Why is it called ‘Squid Game’?
Since the dawn of civilisation, humankind has banked upon the survival of the fittest. But it took two laps around Squid Game to understand that strategy outmanoeuvres strength. The South Korean Netflix series was a one-of-a-kind cultural reset in the wake of streaming archetypes of the current era. It was unlike anything viewers had seen before; a story so eerily original that it makes you feel you, too, are part of the survival drama.
What hits the most about Squid Game is its thematic pull. It’s a contemporary yet complex combination of social commentary with layered characters. The idea of Squid Game first dawned upon Hwang Dong-hyuk in 2008 during his own financial difficulties. However, it was the socioeconomic divide and cultural conditioning that motivated Dong-hyuk to breathe some life into his imagination.
It took over a decade for the director to manifest Squid Game into a showbiz reality. Despite penning the script as early as 2009, Dong-hyuk was short of a production company that would fund his idea and, most importantly, do it justice. When Netflix pulled up its sleeves to expand its global streaming initiatives in 2019, the streaming giant finally showed interest.
Netflix has consistently ensured its stardust prevails worldwide. While what Squid Game did is historic, has it ever crossed your mind why it is called that?
What inspired the title of Squid Game?
The childlike wonders and colourful games of Squid Game are scathing reflections of modern-day savagery and stark illustrations of economic divide. All the games in the Netflix show are deeply rooted in the history of Korean culture. But Squid Game shows an eerie evolution of the gameplay. The series name is taken from a Korean children’s game, ojingeo, which literally translates to ‘Squid.’
It’s a multiplayer game, which is called so because the shape drawn on the playing ground is akin to the shape of a Squid. As was shown in Squid Game season one, the original game also has two teams: offensive and defensive. The game name has reportedly undergone a few variations, such as “squid gaisan” or “squid takkari.” As for the rules? They, too, differ according to regions and players.
But if you want to know how the game works in Squid Game, here’s how. The game allows the defensive team to run on two feet inside the shape of the squid. On the contrary, the offensive team hops on one foot in the outbounds of the squid until they slip past the neck. In the final round, the offensive group has to run from the starting point towards the squid.
If they tap the top of the playing field with their foot, it’s a win. If not, well, we know all the rules of every game in Squid Game culminate in one possibility upon a loss: death.