“Squid Game,” Netflix’s candy-colored Korean series about a tournament of childhood games played to the death, elicits strong reactions: People are fascinated or repelled. The most intense fans may want to wear “Squid Game”-style tracksuits, make Dalgona candy, or even learn Korean. Detractors complain of egregious violence and gaping plot holes.
In the month since its debut, the show has become a global phenomenon and was Netflix’s most watched new series ever, according to the streamer. It remains one of the service’s most popular titles. (In another measure of its cultural penetration, it inspired a bizarre “Saturday Night Live” parody over the weekend.) But the worldwide “Squid Game” mania has had little effect on the show’s star, Lee Jung-jae, who says he has been enjoying it all, but that “nothing much” is really different in his life. And doing the series hasn’t made him a better game player, either.
“I’m very bad at games — I never would have made it to the end of ‘Squid Game’ myself,” Lee said last week. “Well, maybe I would have done a relatively good job at marbles, but I don’t think I would have lasted that long. I would have dropped out earlier on in the game.”
“Dropping out” isn’t really an option in the cutthroat games (unless the majority of the contestants vote to stop). The beleaguered competitors persist in the hope that winning the cash prize will redeem their lives, and most are willing to abandon their morals in the pursuit of victory. Even though Gi-hun ultimately does win, the game robs him of his childhood best friend, Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo), his opponent in the final battle.
“Even in Episode 1, when he tries to introduce Sang-woo to other people,” Lee said, “Gi-hun says over and over again that Sang-woo was the smartest kid in his neighborhood. But his friend made so many bad choices in his life, and now in the game, deceiving other people, killing other people. It came as a big shock to Gi-hun when somebody who made him so proud did such brutal things.”
By the end, Gi-hun is so demoralized that he leaves his prize untouched. In the show’s final moments, he realizes he wants to do something to stop this terrible game, funded by wealthy people who bet on the outcomes. Is this a comment on economic disparity and moral bankruptcy? Perhaps. (Our critic is skeptical about its effectiveness.) Lee, however, thinks the real message is about altruism.
Before he was player No. 456, Lee was a model-turned-actor who had starred in a number of hit Korean films, including the erotic thriller “The Housemaid” and the award-winning gangster drama “Deliver Us From Evil.” He’s about to make his directorial debut with the espionage thriller “Namsun,” which he is also producing.
Lee talked about “Squid Game” in a phone conversation from South Korea, aided by a translator. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
What’s it been like seeing the world’s reaction to your show’s success, with all the different memes, parodies and challenges out there? Has any of it made you look at the show in a new light?
I have seen some reactions on social media and on YouTube, and I have been trying to wrap my mind around them. I watched a lot of YouTube reaction videos, videos of the viewers themselves watching “Squid Game” in real time. I had never seen these so-called reaction videos before in my life. I find that very interesting and funny. So yes, I have kept an eye on how the global audience is reacting.
I also have hopes for other Korean content to come, because “Squid Game” has done such a good job in raising awareness of Korean TV series and films, which I hope will now find a wider audience.
“Squid Game” is rather polarizing, as you may know. Some critics have slammed it for being pointlessly violent, or having only a vague message, if any at all. How would you respond to those criticisms?
Well, everyone has their own taste, and I completely respect whatever response each viewer has. I understand that there are mixed responses.
In Korea, people have an altruistic mind-set — you would have no friends if you weren’t kind and considerate. That’s because Korean people believe that their friends are very valuable and important. I really love my friends. I care for them. I would like to maintain a good relationship with them. And I think what “Squid Game” has done is to tie in this theme of altruism to the story line of the survival game. On top of that, it added very impressive visuals.
Post a Comment
👇Click Here For Write A Comment👇