During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Korean TV show with a very unique concept was released. Titled “Squid Game,” the show follows a game in which Korea’s lower class population are targeted to play children’s games and compete for a large sum of money. The twist is, those who lose the games are killed, making everything extremely high stakes. The show was wildly popular for its captivating plot and characters, but the root of “Squid Game” is a social commentary on class inequalities.
The worldwide phenomenon debuted as the number one TV show in 92 different regions, breaking many records on Netflix. It amassed 256.2 million views in its first 90 days, becoming a key part of pop culture and the subject of social media discourse.
While there were many good surface level aspects of the show, it also asked important questions about economic status and the class divide. A plot twist in the show reveals that the games are only held to provide entertainment for a group of extremely wealthy men, called the VIPs. They laugh and cheer at the expense of the lives of the unfortunate contestants. For the players, it is a matter of life and death — they are risking their lives for a chance to pay off sinking debts — but for the VIPs it’s just another form of entertainment. This dynamic emphasizes the vastly different life experiences of two different classes.
Due to the immense success of the show, the creators decided that just one season was not enough. On Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, Squid Game Season Two was released, attracting many of its fans from the first season. The show continues with its original primary character as well as an entirely new ensemble, and a similar plot. However, the most important part of the show seems to be missing: the social commentary. With the VIPs having a total of zero minutes of screentime across the whole second season, it seems as if the writers have tried to erase that section of the plot.
Instead, it focuses on a bloody revenge arc for the main character, who has been scarred from his experiences in the squid games. It turns out that those who win are changed so much from their experience, no amount of the prize money can solve their problems. The much gorier second season also has an unsatisfying ending. Nevertheless, a season three has been announced to come out in July 2025, as a finale to the series. Hopefully the finale will tie up the plot while also adding more elements of societal analysis.