Squid Games' & Our Dark Reality

In the past month, many people have been raving about the South Korean drama, Squid Games. It is no surprise as the drama is binge-worthy with its dynamic storyline full of action and shocking plot twists. It is one of my top contenders for the best new dramas of 2021. As the show continues to attract viewers, it does make one wonder why exactly the show has been so successful. With a bit of research, it is simply down to the fact that the drama highlights issues that are prevalent in societies all over the globe. People love the show because they can relate to it in one way or another.

Without spoiling the entire plot of Squid Games, here is the main reason why the drama highlights some issues in society. The main plot of Squid Games is that there are 456 people, all of whom have millions of dollars worth of debt, playing a total of six games to earn billions of dollars. Any players that do not win a game are eliminated from playing. What these players do not know, is that elimination in these cases does not simply mean elimination; instead, it means death.

So, how exactly does this relate to society? Well, towards the end of the drama, we learn that the games were run by wealthy men. Not only just from Korea, but even wealthy men from Western nations. It ultimately turned into a sick event of rich men watching poor people fight for their lives for millions of dollars. Ironic right? Ironic because this is something that occurs every day within society. Poor people struggle to survive in this world while the wealthy ones sit at their seats in the 1% watching them from below. This occurrence is most often seen within capitalistic societies.

What exactly is capitalism? Capitalism is a system in which businesses prioritize the privatization of goods and property. The right to private property is so important within capitalism as it allows business owners to maximize the value of the said property. In short, capitalism is an economic system that prioritizes material needs. The downside is that its sole purpose is to create a productive system that, in turn, disregards the quality of the human experience. It is destructive to its members.

Another aspect of capitalism is the concept of status. In Squid Games, there is a clear hierarchy between those playing the game, and those running it. At the very top, it’s the host. This individual acquires wealth at the expense of those below them. Second, there are the VIPs, the audience watching those suffer out of enjoyment of their status. These are wealthy in capitalist societies. Next on the ladder are the guards. These individuals represent the working class in capitalist societies. They follow a strict schedule of waking up in the morning, doing the job assigned to them, and then heading back at the end of the night. They essentially have no life outside of work. Lastly, there are the players. These individuals are the poor who struggle in capitalist societies. Another aspect of capitalism is the concept of status. In Squid Games, there is a clear hierarchy between those playing the game, and those running it. At the very top, it’s the host. This individual acquires wealth at the expense of those below them. Second, there are the VIPs, the audience watching those suffer out of enjoyment of their status. These are wealthy in capitalist societies. Next on the ladder are the guards. These individuals represent the working class in capitalist societies. They follow a strict schedule of waking up in the morning, doing the job assigned to them, and then heading back at the end of the night. They essentially have no life outside of work. Lastly, there are the players. These individuals are the poor who struggle in capitalist societies.

The worst part about this hierarchical system is that although the working and lower classes know that they are being exploited in capitalist societies, they continue to be willing participants because they have no choice. Their hope in surpassing a state of survival mode to one day thrive and be successful keeps them working. This is especially seen in Squid Games as the players in the game had the opportunity to quit playing the game. After returning home, they all chose to come back to the game although they knew the consequences. Many even went as far as killing and betraying their friends all to win the game.

Although Squid Games very clearly represents the economic system of capitalism, it also addresses another issue. Capitalism is part of something bigger. It is a feature of coloniality. From the Western men running the show and the values that are being implanted. It is the values of competition, individualism, and hierarchy. It is not by chance that the symbol they are playing towards is the pyramid.  It is the same symbol on the US dollar.