There probably isn’t a single soul who has not heard about the sensational Netflix series called “The Squid Game.” The show made a splash all over the world, not just in South Korea. People sing the creepy song, buy pink clothes and jumpsuits similar to the main characters’ outfits, make memes, and are generally pretty obsessed with an okay show. Yes, you heard me: Squid Game is okay, IMHO. But it does deserve at least some credit for the brilliant acting and the score.
Let’s hear some interesting facts about the notorious Squid Game. Also, there may be some spoilers, so beware.
1. Breaking the World Record
Hwang Dong-hyuk’s nine-episode story premiered on Netflix on September 17. In just 10 days, the series topped the global ranking of the ten most-watched shows on Netflix. On October 13, Netflix tweeted that Squid Game was watched from 111 million accounts in 17 days. Previously, the record was held by the Bridgerton series, which was viewed from 82 million accounts in 28 days.
2. British schools vs. Squid Game
You can only imagine how many Red Light, Green Light games are being played in schools right now, and that’s one of the least harmful kids games from the show. The titular game is a lot crueler, however. According to teachers, primary school students play the squid game during recess and beat up the losers. The British schools are in a tough spot, but they decided that banning kids from watching the series will help. Clearly, they don’t know how kids operate.
3. Popularity by Word of Mouth
Interestingly, the creators did not invest a lot of money into advertising the Squid Game, but somehow it did incredibly well. It turns out that all you need today is a good word-of-mouth hype train, and you’re all set! TikTok users started clipping videos based on the series, and so the whole world learned about it. Moreover, the hashtag #squidgame has surpassed 32 billion views already!
4. Netflıx wants to play the “Squid Game” in real life?
There is a rumor going around that Netflıx wants to host a real-life Squid Game. The rules have already been announced, and a selection is being made. Or at least that’s what “they” say. So, just like in the show, there will be 456 people in the game. Participants will also play for big money, and the event will be broadcasted to the whole world. If Netflix chickens out, maybe Mr. Beast will do it? We’ll see, but there are a lot of volunteers out there.
5. The script is 11 years old
The director and scriptwriter, Hwang Dong-hyuk, said that the show was inspired by his own financial problems and class inequality in South Korea. Hwang wrote the script back in 2008, but then the producers refused to buy it, and the project got shelved. However, in 2019, Netflix became interested in him as part of its strategy to expand TV series production in foreign languages. It is still hard to believe that the script has been stashed for 11 years.
6. The hidden clues
It turns out that the participants had clues before each test! All 456 participants lived in one room filled with huge bunk beds. When the players dropped out, the extra beds were removed. Then the images on the walls became visible. And we saw it clearly now: the pictures showed every single deadly game the participants were forced to play. However, neither the players nor the majority of the viewers even noticed them until they were in plain sight.
7. The “Red Light, Green Light” doll is real
A doll from the first episodes of the Squid Game is currently terrifying people of the Philippines. It was installed near the crosswalk of one of the shopping centers, and yes, while the traffic light is green, the giant creep stands with its back turned to the crowd, humming its eerie song, and when it goes red… Let’s just say you don’t want to be moving when the lights turn red.
8. The phone number on the business card is real
The Squid Game shows the phone number that the characters use to contact the masked men. The show’s creators thought it wasn’t a big deal to just pick random digits, but little did they know, those digits were a real number, which a resident of Songju city has used for more than ten years. Poor woman’s phone started ringing day and night non-stop! She estimated that there had been well over 10,000 calls each day. The number is, or at least will be, fixed in the show, but the crazy thing is the woman was asked if she wanted to sell it for about $85,000. However, she refused, claiming she was already attached to it.
9. Heo Yeon Jung becomes an Instagram sensation
The Squid Game became the acting debut for 27-year-old South Korean model HoYeon Jung, who played Kang Sae-byeok. Three weeks after the release of the series, her Instagram following grew from a few hundred thousand to over 20.1 million!
10. MC Escher aesthetics
The weird-looking staircase featured in the show is very reminiscent of the famous painting by the Dutch artist MC Escher. The lithograph depicts a paradoxical world that defies the laws of gravity and messes with your head. By the way, the guards in red suits from the series are also very reminiscent of the faceless people living in Escher’s world.
