I held my hands up in defeat after my game partner won all of my marbles.Lauren Frias
- Netflix hit "Squid Game" has inspired Halloween costumes, viral TikTok challenges, and late-night binge-watching.
- The show prompted me to attempt to recreate the games to spend a nice Sunday afternoon outdoors.
- After playing the series of six games, I found myself nowhere close to winning the hypothetical jackpot.
If you have been on the prowl for last-minute Halloween costume ideas, are keen on attempting trending TikTok challenges, or simply looking for a new series to binge on Netflix, chances are you've come across "Squid Game."
The Korean survival drama series, which debuted on the streaming platform on September 17, centers on a group of adults struggling to pay off their debts. They're invited to play children's games to win 45 billion won, or about $40 million - but losing the games has deadly consequences.
The show's concept was picked up by Netflix two years ago, and following its debut the show skyrocketed to international fame, becoming the platform's top show in more than 90 countries and its most popular show of all time. It's been subtitled in 31 languages and dubbed in 13, with about 95% of viewers outside South Korea, Netflix told The Wall Street Journal.
The show's success also sparked real-world conversations on the mounting debt crisis and toxic work conditions in South Korea over the last several years. Earlier this week, tens of thousands of union workers in the country - some even dressed in "Squid Game"-inspired costumes - went on strike, violating the nation's strict COVID-19 social distancing measures to demand improved workers' rights of the government.
Lim Yun Suk, the Korea Bureau Chief for Channel News Asia, tweeted that some union workers said, like the characters in the popular Korean survival drama, "they too are struggling to make a living."
Insider's Cheryl Teh also spoke to some Millenials living in South Korea, who opened up about their own struggles being mirrored in the show as they face mounting debt, unaffordable homes, and dead-end jobs.
Aside from the darker, twisted take on childhood games, the show inspired some people to organize their own "Squid Game"-themed events in real life, including YouTuber Mr. Beast and a Korean cultural center in Abu Dhabi.
Operating on a much lower budget, I was also curious to see how close I would get to winning the 45.6 billion won (roughly $38.4 million USD) if I was compelled to participate in the game - without as drastic of consequences.
So, I rounded up a few kids who were used to playing these games in school - my cousins and brother - and some adults who were keen on participating- my friends, aunt, and myself - to test how long we would survive in the series of six activities in "Squid Game."