My Cultural Diet

I’m a few years late to this one, but I was fortunately able to avoid most spoilers. It’s easy to see why Squid Game has been such a big hit for Netflix. Hwang Dong-hyuk’s original series is twisted in all the right ways, but its story of down-on-their-luck individuals playing deadly children’s games for money while overseen by mysterious masked individuals never feels tawdry or exploitative. Rather, it makes some incisive points about human nature and the desperation of those who’ve fallen through society’s cracks while at the same time, tapping into our present anxiety concerning the haves and the have-nots. On paper, the series’ premise might seem outlandish, and even preposterous, but it’s so well-done — be it Hwang Dong-hyuk’s script and stylish direction, the incredible set design and cinematography, or the strong performances by Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Jung Ho-yeon, et al. — that I was completely absorbed by the twists and turns and the characters’ plight.

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