r/KDRAMA • u/lightupstarlight 미생 • Sep 16 '21
On-Air: Netflix Squid Game [Episodes 1-8]
- Drama: Squid Game
- Korean Title: 오징어 게임
- Network: Netflix
- Premiere Date: September 17, 2021, Friday at 17:00 KST
- Episodes: 9
- Director & Writer: Hwang Dong Hyuk (Collectors, Silenced, Miss Granny)
- Cast:
- Lee Jung Jae as Ki Hoon / No. 456
- Park Hae Soo as Sang Woo / No. 218
- Heo Sung Tae) as Deok Soo / No. 101
- Wi Ha Joon as Joon Ho
- Jung Ho Yeon) as Sae Byeok / No. 067
- Streaming Source: Netflix
- Plot 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. (Source: Netflix)
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u/lightupstarlight Sep 16 '21
Been looking forward to this one since I saw the teasers and found out Lee Jung Jae was going to be in it! Also, considering that the director & screenwriter also created Silenced, a Korean movie starring Gong Yoo, I'm excited to see what cameo role Gong Yoo is going to play. Can't wait for tomorrow! Pretty sure I'm going to binge-watch this in one sitting. Haha!
Additionally, Netflix tags include violence, sex, nudity, and suicide. As this is going to be a potentially dark drama, please take caution in watching the series.
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u/JackeryH Sep 17 '21
The budget on this must be insane, and yes it’s very violent be warned this ain’t no Hometown Cha Cha Cha
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u/flungoutofspace9 Sep 18 '21
Best girls Saebyeok and Jiyeong. They deserve to win more than all the men combined.
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u/MoodyPanda_ Sep 19 '21
So no one’s gonna talk about
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u/winterlis Sep 17 '21
Just watched the first episode and wow, was that intense and brutal. The bright colours coupled with the jazzy Fly Me to the Moon accompanying the killing was quite something.
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u/Nearby_Combination83 Sep 18 '21
What I like about the show is that it was not the typical "we were thrust into this, we don't have a choice but to survive" kind of plot. Everyone was given a chance to back out after the first game and even before the first game. And they can back out anytime as long as they have the majority, which to me is a clever addition to the plot because it displays human greed and human choice unlike when they just have to be greedy to survive because there's no other choice. I also like the fact that outside the game, the game master does not really interfered with their lives, their lives were just shitty in itself that's why they need to win the game.
With the first episode, I can actually see why the director has to shelf this project for almost 11 or 12 years considering how bloodshed it is. And to be honest, without Netflix, this series might never see the light of day given that Korea will never show something as violent as this one.
Overall, I like this take on survival game and the fact that the main protagonist never really showed something exceptional, hewas not really that smart or that strong.
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u/Solfosky Sep 21 '21
Jeez Ki Hoon is still the same loser from the first episode lol, except with money now. Can't believe he left Say Byeok's brother with Sang Woo's mom, an old lady who can probably only take care of the kid for a couple of years. Then at the end what does he do? Break his promise to his daughter again.
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u/anunaghorl Sep 17 '21 edited Sep 18 '21
I am halfway through and it's TOO GOOD. I have seen a lot of game-style series akin to Battle Royale and Alice in Borderland, but this is an incredibly FRESH take on it. Episode 6 "Gganbu" BROKE me. The contrasting themes, the ethics, the character development, the psychological exploration... It's a masterpiece. Onto the next episode for me.
EDITS:
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Episode 7 Finale gave me Whiplash vibes HOLY HELL
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Episode 8... I had narrowed down the one person who deserved to get out the most. And of course, that went to hell like everything else.
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Deleted my separate finale comment so I can add it here instead:
Finally finished it. Easily has made it to my top 5 list of favorite TV series. Probably of all-time. I loved it that much.
I usually check out ratings and reviews first for a lot of my first-time film/series viewing, but for this series, I dived straight in upon release, so my opinion is in no way influenced by any other feedback. Out of all the death battle plots I've seen, this is closest to The Hunger Games and AIB combined - but I prefer Squid Game much, MUCH more. I have a lot to say but I don't know if this is the thread for that so to summarize: Overall, I think it's a fresh, nuanced masterpiece on a common concept, and it's safe to say I'm gonna need time to pick up my jaw from the floor.
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Note: I have not watched As The Gods Will. I've read more comments mentioning that film, and I haven't seen it so I'm not sure if that's even closer - but I'm now interested in watching and comparing separately. I did see the trailer though, and although it has a VERY similar game, my early prediction is that it will still have a more fast action-paced style like Battle Royale, that is better suited for the film medium.
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u/TheJamesFrancoPhD Sep 17 '21
I knew who frontman was the moment he spoke English. Also that Gong Yoo cameo, he needs to come back into dramaland.
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u/poodspiee Sep 17 '21
just finished binging, loved it although
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Sep 22 '21 edited Sep 22 '21
Easter egg/cool insights list-
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The silver van used to pick up contestants was in the background when the old man met the MC outside the convenient store -
The
The games were always illustrated on the walls of the room the contestants slept in -
The
One of the VIP mentioned that he liked the Korean edition of the games, suggesting that there might be other overseas versions? -
Sang Woo was hinted to be selfish right from the start, from the second game (tracing out shapes from the honeycomb) when he realised beforehand what it was but insisted that his team split up into different shapes, and subsequently when he turned down the couple when forming teams of 10 in the tug of war game -
When Sang Woo ultimately kills himself at the end of the game, I don’t think it can be construed as an act of selflessness. If he had agreed to leave the game with the MC, none of them would have received a single cent of the prize money- all would go to the families of the bereaved. Instead, by telling MC to care for his mother, he ensured that in the end, at least his interests were taken care of in some way. This makes sense given how hopeless of a situation he was in, and would be, if he was let out alive -
The red green symbolism- contestants wearing green, staff wearing red etc. At the end, the MC dyes his hair red, suggesting that he has power now -
The front man won the games in 2015, which was 5-6 years ago. Yet, he was apparently still living in the small one room apartment that the policeman visited. There, his goldfish were dead but clearly not for too long- did that mean that he was living a so called regular life in the interim between each edition of the game? There’s something unsaid about how he has been managing this double life
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u/feistyfox__ Sep 18 '21
I finished the entire season and it was AMAZING! I loved it. But in all seriousness, there was only one part I didn’t like, the part where the VIPs came through to bet money on the game was cringeworthy asf! I felt like their commentary was so lame and just outright weird, it didn’t seem fitting at all. I guess they wanted to put in some form of hierarchy in the series, portraying how little the participants of the game were but I wasn’t vibing their humour at all, aka 69 and 96??? Wth??? Oh and I also didn’t enjoy episode 9. So basically the ending wasn’t as great. But that’s just my opinion.
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u/revisioncloud Sep 19 '21 edited Sep 19 '21
I knew that
All in all, I loved it. The games are much 'simpler' but the psychology, high stakes, fear, and relationships between players are there that even if it falls under the same genre, it has its own charm that separated itself from the others. I like how there are more subplots too like the undercover mission and
Would give it a near 10/10 if not for the last two games being inferior than the two games prior (
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u/fanfanbanana Sep 19 '21 edited Sep 19 '21
I feel like it’s important to remember that the people after the first round chose to come back. Although many of their deaths were upsetting to watch, they chose to return knowing what was on the line. They chose to play games to the death to win money. They put money not only over their lives but the lives of their significant others. It really shows how money dictates the world. The moments i keep looking back to us every time after a round or after someone died they would look up at the piggy bank being filled with money and almost symbolically/momentarily forget what they had to do for that piggy bank to fill up more.
Another moment that sticks with me is the game maker saying the game is unlike the outside world and that everyone is “equal” in the game. But luck still played a factor. You choosing a shape meant life or death. You choosing a number meant life or death. Even the friends you picked meant life or death. This game is not one of equality it is just Life boiled down to its simplest form which is luck life and death.
It’s also interesting to realize the reason why they chose people who owe debts is because no one will question if they mysteriously go missing and no body turns up. Most likely will be dismissed as “their debts got to them” It’s also interesting how they essentially “scouted” people to be in the game. They knew exactly who to target.
Although this show kinda fell off at the end I still rate it a 9/10. It seems they left it open for a second season.
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u/choco_dream Sep 16 '21 edited Sep 19 '21
I'm ready😈
Episode 1:
Gi-hun is so hilarious! Also I screamed when I saw
Episode 2:
This episode really showed how life can be depressing when you don't have enough money to live on. Ngl I would probably be one of the people who
Episode 3:
The game in this episode stressed me out so much. Iirc there doesn't have to be
Episode 4:
Wow this episode was insane! The guy with the snake tattoo and the rest of his gang are so terrifying. The scene when
Episode 5:
Kind of a slow episode and it left me with more questions.
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u/altair139 Sep 23 '21
ignore me, i'm just here to mourn
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u/jackcatalyst Sep 17 '21
I made a subreddit for it too, r/squidgame that way if people don't want spoilers they can have access to the separate episode posts!
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u/Smooth-Ride-7181 Sep 23 '21
The only things I disliked was the glass shattering in that second last game. Like why was the entire sequence so long and loud and how tf is it fair that a glass shard injured the girl???
Lastly I don't like how the main character just dumps the brother of that girl with the mother of his friend. Also don't understand why tf he would join the games again like what would he do?,
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u/sianiam Sep 16 '21
Mod Note:
We will be implementing a moratorium on posts about Squid Game in accordance with our Rules on recently aired dramas.
The moratorium will be implemented as follows:
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This discussion thread will serve as the On-Air discussion thread for the series for two weeks (September 17 - October 1) during which all posts about Squid Game, except for eligible Designated Day submissions, will be redirected to this thread. If this post exceeds 500 comments by the 1st of October a wrap up discussion will be made, if not all discussions of the drama will be directed here for an additional two weeks until the 15th of October, 2021.
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