've ever watched I can only think of a small handful that I gained nothing from watching, this is down there in the heap with those few. Challenge my ideas, make me think about the world in a different way, or at the very least entertain me...if you can't do any of that, gtfo.

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"The poor lacks much, but the greedy lacks more."

It's true that humanity survives on greed and as they state, there is no greater calamity than greed. A man's greed is like a snake that wants to swallow an elephant. From the synopsis, this drama might look like a survival game to you, but it's much more than that. Somehow, despite it's message the drama is just mediocre. Watch it with a major TRIGGER WARNING, if you are sensitive to gore and dark elements.

Squid game (Ojingeo) is an age old Korean game meant for kids where you have to play within marked boundaries with certain designated titles. You have to secure your title by hoping on one leg first and if you reach a certian point, you become the "Royal Inspector" who can use it's both legs. Now you have to just defense the opponent by any means and reach the peak to win. The drama uses this game as the main objective through a flashback in the beginning which is also the destination of the story journeying through sets of several games.

Ki Hoon (Lee Jung Jae), an unemployed and divorced man in his 40s lives with his mother working as a chauffeur and huge sum of money oweing to loansharks. Sang Woo (Park Hae Soo), is an SNU graduate who lost his money through invested stocks, eventually turning into a conman. Both of them are childhood friends who loved playing squid game with others kids. Both of them come across some kind of agents who trick them into a game where they can win a huge sum of money. Not knowing what exactly the game is, both of them choose to give it a try and land up in an unsual environment with 454 others among whom Ki Hoon is the last, i.e. 456.

Lee Jung Jae and Park Hae Soo are master actors in the industry which everyone is aware of. Other than them there are plenty of familiar faces as well; Jung Ho Yun, Wi Ha Joon, Heo Sung Tae, Kim Joo Ryung, Oh Young Soo are those prominent actors. There is an Indian actor Anupam Tripathi in the main character too.

Other than that there are 2 very big shots in the drama with 2-3 scenes so we can call that guest roles but trust me, they are 2 of the key characters in here. You won't find them in the cast list, just to be surprised watching the drama. So go ahead, haha.

The games are quite intriguing if you have not watched likes of it (Liar Games, Alice on the Borderland, etc). I wonder why the screenwriter cum director Hwang Dong Hyuk took 10 years to complete this story. I mean this drama is nothing sort of very wow or anything. Judging from all the aspects, it's just mediocre. The drama fails to provide proper side stories for the main roles in order to back their characters well.

Cinematography, which is very important for dark thrillers like this, was pretty beguile, hence keeping the viewer attached. The sound ending was apt for the mood and very suitable to the scenarios. The story progression is okay but becomes out of order or inconsistent at many points, especially the last 3 episodes. Some scenes were very firm and eye-catching but still......

I think all the hype about this drama lies on the fact that people here die like mere insects and as we know violence and bloodlust are what people love the most, lol. The twists are pretty predictable, particularly when you're an avid Kdrama fan, it's pretty much easier to guess the major plots of it.


The finale is very lousy. The games end in the beginning of the episode and becomes slow. The lame setup towards the ending, indicating for an another season, annoyed the shit outta me. The writer-director did a very poor job in that regard as well.

Soooo....overally, SQUID GAME is an average one time watch. The ending is not exactly an open one, like we can just assume on our own but in another way you might expect one in case the production hints at it. Otherwise, there is no particular and firm necessity of another season. Sure there are few questions that they left unanswered but I can't be certain about another season.

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Before you watch Squid Game...

To watchers from conservative countries/religious countries:
Note that Squid Game has an UNCENSORED sex scene in one of its episodes (I forgot which episode) and if you are alone, it's still better to put on your ear/headphones than watching it out loud. Watch it at your own risk.

Here is my review:
Pros:
- Episode 1 - 8 will never make you bored, so I'm sure you can binge-watch it without getting distracted
- Unpredictable side-plot that makes the games more interesting
- Thrilling
- Characters who participated in the games are varied
- Different from Alice in Wonderland, Squid Games don't have those confusing-puzzle-games because SG are based on childhood games

Cons:
- Too many side stories are missing
- Plot holes everywhere
- You can definitely guess who will be the winner lmao
- Unfinished and unpolished ending

WORTH IT to watch for?
- You who are looking for a fast-paced thrilling easy-to-understand drama.
- You who are bored watching romance/comedy-drama.
- You who wants to join your friends' convo about this drama.

NOT WORTH IT to watch for?
- You who are looking for drama with a good main plot and/or plot twists.
- You who are looking for drama without 18+ scenes.
- You who are looking for a long thrilling drama like "Mouse".

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Copied storyline with a weird ending and way too much blood

I watched this, because everyone keeeps talking about this series.
Postitive points: Very good production, high quality. The actors gave a great performance. Really can't say anything bad about that!
Negative points: The whole story is just.... well it reminds me a lot of Alice in Borderland. Expect that Alice in Borderland was a lot better in my opinion. The ending of Squid game is kinda predictable and not satisfying at all. There isn't really a happy ending for anyone.
Tbh i don't get the hype. There are way better Korean/ Asian series out there. Still, I think it's cool that people start recognizing Korean / Asian series/ movies more :)
If you like blood, gore and mind f*ck this series is for you, if you don't, better watch something else.

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How unsettling

This show has become a phenomenon. But I need to be real with myself — this kind of show (with all its gore, stress, and bad decisions) was not for me. It's like acclaimed movies like the Joker or Us: the kind with an impactful social message conveyed in an unsettling way. I could've lived without watching this show, and I would've been happier for it. They say ignorance is bliss, and I'm honestly starting to believe it.

Squid Game was inspired by the highly acclaimed Liar Game. I LOVED the original Japanese version of Liar Game. But what I've come to realize is that I enjoy the STRATEGY more than the desperation. Liar Game focuses on the games. Squid Game has good moments of that, like the dalgona and tug-of-war. But for the most part, Squid Game is a brutal display of human desperation. It is more "Lord of the Flies" than Liar Game; it offers social commentary on the forgotten people who struggle and the dire circumstances by which they live. But I don't feel particularly sympathetic to the plight of most of the characters regardless (except our North Korean gal and Ali; but the rest are unlikeable to a fault).

There were also some completely bizarre choices: the VIPs for one (it's rushed to squeeze them in as if this is The Hunger Games on top of everything else... you're trying to do too much), and our MC's hair colour for another (haha, kidding). A lot of the circumstances of the game were left annoyingly open-ended, which is such a bad habit from Netflix. I love kdramas for being self-contained, single-series stories. I DON'T want to anticipate another season in a year or two after I've forgotten everything and stopped caring about everyone. I don't want to have to deal with stupid casting changes and stretched storylines just to fulfill the production contracts offered to successful blockbusters, guaranteed to keep people watching. It's so greedy. Perhaps that's fitting for a show surrounding greed, desperation, and wealth?

But beyond my gripes with Netflix-and-the-western-serial format as a whole, if I were to judge the show as a standalone, then it was unfulfilling BECAUSE of the loose threads left open about the meta of the game. I said what I said.

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