Squid Game

 Squid Game

9/10

Squid Game

Genre:                                     Episodes: 9                  Year: 2021

Mystery         

Thriller

Synopsis:

Song Gi Hoon is a divorced father who is in serious debt. One day he is invited to join a game with a chance to win 45.6 billion won- if he wins 6 children’s games against the other contestants, Gi Hoon will be bale to win the cash prize.

Cast:

Lee Jung Jae (Song Gi Hoon)

Park Hae Soo (Cho Sang Woo)

Jung Ho Yeon (Kang Sae Byeok)

Wi Ha Joon (Hwang Joon Ho)

Oh Young Soo (Oh Il Nam)

Heo Sung Tae (Jang Deok Soo)

Kim Joo Ryung (Han Mi Nyeo)

Tripathi Anupam (Ali Abdul)

Lee Yoo Mi (Ji Yeong)

Lee Byung Hoon (Front Man)

General Thoughts:

Oh ‘Squid Game’. What a wild and unexpected journey. Not just in the actual show itself, but watching the traction this drama has gained has been a journey in and of itself. I have never in my life had this many people talk to me about a K-Drama before. Usually I have my two or three friends that watch K-Dramas that I am able to gossip and speculate and relive dramas with. Now suddenly with this one little show, that expanded to almost everybody I interact with.

And now everyone knows of Gong Yoo

People who two months ago would have scoffed when I told them I was super into Korean TV, people who I can’t imagine sitting down and watching a subtitled show- literally everyone is talking ‘Squid Game’ right now (well at least they were when I started writing this review a year ago). It’s amazing and wonderful, but also slightly baffling. Why this show? Why now? And I have to admit a little part of me is screaming out ‘I TOLD YOU SO YOU B*STARDS, I’VE BEEN ONTO THIS FROM THE START!’

Yup, no censorship here

And with everyone I know watching ‘Squid Game’ and a good few of them knowing I am a K-Drama addict, the question that usually follows is ‘what other K-Drama can I watch that is like this?’ And this is where I think this drama has really got its traction, because honestly the answer at the moment is ‘nothing’. Well not entirely true. The answer is ‘Liar Game’, but that drama was a different time and a different Network and doesn’t have all the super high production values that ‘Squid Game’ scored. But I think the fact that Netflix is the platform that showed ‘Squid Game’ is what really allowed the drama to rocket to fame. There have been a few other K-Dramas on Netflix that I have reviewed (and not all of them I have enjoyed), but for those who have never seen a K-Drama before and don’t really understand how the Korean networks work (which is most of the Western audience that is consuming ‘Squid Game’), they don’t quite see what an impact having the show picked up by Netflix is. For one- no censoring. Mainstream Korean networks censor the banoonoos out of their shows- knives, blood, needles. You don’t get more than an idea of nudity or sex- you get the lights turned off or the covers pulled over the actors. Of course, if ‘Squid Game’ had those restrictions placed on it, we wouldn’t have a show- just Lee Jung Jae walking around a lot of blurred out scenery. Netflix gave ‘Squid Game’ the freedom to do what it wanted to do, and that freedom allowed the writer and the production team to make a show that is widely marketable and easily consumable. Everything came together really well in this show- production value was high, the writing was tight, and the acting was brilliant.

Oof, this game was so brutal

The cast did a brilliant job at bringing the story to life. Lee Jung Jae and Park Hae Soo were fabulous at showing two sides of the same coin. Their characters were so similar and the two actors did an amazing job at showing how the pressure and demands of the game brought out different sides to their characters. Gi Hoon struggled immensely during the marble game when he was trying to fool his friend Il Nam, and Lee Jung Jae really sold that performance- it was a heart-wrenching scene for many reasons, but the way Lee Jung Jae delivered his performance was wonderful.

"I'd never betray my friend" say all the viewers from their comfy couches

While this was playing out, we also had a very similar thing happening with Sang Woo and Ali. Two friends, with one working to betray the other. Park Hae Soo certainly became a character that many hated after this scene, but he did it perfectly. His micro-expressions showed both his discomfort at having to betray a friend to his death, but also his convictions in what he was doing. Lee Jung Jae’s expressions and body language conveyed distress and guilt and confusion and gave the impression that if he could do it again perhaps he would have made a different choice, whereas Park Hae Soo very much used everything he had to portray that while Sang Woo was not unaffected by his own actions, if given the chance to go back, he would make the same choice again. This very same episode also gave us one of my favourite characters of the show and a total scene stealer- Lee Yoo Mi as Ji Yeong. She was able to give us such an endearing and loveable character in such a short amount of time. I’ve seen her in a few things before, but this scene in ‘Squid Game’ was really when I started to notice what an incredible actress she was.

'Thanks for playing with me' - and then everyone cries

While the other actors had episodes and hours of time to craft their characters and unveil their hopes and desires to the audience, Lee Yoo Mi was asked to do the same but in one episode. And she did it. Her character and her character’s journey was heart-wrenching, and most importantly, extremely memorable. The other actress I want to talk about is obviously Jung Ho Yeon- this was her first foray into acting! Ever!

His 'Hyung!' cries will haunt your dreams

She was very impressive with how emotive she could be, and she certainly didn’t have an issue keeping up with other actors who have an extensive list of credentials. It really felt like Jung Ho Yeon gave everything she had to the character, and she certainly made Sae Byeok a fan favourite. Another fan favourite was Ali, played by Tripathi Anupam. Similarly to Jung Ho Yeon, he had a very endearing character to act out, though Tripathi Anupam also gave Ali a layer of innocence which made him instantly easy to like and easy to root for. I have seen a few non-Koreans acting in K-Dramas before and they have been…not good (I mean, take a look at the guys who played out the rich villains at the end of the series). I get it, the amount of non-Korean actors who can speak Korean relatively fluently is probably not high. But Tripathi Anupam was amazing! His acting did not feel awkward at all- it felt like he was used to being in front of the camera and being in scenes with other actors. He did more than just give a passable performance- he absolutely excelled. He filled his character with heart and he had great chemistry with the other actors- particularly Park Hae Soo, which really helped to make the marble scene as emotional as was.

What Was Great:

Shock Plot:

‘Squid Game’ came at a time where hyper-violent twists where the happening thing in hot shows. ‘Game of Thrones’ was one of the starters of this trend and a lot of shows since have been using this recipe for success.

Games with a twist are the in thing right now

Having characters that people love and characters that people love to hate, and then having shocking and unexpected twists and turns seems to be a massive draw that keeps people from being unable to turn a show off. It almost seems to promote this fear of missing out in the viewers- this feeling where you have to keep watching because you can’t be the only one who didn’t get shocked by that big twist or can’t speculate on the show’s next move. Amazon series ‘The Boys’ follows a similar vein- a range of characters and big, shocking moments- often quite gory. Japanese Netflix series ‘Alice in Borderland’ had a similar idea and was also a smash hit, though not as much as ‘Squid Game’.

Ah, the illusion of choice

Heck, even ‘The Hunger Games’ is a toned down version of this sort of story! The timing of ‘Squid Game’s release couldn’t have been better- a few years earlier and it possibly could have been criticised for its violence and gore, and a few years later and it could have been too late to the party. While I would certainly call this show a violent one, I also wouldn’t say it is outrageously so. While a lot of that would depend on personal preferences, I did find that ‘Squid Game’ had enough in it to shock the audience, but it wasn’t so gratuitously violent that I couldn’t watch. Personally, I don’t like horror, and I don’t like lots of visual gore. I found that this drama hit a balance where it had the shock of the moment, but it don’t linger on it. This served to keep the intensity up in every scene and every episode, but by choosing not to linger too long on the actual aftermath the show reduced the risk of turning away viewers who, like me, don’t want to see every gory detail. The writers new that the premise was shocking, the plot was shocking, the situations the characters were in were shocking, and that sometimes even the characters themselves were shocking. They knew they didn’t have to rely on long, drawn out shots of blood and bones and brains to get that reaction out of the audience- it was well balanced.

Character Moments:

Speaking of being well balanced, you can have a shocking show with big twists and big deaths, but without engaging characters to back them up it doesn’t become as much of an addictive watch.

The characters are everything

Think the later seasons of ‘Game of Thrones’. When the characters' development dropped, so did peoples’ enthusiasm for the show. ‘Squid Game’ did a great job at inserting quiet character moments into the show, so that when the big twists came there was maximum impact.

Strong female characters are always a big win

Would Ali’s death have hit as hard if we hadn’t seen the family he was trying to protect and get back to? Would Sang Woo’s betrayal have had the emotional reaction from the audience that it got if it hadn’t spent time showing Sang Woo and Ali having small, quiet moments of bonding and camaraderie? Moments in the show were able to hit hard and get an emotional response from the audience because it spent time setting up the relationships between the characters. As each episode went on we knew a little bit more about the characters and a little bit more about their stories. The premise of the deadly games is what got people tuning into the show, but it was the interactions between the characters and watching the hard choices they had to make that kept people watching. 

What Wasn’t:

Stale Pale Males:

Old, rich, white men were behind it. Wow. What a surpri- oh wait no. It wasn’t a surprise really. Aren’t old, rich, white men always the ones behind everything pulling all the strings? I was hoping for something a little more innovative from the writer I will admit. It’s not a BAD idea per se- it’s just not entirely new.

Why are all rich men just such *ssholes

The rest of ‘Squid Game’ was so new and exciting and felt like something that had never been seen before, so for the whole thing to be an illicit gambling den for the wealthy and powerful men of the world just felt…kind of like a safe play? Sure, this is the outcome that made the most sense- the games obviously need a huge amount of money behind them to be run, but it also felt like it was an answer the writer didn’t have to reach far for. I don’t know, I was just hoping for something a bit more…well, more. 

Recommend?

Yes- I can’t not recommend a K-Drama that has broken so many barriers and done so many things for Korean Dramas moving forward. The fact that it’s a really riveting show with an addictive plot is another great reason to watch. I will say though that if you do not like violence, this show is not for you.

See you all for Season 2

D.P

 D.P

7/10

D.P

Genre:                                     Episodes: 6                          Year: 2021

Melodrama

Synopsis:

Ahn Joon Ho has become a solider as part of his mandatory military service. After his observational skills are noted by a Sergeant he is transferred into the D.P Team to catch soldiers who have deserted.

Cast:

Jung Hae In (Ahn Joon Ho)

Gu Gyo Hwan (Han Ho Yeol)

Kim Sung Kyun (Park Beom Gu)

Son Suk Gu (Lim Ji Seob)

Cho Hyun Chul (Cho Suk Bong)

Shin Seung Ho (Hwang Jang Soo)

Hyun Bong Shik (Cheon Yong Deok)

Won Ji Ahn (Moon Yeong Ok)

General Thoughts:

Oh man, it sure has been a while- over a year actually I think! It’s not like I’ve stopped watching K-Dramas, I just haven’t had the time (or the discipline) to review them. I have a whole stack to do of dramas I’ve watched over the last year and a bit, but I honestly don’t remember them that well now. Anyway, I’m here now (thanks to time in isolation) and hopefully I can get some reviews out! Onto the topic at hand- ‘D.P’. Hmm yes, ‘D.P’. What an experience that was. It’s not a bad drama per se, it’s actually a very well crafted show, it’s just so horrifically dark and really paints one of the worst pictures of humans as a species. I’m not exaggerating. This show is heavy.

Hello darkness, my old friend

While I knew going in that this wasn’t likely to be all sunshine and daisies, I think the show did catch me off guard with just how completely dark it got. I kept waiting for literally anyone in the military our D.P unit interacted with to just not be the scum of the earth and it…just didn’t happen. Lots of scummy characters in this show. That being said, the cinematography was stunning. It really captured the gritty underbelly of the military and was wonderful at setting the mood. The confinement and hopelessness of a lot of the soldiers was showcased well through the dim lighting and close shots of the characters.

This is not a buddy cop movie

While I didn’t particularly enjoy the story that the drama was telling, it did tell it in a way that was cohesive and easy to understand. As someone who has never been around anything to do with the army, let alone the Korean army, it was easy to grasp how the system worked and what each characters’ individual role in that system was. Similarly, though I come from a culture that doesn’t do hierarchy much, because the show took the time to set up Joon Ho’s unit and the different characters involved, I quickly made sense of why Joon Ho and Suk Bong (and certainly Suk Bong more so) felt that they couldn’t retaliate against their seniors. While I can’t say I enjoyed the overall story of ‘D.P’, I think I did kind of resonate with the message it was trying to send. A big piece of commentary I picked up from the show was the continuing motif that no one cares until someone is dead. This message starts as early as the first episode. Joon Ho does nothing to his senior D.P partner who uses their time catching a deserter to meet his friends, drink and party, even though he so obviously disagrees with what is happening. He would be criticised and punished by his senior, and likely his senior’s seniors, for disrespecting someone of a higher rank- even if Joon Ho was right. However after the deserter commits suicide, Joon Ho badly assaults his partner, and even though his partner is of a senior status, Joon Ho isn’t punished too harshly. Because someone died. No one cared that Joon Ho was right and his partner was wrong until the soldier died.

It was well written but just so hopeless

There were similar moments throughout the show, and it was all tied back with the last arc as well. Many people knew about the terrible situation Suk Bong was in. But no one went to act on it until Suk Bong went to kill his tormenter. Everyone in the military was content to let Suk Bong get bullied because his life wasn’t in any immediate danger. ‘Sucks for him’ they all thought as they continue on with their lives. It was only when Jang Soo’s life was in danger that people around Suk Bong started to act. Suddenly all these people were acknowledging the terrible things Suk Bong went through were wrong.

I mean, look at that cinematography tho

 Suddenly reporting Jang Soo becomes an option. Because people only care once somebody dies. Throughout the show there were plenty of opportunities for others to step in and try and make a difference. There were plenty of moments where each of the deserters could have been diverted to a happier, less violent path. But no one wanted to break the status quo. Each and every character at some point just chose to grit their teeth and try and get through it. Even our main three characters of the D.P unit. While they undoubtably did more than anyone else even though they were under tremendous pressure from the higher ups, a part of them was always happy to retire away to the D.P quarters where they could hide from the harassment and assault for a time. Each and every character in this show failed Suk Bong, and the drama as a whole was a gradual display on how every single opportunity to correct the situation was missed because no one really cared enough to try. The acting was phenomenal from each and every person in this show. I can’t imagine it was an easy cast to be a part of- I don’t see days on set being particularly fun. But every actor brought huge emotional range and really sold the story being told. 

What Was Great:

Emotions:

The emotions of every single actor and character were portrayed to perfection in this show. Did it make it nice to watch? Not really, but I have to give credit where it is due- the actors were able to bring emotion out of the audience. A lot rode on Jung Hae In’s performance and he really delivered.

Gu Gyo Hwan brought the only thing that even felt close to light-heartedness

It was draining to watch the show- I can’t even imagine how difficult it must have been for the actors to bring that emotion time and time again while they were filming. Joon Ho and Suk Bong felt like relatable characters (and that’s probably why the drama was so hard to watch), and Jung Hae In and Cho Hyun Chul really allowed the viewers insight into all their conflicting emotions and thoughts, and whatever they felt, the audience felt.

What Wasn’t:

So Bleak:

I did not enjoy watching this show. I was conflicted giving it a 7 because it’s not bad- acting, writing, directing, cinematography, music choices, flow- everything was done astoundingly well. But I didn’t like watching the episodes. 

It made you feel a bit icky watching this show

If this is truly how things are in the Korean army I can see why it’s a story that needs to be told, but good grief it’s depressing. I finished because I am a completionist and I don’t like leaving dramas unfinished, but honestly if this had been much more than 6 episodes I don’t think I would have made it. It’s just six hours of showcasing the absolute worst in people. And it’s not like they were evil men either. The villains of this story were just regular men who were sons, brothers, friends and fathers. They weren’t pressured or coerced into being incredibly cruel- they just were when the opportunity presented itself. There are scenes that are confronting and hard to watch and there are very few happier or more lighthearted scenes to balance it out. I get what the show was going for, but I don’t think it needed to be as horrifically depressing as it was. 

Recommend?

Look, I wouldn’t really recommend this drama. Not unless you like being depressed.

Can't say I'll be tuning in for Season 2...