Why Is Everyone So Crazy About Squid Game?

Squid Game exploded onto Netflix just last month, and it already feels like the entire world is talking about it. I kept wondering if it was just one of those shows that trends for a week and disappears, but curiosity finally won me over. A few episodes in, I completely understood why this show is everywhere. It is not just another survival drama. It feels like a perfectly calculated storm of suspense, nostalgia, and raw human emotion.

According to Netflix, Squid Game became the platform’s biggest series launch ever, reaching over 111 million viewers worldwide in less than a month. That is more than shows like Bridgerton or Stranger Things during their peak. With those kinds of numbers, it is hard not to wonder what makes it so magnetic. The moment you start, you are pulled into a world that feels unsettlingly real despite the exaggerated games and brutal consequences.

📚 Table of Contents

1. What Happens in the First Episode That Hooks You 2. Why the Childhood Games Feel So Terrifying? 3. Who Are the Characters You Secretly Root For? 4. Did Squid Game Copy These Movies and Shows? 5. What Is the Real Meaning Behind the Masks? 6. How Squid Game Took Over Social Media So Fast 7. How Violent Is Squid Game Compared to Other Shows? 8. What Are the Theories That Will Blow Your Mind? 9. Will There Be a Squid Game Season Two? 10. What Squid Game Really Says About Society Today

What Happens in the First Episode That Hooks You

Most shows take a couple of episodes to build momentum, but Squid Game wastes no time. The first episode introduces Seong Gi-hun, a deeply flawed but strangely likable character who is drowning in debt and personal failures. You find yourself cringing at his bad decisions and feeling sorry for him at the same time. That emotional push and pull happens fast, and before you know it, you are completely invested in his fate.

Then comes the unforgettable moment when he agrees to join the mysterious game. The Red Light Green Light scene unfolds in broad daylight, on a giant playground that looks oddly cheerful. But instead of laughter, you hear gunfire. That was the moment I could not look away. The innocence of childhood games mixed with deadly stakes creates a shocking contrast that hits harder than any horror movie.

Why the Childhood Games Feel So Terrifying?

There is something unsettling about taking innocent childhood games and turning them into a matter of life and death. These are games everyone played at some point, but in Squid Game, they are reimagined as cruel elimination rounds. This twist messes with your emotions because you know the rules, but you never imagined those rules leading to such brutal outcomes.

Psychologists have pointed out that this emotional whiplash is what makes the show so impactful. According to Dr. Pamela Rutledge, Director of the Media Psychology Research Center, blending nostalgia with horror creates a cognitive dissonance that keeps viewers on edge. You are reminded of simpler times, but the violence forces you to confront uncomfortable realities about human desperation.

Who Are the Characters You Secretly Root For?

The magic of Squid Game is that every character feels painfully real. No one is perfectly good or entirely bad. Even the most selfish players show moments of vulnerability. Gi-hun starts as a gambling addict who cannot even afford his daughter’s birthday present, but you still hope he makes it through. Then there is Ali, the kind-hearted foreign worker who risks his own chance of survival to help others.

Here are the characters people cannot stop talking about:

➡️ Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) — The struggling father with a good heart buried under bad decisions.

➡️ Cho Sang-woo (Player 218) — The childhood friend hiding a dark secret beneath his success.

➡️ Kang Sae-byeok (Player 067) — The North Korean defector who just wants to save her family.

➡️ Ali Abdul (Player 199) — The fan favorite whose loyalty and kindness stand out in a brutal world.

👉 FUN FACT: The phone number used in the game’s mysterious calling card is real. The owner of the number reportedly received thousands of prank calls after the show aired, and Netflix had to negotiate a settlement to resolve the issue.

Did Squid Game Copy These Movies and Shows?

In spite of this show being weirdly unique, it gave me a familiar feeling. Just when the Red Light Green Light game unfolds, I knew I had seen this before. It reminded me of the Japanese film: "As the Gods Will" where a daruma doll takes control of a class to play a deadly game similar to Red Light Green Light. Instead of guns, the eliminated students’ heads literally explode. The Japanese are known for eccentric plots like this, and it makes you wonder if Squid Game was inspired by it.

Students in "As the Gods Will" face the deadly daruma doll challenge as chaos unfolds inside the classroom.

If you are familiar with Battle Royale, another Japanese cult classic, you will see even more similarities. That film put a group of students on an island where they had to kill each other to survive. Many people even believe Battle Royale directly inspired The Hunger Games. But even with these comparisons, Squid Game stands on its own because it is not just about survival. It is about the crushing weight of poverty, debt, and the choices people make when they have nothing left to lose.

What Is the Real Meaning Behind the Masks?

One of the most visually striking elements of Squid Game is the uniformed guards with their geometric masks. The circles, triangles, and squares almost look like something from a video game, but the design is deliberate. According to director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the shapes represent a clear hierarchy among the workers. Circles are the lowest rank, triangles act as armed enforcers, and squares have supervisory control. This simple visual language helps viewers understand the power dynamics without needing dialogue.

The mysterious VIPs of Squid Game reveal the twisted elite behind the deadly games.

Beyond their roles in the game, the masks symbolize how people lose their identity when trapped in rigid social systems. You never really learn who these guards are or why they are willing to participate in something so cruel. Their faces are hidden, their voices are distorted, and they are reduced to nothing more than functions in a dangerous machine. It is a haunting reminder of how systems can strip away humanity when people follow orders without question.

The masked guards of Squid Game enforce brutal order, each symbol marking their rank in the deadly competition.

How Squid Game Took Over Social Media So Fast

If you have opened TikTok or Instagram lately, it feels like every other post has something to do with Squid Game. People are recreating the Dalgona candy challenge, sharing memes about the brutal betrayals, and even dressing up as the mysterious guards. The show’s simplicity makes it easy for anyone to join in on the fun, whether it is through costumes or viral challenges.

Seong Gi-hun faces the nerve-wracking Dalgona candy challenge where one wrong move could mean elimination.

Netflix reported that Squid Game topped the charts in more than 90 countries. Social media platforms played a huge part in that success. The viral content kept the show trending for weeks, and everyone wanted to be part of the conversation before the spoilers ruined it. Halloween costume sales for Squid Game masks and jumpsuits even spiked, turning a simple Netflix show into a full cultural moment.

👉 FUN FACT: The Dalgona candy challenge became so popular that street vendors in South Korea reportedly ran out of the candy molds used to create the famous shapes.

How Violent Is Squid Game Compared to Other Shows?

There is no denying that Squid Game is violent, but the way it presents violence feels more psychological than gratuitous. Every death serves a purpose in the story, forcing viewers to ask what they would do in the same situation. Unlike horror movies that rely on jump scares or gore for shock value, Squid Game focuses on emotional tension and the heartbreaking reasons why people choose to participate.

When compared to shows like The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones, Squid Game feels more personal. You do not just see nameless characters die. You get to know them, understand their struggles, and then watch them face impossible choices. That is what makes every loss hit harder. According to Variety, this emotional depth is part of what made the show resonate across different cultures despite the language barrier.

What Are the Theories That Will Blow Your Mind?

Even after finishing all nine episodes, fans cannot stop analyzing every little detail. One popular theory suggests that the old man, Player 001, is not just a participant but actually the mastermind behind the games. His suspicious disappearance during key moments and his strangely joyful attitude during dangerous situations have left viewers questioning his true role.

Another theory revolves around the color choices in the game. Players were given a choice between a red and blue envelope when first recruited. Some believe that choosing red would have made them become guards, while blue made them players. This simple theory adds a whole new layer to the idea of choice and control within the show’s universe.

Here are a few wild theories fans are still debating:

➡️ Is Gi-hun being set up to take over as the next game master?

➡️ Are the guards former players who won and decided to stay?

➡️ Did the old man design all the games based on his childhood memories?

These theories keep the conversation alive long after the final episode, and that is exactly why this show sticks with you.

Will There Be a Squid Game Season Two?

The ending of Squid Game leaves plenty of room for another season. Gi-hun makes a critical decision in the final scene that hints he is not done with the people behind the deadly games. Although Netflix has not officially confirmed a second season, the show’s massive success makes it hard to imagine they would not continue the story.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk mentioned in interviews that he originally wrote Squid Game as a standalone series, but he is now open to exploring more stories if the right ideas come together. Fans everywhere are already speculating about what a second season could look like. Will Gi-hun try to destroy the organization from the inside, or will he become part of it?

What Squid Game Really Says About Society Today

At its core, Squid Game is not just a show about survival. It is a commentary on inequality, debt, and the desperate lengths people will go to escape poverty. South Korea’s rising household debt and intense social pressures are real issues that inspired the story. According to the Bank of Korea, the country’s household debt reached a record high in 2021, making the show’s themes feel painfully relevant.

But you do not have to live in South Korea to feel the weight of these issues. The show resonates globally because financial struggle and social inequality are universal experiences. That is why viewers from all over the world see themselves in the players. They understand the hopelessness, the desire for a second chance, and the fear of being trapped in a system that feels impossible to escape.

Squid Game forces us to ask uncomfortable questions. How far would we go for money? What does survival really mean? And at what point does following the rules become just as dangerous as breaking them? That is what makes this show unforgettable.

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