Where Squid Game went so wrong it hurts!
I want to give everyone a heads up that I am 3 glasses of wine into writing this article so I cannot be liable for anything I write
Also
SPOILER ALERT
I will be talking about Squid Game in as many details as i can remember and I will not be holding back (except for in my language because my mom might be reading my newsletter). You have been warned.
I will be ranting about a few major pros and cons of the series in no particular order so TOOT TOOT buckle up biddies!
#1 #JusticeForAli
Ali was the one character that came into the game with a pure heart, conscious, and a blameless background. As he talked about why he needed to leave Pakistan with this family and come to Korea, I started to think about my step-dad. A man in a similar circumstance who just wanted a better life but was left with a significantly more complicated life, years later. Ali is the perfect example of a tweet that I saw years ago that talked about how being a good person does not mean your life will be better. In a capitalist society, it’s all about how you get ahead, how you take advantage of your neighbor, how you use the bodies around you to climb higher. I knew that Ali would not survive until the end of the show because the good ones never do, and that on its own is a symptom of living in a capitalist society. Being kind, good natured, and gentle will not help you flourish; and that is why the storyline of Ali was the most painfully accurate character depiction of the entire series.
There is also a really good TikTok that I found that explained the culture background behind Ali’s character and the dangers for undocumented immigrants in South Korea. Here’s the link to that (you’re welcome).
#2 Whyte mediocrity 101
There is no doubt that the casting for the Asian and Southeast Asian characters were top notch. Like, I have not seen acting that good, in a cast that large in a very long time. But, alas, the whites. If you have watched the entire series from beginning to end then you know exactly what I am talking about. There are a few mega-rich old white dudes that show up later on in the series and they are casted TERRIBLY. I’m not sure if the voice actors are the same people who are casted in the show but my god. For those of you who are reading this and have not seen the show, like, have you ever watched an 8th grade production of any musical and gone “oh……..yikes….” in your soul. That feeling is what I'm talking about.
But more specifically, that feeling while being sandwiched by amazing actors of color doing the work and creating a fully believable world. As someone who used to act full-time in NYC, I can go on and on about the number of times that I have been overlooked for a role by a mediocre whyte person. Now you may think that I am overreacting but you’d be amazed by the number of casting directors or associates that have called or emailed me to tell me that “you’re great but we’re going in ‘another direction'’” while I am the only person of color that made it to the final casting call. This is not an exaggeration. I look at this series and consider the fact that the writer/director was rejected for over 10 years to get it produced, and this is what they were able to get from their whyte actors?! It’s so reflective of what has been going on in the entertainment industry for decades that it’s sickening.
I spoke to a friend that watched Squid Game and she said it best. To paraphrase, she said that the poor performance of the non-Asian actors in this show took her out of the world of the show. It reminded her that she was watching TV when she was fully invested in the world that was created around her, and I felt that. This is way whyte actors need to be held to the same standard that POC actors are. Any people would be stunned by the amount of actors that would be out of work if we were all held to the same standard of performance, but many of you aren’t ready for that conversation so let’s move forward
#3 The how would help the homeless man
At the end of the series, we see Gi-Hun (our main character) with the old man who turns out to be the mastermind behind the entire vomit-fest that was the Squid Games. Also, no one can tell me that these games (from beginning to end) are not one giant kink show but, once again, that’s another story. As the Il-Nam makes the bet with Gi-Hun regarding if someone would help the old man dying of hypothermia outside, all I could think was “there’s an easy solution to this; Gi-Hun, just help the man outside.” But he never did. Inside Gi-Hun waited for hours (or minutes, idk i’m drinking wine don’t judge me) until the police came and checked to see if the man who was obviously dying outside was ok. Mind you, at this point, both Il-Nam and Gi Hun are billionaires. Both of them could have helped this man outside. Neither of them did. They both watched and hoped they would win their bet. The amount of us that do this on a regular basis is terrifying. We see horror happening in the world around us and say “someone else will donate” or “this isn’t my problem” and continue on with our lives. Mind you, I get it, there’s an overstimulation of terrible things happening in the world. We cannot give financial or emotional support to every cause that comes our way. If we did, then most of us would be broke, but there is still the recognition of “what can I do to make the world better now?” I dated a man who’s political stance was amazingly simple. It was “I will help whoever I can with all that I am, and I will try my best to make the world better but I will focus on who is my neighbor” and it took a while for me to recognize how beautiful and simple that is.
So those are my three main takeaways from Squid Game. If you have any thoughts, definitely include them in the comment section and I will read them when all this wine leaves my system. Also, do not come after me for my spelling or grammar I am trying my best. Stay blessed and keep binge-watching wild tv!!
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