Squid Game is a South Korean Netflix Original series, first released in 2021, that quickly achieved widespread success, earning critical acclaim, including a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show centers around 456 contestants, each facing extreme financial hardships and massive debts, who compete in a series of traditional Korean children’s games for a grand prize of ₩45.6 billion (approximately $39.86 million). The twist, however, is deadly: those who lose are killed.
The series serves as a stark critique of capitalism, illustrating the lengths to which individuals will go—risking their lives or even resorting to murder—just to secure financial survival. A significant plot point in the first season involves wealthy, American “elites” who watch and gamble on the outcomes of the games without the knowledge of the participants. This element reflects how capitalist societies often operate under two sets of rules: one for the rich and another for the poor. As thecrimson.com aptly notes, “The original ‘Squid Game’ series captivated audiences with its stark portrayal of societal inequality and the desperation fueled by capitalism.”
The show’s deeper message about the control money has over its characters’ lives underscores its criticism of capitalist systems. However, the irony is evident when we turn to Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality game show launched in 2023. Based on the original series, this version features 456 contestants competing for a $4.56 million prize (the largest prize in TV history) by participating in games similar to those seen in the drama, along with new additions like battleship. The most notable difference, of course, is that the losing contestants do not face death.
Squid Game: The Challenge exemplifies the ways in which capitalist societies exploit popular phenomena for financial gain. The show, in its emphasis on the spectacle and glamour of the games, glosses over the contestants’ financial struggles, contradicting one of the key elements of the original series. In the original drama, the innocence of children’s games is stripped away through the threat of death, creating a sharp commentary on the dehumanizing effects of capitalism. Yet, Squid Game: The Challenge fails to capture that same starkness, turning the premise into mere entertainment rather than a profound societal critique.
In the original series, the “winner” of the games doesn’t truly emerge victorious, as they are irrevocably changed by the experience. They become a mere shadow of their former selves, burdened by the knowledge that 455 others lost their lives, in part, because of their actions. While they may be financially rewarded and free from debt, the psychological toll they endure ultimately eclipses these material gains. In contrast, the reality show presents a much lighter tone, with participants primarily competing for monetary rewards and fully aware of their safety. The upbeat, enthusiastic atmosphere contrasts sharply with the dark, somber themes of the source material, creating a dissonance that feels out of place.
All in all, as a lengthy review from Vox puts it, “The Challenge went to great lengths to scrub away the satire and symbolism of the original series. With many of its contestants focused on self-betterment and keeping a manically fun attitude, the new show isn’t true to the themes of its namesake at all. Yet seemingly accidentally, it reinforced the ideas — the absence of morality, sheer desperation, and idiocy, the deranged things people will do in the name of capitalism — that the source material warned us about.”
