ABC KOREA

View Original

Real-Life Squid Game? Sign Us Up! Or Maybe Not…

Image credit: Netflix

Unless you’re living under a rock, then you’ve probably heard about “Squid Game”, a Korean Netflix series that has been taking over the internet for the past week.

Judging from the title alone, one might think that it is a children’s show. The truth is, it is very far from that. Squid Game is actually a survival drama, which has a lot of gore scenes, dark twists and unexpected turns.

Image credit: @netflixkr on Instagram

The story focuses on Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), a gambling addict who joins a mysterious game. His goal is to win the prize money of ₩45.6 billion which he hopes to use to pay off his debts and support his daughter.

Several people also joined the game including:

  • Cho Sang-woo (played by Park Hae-soo), Gi-hun’s childhood friend and a top student from Seoul National University who is now wanted by the police

  • Oh Il-nam (played by Oh Yeong-su), a terminally ill old man who Gi-hun also befriends

  • Kang Sae-byok (played by Jung Ho-yeon), an ex-North Korean citizen who aims to bring the rest of her family to the South

  • Ali (played by Anupam Triphati), a foreigner who entered the game to provide for his family

The contestants end up competing in a series of traditional children games with their lives on the line.

Squid Game instantly hooked a lot of viewers because of its suspenseful and emotional storyline, which is why it has been trending on social media up till now.

And if you’re like me who binged-watch all 9 episodes and can’t wait for season 2, just look at this cute pop-up in Seoul to cure that drama hangover!

Image credit: @netflixkr on Instagram

Netflix took the promotion to the next level by installing this pop-up in Itaewon Station.

Image credit: @netflixkr on Instagram

It features all of the show’s iconic scenes from the colourful staircases and the playground to the casts’ memorabilia like the green tracksuit they wore to the games!

Image credit: @netflixkr on Instagram

To make it more fun, the “soldiers” from the show are also present at the installation to take pictures with fans that came to visit! The pop-up is open only until September 26th so make sure you catch it if you’re in Seoul.

Netflix also gave international viewers a more detailed look of the pop-up in this video:

The Squid Game fever has also made its way to the Philippines. At a shopping mall located in Manila, the show’s eerie-looking doll can be seen standing near a pedestrian street.

Image credit: Robinsons Malls

If you remember, this doll is present on the drama’s premiere episode, where she scans and eliminates players in the first game “Red light, Green light”.

Have you been to any of these pop-ups? If yes, let us know in the comments below! If you haven’t seen Squid Game yet, you can watch it here.