People living in South Korea reflect on the ‘raw’ realities Squid Game shows about their lives

For most of us, Squid Game is now over. But for those who live in South Korea, the fictionalised foundations of Squid Game are all too real. Of course, they don’t mean the games. But people living in the country have opened up about the societal reflections in the show, and how accurate they are.

Squid Game is more than just based in South Korea. It’s about life there. The show follows rich VIPs who relish in watching the deadly games, as people who are so pushed to the edge with money problems will do literally anything to wipe their debts. Including risking their own lives.

The Squid Game creator has said the show’s overall story is based on his own economic struggles, as well as the class disparity in South Korea and capitalism. There, work/life balance is reportedly at an all time low, with people being stressed, overworked and underpaid. According to The BBC, women there are too stressed to have children.

via JEON HEON-KYUN/EPA/Shutterstock

‘Squid Game 3 revealed the true feelings and raw inner thoughts of Korean people’

The BBC also shared accounts fro residents of South Korea, where they spoke of how realistic Squid Game is. You might be surprised, they said the themes in the show are really accurate to what life is like.

“The drama may be fictional, but it feels more realistic than reality itself,” film enthusiast Jeong Cheol Sang said in a review, as per the publication. “Precarious labour, youth unemployment, broken families – these aren’t just plot devices, but the very struggles we face every day.”

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Others said Gi-hun’s death was reflective of society and real life truths. “This perfectly describes humanity and the message of the show,” a viewer commented on YouTube.

“As much as we wanted to see Gi-hun win, kill the frontman and the VIPs, and stop the games once and for all before riding off into the sunset, that’s just not the world we live in and it’s certainly not the one that Gi-hun lived in.”

Another, more general, YouTube comment added: “I feel like Squid Game 3 revealed the true feelings and raw inner thoughts of Korean people. It reflected reality so well like how in real life, at work, it’s just full of ruthless people ready to crush you. This show nailed it.”

Squid Game is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. Featured image via RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock.