The ‘Squid Game’ effect: How Netflix's Korean show has become a global pop-culture phenomenon
The Hindu
The popularity of the horror-survival series is seeing people getting inventive with cosplays, and recreating the children’s games in the show — from the Dalgona candy challenge to Red Light and Green Light
You cannot go a whole day without hearing about Squid Game, the new Korean survival-horror fest that has people looking at children’s games in a whole new way. Directed and written by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the series on Netflix follows a number of people with heavy debts competing against each other in a series of seemingly innocent games for cash prize. But the rug gets pulled out from under them when they realise they are not just playing for money, but for their lives — losers get killed instantly in these games.
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Despite the bone-chilling displays of manipulation, peer pressure, and straight-up gaslighting seen throughout, the concept has enthralled millions around the world; people are bringing Squid Game home by recreating games such as Red Light, Green Light and the Dalgona candy cracking challenge, and also dressing up as their favourite characters.