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Squid Game (Spoiler Free) || Chatsu Shorts
282 Plays3 years ago
In this new bitesize series, Fraser (Satsunami) discusses the iconic Korean Drama storming the Netflix charts. But does this calamari colossus live up to the hype? Let's find out!
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Transcript
Introduction to Squid Game Discussion
00:00:05
Speaker
Welcome to Chatsunami. Hello everybody and welcome to Chatsu Shorts. In this episode I'm going to be talking about the Korean drama Squid Game. Please note that this is going to be spoiler free. Enjoy!
Global Impact of Squid Game
00:00:32
Speaker
What do you get when you mix a horrific death game with a group of people cosplaying this PlayStation fans? Enter Squid Game, a new Netflix show that you've no doubt been seeing all over the place. Whether you love it or hate it, the South Korean show has been taking the world by storm. During last year's lockdown, I began exploring Netflix's library.
00:00:51
Speaker
and fell down a rabbit hole with binge-watching some amazing shows. One such example was the Japanese hit Alice in Borderlands, a similar show that I'll no doubt be talking about someday.
Main Character and Deadly Games
00:01:01
Speaker
However, in the case of Squid Game, I went in completely blind, before it became the colossal calamari it is today. So, what is Squid Game about? The show follows Gi-hun, a down-in-his-luck gambling addict who's approached by a man in the subway, with an offer he can't refuse.
00:01:18
Speaker
Normally, if a man came up to me and offered to slant me for money, I would probably run away. But after telling Gihun that his financial troubles will disappear in exchange for playing a mysterious game, he soon finds himself in a dangerous situation. He becomes one of 465 players, asked to take part in what appears to be nothing more than just a few children's games.
00:01:39
Speaker
The gravity of the situation soon sets in as players are killed off, bringing them one step closer to the cash prize of 45.6 billion won. While the games themselves are based on South Korean children's games, international audiences will no doubt relate to their own equivalent versions. The contrast between the innocence of the games themselves mixed with the visceral violence is perfectly shown
Societal Critique and Character Portrayals
00:02:03
Speaker
here. After the true nature of the games are revealed, the players are given the chance to go home by voting.
00:02:08
Speaker
However, whether it be greed or desperation, this creates a volatile environment with the chances of survival decreasing with every passing moment. What I love about this reveal is the deflection of responsibility from those running the games to the players themselves. Clearly picking on the vulnerable of society, the show makes it clear that even the prospect of death is something that the characters themselves are willing to risk in exchange for easing their financial burdens in everyday life.
00:02:38
Speaker
It depicts the struggles many are forced to face in society by using the games to illustrate this. And yes, before you ask, I would definitely not survive long in these games. The characters themselves are portrayed fantastically, as each one is given a memorable identity of their own. This is no doubt thanks to the brilliant work of the actors who play them.
00:02:59
Speaker
Without giving too much away, Gihon encounters a wide range of characters in the first episode, from childhood friends and vicious gangsters, to defectors and those who seem far away from home. And while it does have its fair share of expendable characters, the core cast still continues to leave an impression.
00:03:15
Speaker
Even some of the staff members are given small moments of characterisation, lifting the veil on what goes on behind the scenes of
Detective Subplot and Visual Style
00:03:22
Speaker
the game. One particularly clever aspect is the use of a subplot where a police detective infiltrates the games to find his brother. By using his perspective as a staff member rather than a participant, we learn more about not only the nature of the games themselves, but also the social hierarchy amongst the staff members.
00:03:40
Speaker
I have to admit though, Netflix definitely has something about guys in red jumpsuits. Just look at Money Heist, which, spoilers, I would also recommend. Officially, this show is stunning. While it was probably intentional, I find the colours outside of the game appear to be a lot bleaker and more muted, while the games themselves were bright and vibrant. As for the costumes themselves, I get the feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of red jumpsuits running around us at Halloween.
00:04:07
Speaker
That aside, one obvious point to mention is the dehumanisation of the characters themselves. Each participant's given a tracksuit with a number on it, robbing them immediately of their former identity. Even when the players are killed, the announcer coldly states the number as her bodies are tossed into a black coffin, adorned with a pink bow.
00:04:26
Speaker
Oh, and it doesn't matter if you survive the execution. The PlayStation Mafia will still nail the lid shut. One more thing I'd like to touch on is the emotional heart of the story.
Emotional Journey and Viewer Reactions
00:04:36
Speaker
I'm not gonna lie, I initially took a strong disliking to Gihoon's character. But as the story progressed, I felt myself sympathising with him while growing to loathe others.
00:04:46
Speaker
Without giving away any spoilers, I found myself sobbing uncontrollably at one particular episode. For any friends fans out there, it was like that episode where Julie started reading Little Women, and at the end said, I don't think I'm gonna be okay. Flash forward to my second viewing, and this time I decided to watch with someone else. Suffice to say, they found me once again sobbing in the corner. Trust me, you'll know the episode I mean when you get to it.
00:05:13
Speaker
In terms of bad points, there are unfortunately a few, but nothing that really drags down the series significantly. To begin with, you kind of need to suspend your disbelief in terms of how not only the island where the games are held operates, but also the logistics themselves. In addition, when the shadowy group controlling the games are revealed, they come across more like Doctor Claw at a furry convention rather than an imposing threat.
00:05:39
Speaker
Another issue I had was the subplot with the police detective. While he served as a narrative tool to explain the inner workings of the games, some of his moments dragged on and many points were a little predictable. While I'm on the subject, does anybody know what type of phone he uses? The guy brings his phone to the island and throughout the entirety of his time there, he never has to charge it. What a champ.
00:06:02
Speaker
Sadly, with the popularity of the series skyrocketing just now, many are quick to pick apart the plot. From the stereotypical villains to some predictable points, Squid Game is certainly not perfect. However, does that mean you shouldn't watch it? At the risk of sounding like a hipster, I watched a show just before the boom in popularity. It was one of those shows I thought I would have to bring up in conversation, just for people to notice it.
00:06:28
Speaker
But with the way things have gone, I'm really happy people are
Future of Squid Game: Optimism and Concerns
00:06:31
Speaker
enjoying it. From the memes to the videos, it's great to see a show like this get the recognition it deserves. And while I am glad it's been renewed for the second season, I'm cautiously optimistic. I've already been here before, diving headfirst into a number of shows that I grew to love only for the quality to degrade over time with each passing season. Now for the question you've all been waiting for. Is Squid Game worth watching?
00:06:55
Speaker
So long as you don't watch it with your parents, people sensitive to violence, or Xbox fans, then you should be good. Jokes aside, whether you buy into the hype or not, this is a show that you should definitely check out. From the memorable characters to its unique setting, Squid Game will make sure that you never look at your childhood games the same again. So what did you think of Squid Game? Was it everything you hoped for? Or do you think it deserves the red light? Feel free to let me know what you think.
Conclusion and Further Listening
00:07:25
Speaker
Thank you for listening to Chat Tsunami. If you would like to hear more episodes then you can catch us on Anchor, Spotify, YouTube and awkward podcast distributors. As always, stay safe, stay awesome and most importantly, stay hydrated.