"Squid Game" Hits Netflix

A Korean TV series has taken Netflix by storm. In a nine part season one released on September 17th, the show entered the Top 10 list two days later. By day three number two, and by day four number one.

The series follows a significantly large amount of people participating in a series of fairly simple games; however, these tasks will end utterly lethal for some. The events are organized by hosts dressed in red and covered in masks, the prize, $40 million in cash. There are 456 participants. Each participant will compete in six games throughout six weeks, the winner will win the prize in its entirety.

Writer and director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, is now being accused of using too much material from movies such as the 'Hunger Games' and 'Battle Royale'. The director comented on the series “As a survival game it is entertainment and human drama. The games portrayed are extremely simple and easy to understand. That allows viewers to focus on the characters, rather than being distracted by trying to interpret the rules.”

Episode 1: Red light, Green light

- A doll calls out 'green light' and the contestants begin running to the other end of the room, if the doll detects moments after it calls 'red light' you are eliminated. 255 contestants were eliminated in the first round, leaving 201 remaining.

Episode 2: Hell

- The Game was then terminated in a 100-101 vote done by the contestants.

Episode 3: The Man with the Umbrella

- The games resume with 187 of the 201 competitors. They then began to form alliances. The next game began by having each player choose between a triangle, circle, star and umbrella shape. They then took a case from the front of the line to begin a game called "sugar honeycomb". The Shape that each contestant choose is the shape they must trim from the honeycomb. They must do so without breaking or cracking it.

Episode four:

- Following the second game, 79 players were eliminated. The night that followed led with the players turning on one another, eliminating more members . The third game began by participants choosing teams of 10, and playing a deadly game of tug-of-war.

Episode Six/Seven:

- The fourth game began, a game of marbles where the remaining players partnered in teams of two. The one that lost in each pair was eliminated, cutting the remaining members to half the size. 16 remain. The fifth game began. A game of glass stepping stones. The stones made of regular glass (will break) and tempered glass (can hold two people). The game ends with three contenders remaining, and one game left.

Episode Eight:

- One of the three remaining members (Player #218) murders a fellow player, leaving two players remaining (#218 and #456).

Episode Nine:

- The remaining two players enter the sixth and final game. The game? Squid game. 456 will play offense, 218 will play defense. The rules of Squid game?

1. The attacker must enter the squid shaped court, run past the defense, and tap the area inside the squids head with his foot to secure the win.

2. The defender must block the attackers advance and force them outside of the courts bounds in order to win.

3. If the situation arrises in which either player is unable to continue playing the game, the last one standing will be the winner.

4. The attacker must be given a handicap, he can only hop on one foot until he crosses the squids neck. AKA, the first challenge. Once on two feet he is given the name, inspector Royale.

- But the games ends in a twist when #456 is a step away from the finish and then turns around and ends the game in order to save #218 life, leaving the prize money and everything behind. But #218 decides that he has done too much harm to #456 and kills himself so that #456 could win the game and the prize money in its entirety.

The Squid Court is pictured above.

Following the final game player #456 is returned to his previous life, and coughs up a bank card containing his prize money. His balance? W45,599,990,000 WON. Still processing the journey he has gone through he comes home to his mom, only to then be given a golden card with an invitation leading #456 to discover that someone he thought he had lost, is truly alive, and the alliance's he had thought he made had some lingering lies within them.

The final moments of the series ends with #456 calling the number of the red suited masked men, and threatening the men responsible for the games, he then never boards the plane he was suppose to get on, stating that he cannot let them do what they are doing to people.

"After becoming Netflix's most-watched original show ever, Squid Game is returning for season 2, promising more twisted competitions. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed that Squid Game season 2 is happening, and he promises that audiences will get to observe more deadly games take place. Whether these will be new games, old games, or a mix of both remains to be seen. He also says that season 2 will explore the idea of contestants attempting to work together in the hopes of sharing victory, as opposed to how everything devolved to everyone for themselves in season 1. The only confirmed returning cast members for Squid Game season 2 are Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun and Lee Byung-hun as the villainous Front Man who oversees the game. Fans are expected to wait at least until 2024 for Squid Game season 2 to premiere on Netflix." - SOURCE