This drama started off so well... Seeing a bold,outspoken FL was so fresh. It's unfortunate the drama went downhill. I was looking forward to this since Choi hee Jin was SFL too.
I was really getting into this drama—it felt fresh, unique, and different from the usual tropes. But then, as always, they had to go and ruin it by making the female lead (FL) unbelievably stupid. I’m talking about episode 7 specifically.
Despite having complete information from the future, she’s written as ridiculously gullible. It’s frustrating to watch a character with so much potential make decisions that make no sense, especially when she has the advantage of foresight. It feels like lazy writing, and it completely pulls me out of the story.
Why do writers keep doing this? Strong, intelligent female characters are so much more compelling. Instead, we’re stuck with one who acts like she’s never heard of common sense. It’s such a letdown.
Edit : Her character redeems herself, kinda in episode 10.
what r the other incidents based on real life? ik about that hyeonju one but not about others
I don’t know much about the Hyeonju case, but what I do know is that something eerily similar to Squid Game actually happened in South Korea. It wasn’t a fictional story about people playing games for money—it was a horrifying reality where people were taken against their will to a place called the Brothers Home.
This wasn’t a game. It was a nightmare.
The government, in an effort to "clean up" the country’s image before hosting the 1988 Summer Olympics, rounded up vagrants, homeless individuals, and even children. They were falsely arrested by the police, who were rewarded with points for bringing them in. Once inside the Brothers Home, they were forced to play childish games—not for money, but for their survival.
The conditions were brutal. The abuse was unimaginable. And it was all state-sanctioned.
Rotten Mango, a YouTube creator, covered this dark chapter in a gripping three-part series. What’s even more chilling is that South Korean TV networks reportedly rejected the script for Squid Game because it hit too close to home. Only Netflix was willing to take it on.
Now, whenever I watch Squid Game, I can’t help but think about the real people who suffered through something far worse than fiction. It’s a stark reminder that sometimes, the most terrifying stories are the ones rooted in reality.
This was going so well, and then—bam!—that overused "we love each other, but our egos are too big to admit it, so we’ll just pretend we don’t" trope had to show up. Honestly, it ruins the drama for me. This cliché has been done to death, and it’s about time writers moved past it. It’s frustrating to see such potential wasted on a tired, repetitive storyline. That said, I’m still going to stick with it until the end. Let’s see if they can salvage it or if it’s just going to keep leaning into the same old predictable patterns.
Edit: Ok! I understand why he couldn't confess later on. Glad I kept going.
This drama is a short, crisp, and impactful story—free from unnecessary fluff or filler. If you approach it with high expectations, you might be disappointed, as it doesn’t aim to meet conventional standards. Instead, it stays true to its core premise: how an ordinary day can shatter the protagonist’s world, turning it upside down. The story beautifully captures the journey of a naive individual living in a protective bubble, only to be thrust into the harsh realities of the real world in the most brutal way possible. Kim So Hyun delivers a stellar performance, perfectly embodying the essence of a character who knows nothing of the world and is suddenly forced to confront its darkest truths. The character development is exceptional, culminating in a poignant ending where the protagonist finally grasps how the world truly operates. Standing on a rooftop, he gazes at the city below—its streets, skyscrapers, and the distant sound of police sirens. Though he is free, he realizes that freedom is meaningless; it doesn’t erase the trauma he endured. Instead, it has transformed him, leaving him jaded and scarred. As he drops a cigarette, he contemplates whether to leave this unfair, rotten world behind, but ultimately, he doesn’t take that final step. The camera then pans to the towering skyscrapers, which, in my interpretation, symbolize the wealthy and powerful. Below, the hustle and bustle of the streets represent the struggles of the powerless and the poor. The skyscrapers stand silent and indifferent, a stark reminder of how little the suffering of those below matters to those at the top. This visual contrast underscores the show’s exploration of power, inequality, and the protagonist’s disillusionment with the world.
While the characters were well-developed and the story, along with the direction, was mostly strong, the final part felt oddly executed. The ending lacked the impact and resolution it needed, leaving the conclusion feeling incomplete and undercooked.
From episode 5 the genre took a new direction, like the backstory on what's actually going on lol. Also Kim Seol Hyun stole the show. What a fabulous performance!
This drama was absolutely flawless. It perfectly captured every aspect of the characters' lives with remarkable precision. I truly appreciate how the showrunners prioritized realism, crafting characters that were deeply thought out and clearly inspired by real people. The writers undoubtedly put in extensive effort and research to deliver such an authentic narrative. Beyond the stellar acting, direction, and plot, what stood out to me the most was the absence of unnecessary elements—no forced stupidity in characters, no glaring plot holes, and none of the clichés that often plague many K-dramas.
Despite having complete information from the future, she’s written as ridiculously gullible. It’s frustrating to watch a character with so much potential make decisions that make no sense, especially when she has the advantage of foresight. It feels like lazy writing, and it completely pulls me out of the story.
Why do writers keep doing this? Strong, intelligent female characters are so much more compelling. Instead, we’re stuck with one who acts like she’s never heard of common sense. It’s such a letdown.
Edit : Her character redeems herself, kinda in episode 10.
This wasn’t a game. It was a nightmare.
The government, in an effort to "clean up" the country’s image before hosting the 1988 Summer Olympics, rounded up vagrants, homeless individuals, and even children. They were falsely arrested by the police, who were rewarded with points for bringing them in. Once inside the Brothers Home, they were forced to play childish games—not for money, but for their survival.
The conditions were brutal. The abuse was unimaginable. And it was all state-sanctioned.
Rotten Mango, a YouTube creator, covered this dark chapter in a gripping three-part series. What’s even more chilling is that South Korean TV networks reportedly rejected the script for Squid Game because it hit too close to home. Only Netflix was willing to take it on.
Now, whenever I watch Squid Game, I can’t help but think about the real people who suffered through something far worse than fiction. It’s a stark reminder that sometimes, the most terrifying stories are the ones rooted in reality.
Edit: Ok! I understand why he couldn't confess later on. Glad I kept going.
Kim So Hyun delivers a stellar performance, perfectly embodying the essence of a character who knows nothing of the world and is suddenly forced to confront its darkest truths. The character development is exceptional, culminating in a poignant ending where the protagonist finally grasps how the world truly operates. Standing on a rooftop, he gazes at the city below—its streets, skyscrapers, and the distant sound of police sirens. Though he is free, he realizes that freedom is meaningless; it doesn’t erase the trauma he endured. Instead, it has transformed him, leaving him jaded and scarred.
As he drops a cigarette, he contemplates whether to leave this unfair, rotten world behind, but ultimately, he doesn’t take that final step. The camera then pans to the towering skyscrapers, which, in my interpretation, symbolize the wealthy and powerful. Below, the hustle and bustle of the streets represent the struggles of the powerless and the poor. The skyscrapers stand silent and indifferent, a stark reminder of how little the suffering of those below matters to those at the top. This visual contrast underscores the show’s exploration of power, inequality, and the protagonist’s disillusionment with the world.
Also Kim Seol Hyun stole the show. What a fabulous performance!