How much money did Squid Game make? Is there a season 2 of Squid Game? All about the trending Netflix’s South Korean Series “Squid Game”
Netflix‘s South Korean dystopian drama “Squid Game” has taken the world by storm since its premiere on September 17.
A few days after its release, it ranked No. 1 in the US and it’s on track to become the streaming service’s most-watched show of all time.
By now, you’ll surely be familiar with the Netflix title Squid Game and all that it entails. But if you’re not, well here’s a rough synopsis:
A motley bunch of fishmonger aunties engages in a fearsome war, as they throw squids at each other in a 6-man deathmatch.
Or at least, that was what I surmised from the title until I read the actual synopsis:
“Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits with deadly high stakes. A survival game that has a whopping 40-million-dollar prize at stake.”
Suffice to say; it wasn’t what I was expecting.
But here’s the thing. Is that the only aspect that’s confusing about the show?
Without further ado, The Vibely explores all the mysteries and intricacies revolving around it in the latest rendition of our 20 Facts series – Keep reading to learn what exactly “Squid Game” is and why so many people are watching.
1. About Squid Game
Squid Game is absolutely worth watching if you can stand all the violence and tragedy. As much as it’s a show about people competing in a deadly, real-life version of Fall Guys (basically) it’s also a cautionary tale about the many terrible ways that money—whether you have too much or too little—can ruin lives.
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits with deadly high stakes. A survival game that has a whopping 45.6 billion-won prize at stake.
2. Squid Game Storyline
A story of people who fail at life for various reasons, but suddenly receive a mysterious invitation to participate in a survival game to win more than 38 million US dollars. The game takes place at an unknown location and the participants are locked up until there is a final winner. The story will incorporate popular children’s games from the 1970s and 1980s of Korea, such as squid game, the literal translation of its Korean name, which is a type of tag where offense and defense use a squid-shaped board drawn in the dirt.
3. Squid Game Country of Origin
Squid is originated from South Korea. Most of the casts in the series are actors and actresses.
4. About Squid Game Director
Dong-hyuk Hwang is a writer and director, known for The Fortress (2017), Silenced (2011), and Miracle Mile (2004). He has won 10 awards out of 11 nominations off his body of work.
Squid Game was written, produced, and directed by Dong-hyuk Hwang.
5. Squid Game is a Multi-Genres
Marvel has a multiverse. Squid Game has multi-genres.
Indeed, at first glance, Squid Game is portrayed as a mere survival game drama. But as time goes by, you’ll realise that it’s much more than a simple game of death.
Apart from thriller, horror, and drama, the nine-episode series even contains dark comedy.
It should also be noted that Squid Game wasn’t initially called Squid Game.
Instead, it was announced as Round Six back in September 2019.
6. 456 people participated
In the show, it’s stated that 456 people, who hail from all walks of life, have been invited to participate in the “Squid Game.”
As it turns out, the number 456 is not just for show.
Incredible as it sounds, they really got 456 people to participate.
Alas, if you’ve watched the show, you would know that numbers dwindle rather rapidly. As actor Park Hae Soo said:
“I see them going home after the elimination, and I can feel the room is emptier. It also makes me feel emptier.”
7. Delay in premiering due to Covid-19
Did you know that Squid Game could have actually premiered earlier?
Indeed, the casting was actually determined as early as 17 June 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea, the production crew had to halt filming in August 2020.
Apparently, filming only resumed one month later, in September 2020.
8. Squid Game apparently has Children’s Games features
By now, you may have seen viral videos of a giant doll, with perhaps even the caption “Red Light, Green Light.”
Well here’s the thing. Squid Game actually features games that were played by children in South Korea.
Yes, folks. Ironic, and as controversial as it sounds, children’s games are used to depict cold-blooded murder and violence. The “Mugunghwa has bloomed” game, for instance, is similar to “What’s the time, Mr. Wolf.”
So the next time you indulge in your area’s child-friendly games, beware.
That game of flag erasers may not be as innocent as you thought.
9. Inspiration
Always wondered how the plotline of Squid Game seems eerily reminiscent of a webtoon/manhwa you’ve read before?
Well, they were actually the inspiration behind it.
In an interview, screenwriter and director Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that the drama was inspired by manhwa, otherwise known as Korean comics, that he had read before.
“At that time, I went to bookstores often,” he said.
“And when I read many manhwas, I want to make a story similar to the ones in manhwa that I read.”
10. Chart-Topping
Apparently, the drama is so popular with the crowd that it actually took the number 1 spot in the U.S. Netflix “Top 10 in U.S. today” list!
The accolade was achieved on 21 September 2021. In doing so, Squid Game actually edged out other high-flying contenders such as Sex Education and Click Bait.
11. Squid Game was written in 2009
During the Netflix press conference, Hwang also revealed that he had actually finished the script for Squid Game in 2009.
However, he said that the idea wasn’t exactly welcome at the time, and as a result abstained from creating it at that time.
“I finished the script in 2009,” he said. “At that time, people felt that the script was too unfamiliar, brutal, and the plot would be too complex.”
This notion would, however, conflict with certain speculations about the plot.
12. Plagiarism Squid Game vs. As The Gods Will and Liar Game
Despite the drama’s success, it should be noted that the drama is not without its own controversies.
Apparently, viewers have noticed similarities between Squid Game and Japanese productions such as As The Gods Will and Liar Game. In particular, the scene with the giant doll in Squid Game shares almost identical similarities with this scene from As The Gods Will:
However, As The Gods Will was released in 2014, five whole years after Hwang allegedly wrote his script.
It should be noted, however, that Squid Game also shares a certain similarity with the horror film series, Saw.
13. Minimal CGI
Nevertheless, in spite of its controversies, one can’t help but applaud Hwang’s dedication to his work.
Apparently, minimal CGI was used during the production process, in a bid to make the series more authentic.
And in order to achieve the effect, the set design was tweaked to be as realistic as possible. In fact, it was so realistic that the cast members themselves were surprised.
“The set and the giant doll are exactly what we see on screen,” said Park Hae Soo. “Everything amazes me.”
14. Playground
And it seems that Netflix has not spared any expense in the advertising sector as well.
Since a while back, a pop-up playground has opened daily at Itaewon station from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
To emulate the drama experience, life-sized installations have been set up, including the ever-chilling girl with the pigtails.
You can even stand a chance to win a special merchandise set if you get the right answer!
Do take note, however, that it’s only open until 26 September 2021.
15. Trivia
The phone number used in the series was a real South Korean number. The owner of the number was called more than a thousand times a day.
16. Netflix sued by South Korean internet company over popularity of thriller series Squid Gam
The Korean-language thriller series has become a worldwide phenomenon since its launch on September 17 and is poised to become the US streaming platform’s “biggest show ever”.
It has become so successful that SK Broadband has sued Netflix to pay the internet provider for a surge in network traffic and maintenance work caused by fans watching the series, according to Reuters.
The company said in its claims that it is South Korea’s second-largest traffic generator after YouTube and that Netflix should “reasonably” pay something in return, as Squid Game trends at number one worldwide.
It added that the popularity of Squid Game and other Korean shows have reinforced Netflix’s status as South Korea’s second-largest data traffic generator after YouTube, owned by Google – but the companies are the only two content platforms not paying network usage fees.
Other providers such as Amazon, Apple, and Facebook are paying fees, added SK Broadband.
Netflix said it will review the claim and “seek dialogue” with SK Broadband to make sure customers’ viewing is not affected.
In a statement on Friday, a Netflix spokesperson told CNBC: “We will review the claim that SK Broadband has filed against us.”In the meantime, we continue to seek the open dialogue and explore ways of working with SK Broadband in order to ensure a seamless streaming experience for our shared customers.”
According to the claim, Netflix’s data traffic via the internet provider increased 24 times from May 2018 to 1.2 trillion bits of data processed per second to September.
Squid Game sees hundreds take part in a competition shrouded in mystery to play lethal children’s games for a multi-billion cash prize. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said: “Squid Game will definitely be our biggest non-English language show in the world, for sure, and there’s a very good chance it’s going to be our biggest show ever.”
“Squid Game” combines childhood games with violence and money.
17. The series follows players as they participate in deadly versions of kiddie games to win cash
“Squid Game” is created and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk and set in Seoul.
Fans have called the show a mix of the young-adult movie “The Hunger Games,” Netflix’s dystopian series “Black Mirror,” and the Oscar-winning Korean thriller “Parasite.”
The show’s premise involves 456 people who are deeply in debt and have been chosen to compete to win 45.6 million won (about $38.4 million USD) by playing deadly versions of traditional children’s games.
The games have simple premises but deadly consequences.
For example, the first game is a version of Red Light, Green Light, where players must get to the finish line without being caught moving by the person who is it. If they see you moving, you’re out. In the “Squid Game” version of Red Light, Green Light, characters who are seen moving to get shot dead by an oversized doll.
Some of the other games include challenging participants to eat around the imprinted shape in a Dalgona honeycomb without breaking it. Some games involve marbles or tug-of-war. No matter the game, losers are killed by the masked guards.
The players are dressed in identical track-suit uniforms and named by the number on their shirts. The show follows 456, protagonist Seung Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae).
18. The dark series is an allegory of sorts that was created over a decade ago
Creator and director Hwang has been working on this series’ script since 2008. Netflix picked it up in 2019.
For a long time, the creator said, he worried about how “Squid Game” could be commercialized for a broad audience. He said he struggled with funding and casting until Netflix picked it up.
“But after about 12 years, the world has changed into a place where such peculiar, violent survival stories are actually welcomed,” he told The Korea Times.
Hwang described the show to Variety as “an allegory or fable about modern capitalist society, something that depicts an extreme competition, somewhat like the extreme competition of life.”
19. ‘Squid Game’ is also designed so that viewers can focus on the characters
Hwang told Variety he wanted the series “to use the kind of characters we’ve all met in real life.”
“People are attracted by the irony that hopeless grownups risk their lives to win a kids’ game,” Hwang said in an interview, per Yonhap. “The games are simple and easy, so viewers can give more focus on each character rather than complex game rules.”
20. Season 1 Episodes. When is Squid Game season 2 coming out?
There are only 9 episodes in season 1 of Squid Game. There are currently no plans for a second season. Squid Game was first announced in 2019, with production taking two years to complete. So even with the most optimistic timeline, Season 2 probably wouldn’t arrive until early 2023.
The 18 Top casts
1. Lee Jung-Jae played the role of Seong Gi-hun… and appeared in 9 episodes.
2. Greg Chun appeared in 9 episodes and played the role of Gi-Hun.
3. Stephen Fu as Sang-Woo and appeared in 9 episodes.
4. Tom Choi played the role of Frontman… in 9 episodes.
5. Park Hae-soo played the role of Cho Sang-Woo… in 9 episodes.
6. Lee Byung-hun as Front man 9 episodes.
7. Gong Yoo as The Salesman in 9 episodes.
8. Jung Hoyeo as Kang Sae-byeok 8 episodes.
9. Paul Nakauchi as Deok-Su… in 8 episodes.
10. Stephanie Komure as Mi-Nyeo… in 8 episodes.
11. Wi Ha-Joo as Hwang Jun-Ho… in 8 episodes.
12. Halley Kim as Mi-Ok…in 8 episodes.
13. Caleb Yen as Additional Voices in 8 episodes.
14. Anupam Tripathi as Ali in 7 episodes.
15. Hideo Kimura as Il-Nam in 7 episodes.
16. Donald Chan as Jun-Ho in 7 episodes.
17. Oh Yeong-su as Oh II-nam…7 episodes.
18. Heo Sung-tae as Jang Deok-Soo… 7 episodes.
Series Directed by
| Dong-hyuk Hwang | … | (9 episodes, 2021) |
Series Writing Credits
| Dong-hyuk Hwang | … | (9 episodes, 2021) |
All the Series Cast
Series Produced by
| Dong-hyuk Hwang | … | producer (unknown episodes) |
Series Music by
| Jaeil Jung | … | (9 episodes, 2021) |
Series Sound Department
| Tae-young Choi | … | audio director (9 episodes, 2021) |
| Serge Perron | … | lead re-recording mixer (9 episodes, 2021) |
| Airi Mori | … | dialogue editor (8 episodes, 2021) |
Series Editorial Department
| Kim HyungShek | … | senior colourist (9 episodes, 2021) |
Series Music Department
| Walter Mair | … | soundtrack (9 episodes, 2021) |
Series Additional Crew
| Mayank Badhwar | … | Marketing Consultant (9 episodes, 2021) |
Quick Facts About Squid Game
Netflix’s “Squid Game” is a South Korean dystopian series with violence, competition, and games.
Fans are calling “Squid Game” a violent mix of “The Hunger Games,” “Black Mirror,” and “Parasite.”
The dark series was created by Hwang Dong-hyuk in 2008.
Netflix‘s South Korean dystopian drama “Squid Game” has taken the world by storm since its premiere on September 17.
A few days after its release, it ranked No. 1 in the US and it’s on track to become the streaming service’s most-watched show of all time.
Release date: September 17, 2021 (United States)
Country of origin: South Korea
Official site: Official Netflix
Languages: Korean, English
Also known as: Trò Chơi Con Mực
Production company: Siren Pictures
Runtime: 1h
Color: Color
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect ratio: 1.78: 1
Taglines: 45.6 Billion Won is Child’s Play
Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Parents guide: emphatically advised.
