Some people equate phenomena – when there is unanimity – with a lack of quality. As if few people knew what was good. Therefore, when series like Game of Thrones or La Casa de Papel, just to name two examples, become popular globally, people find reasons to get rid of them. It will be difficult with the South Korean series Squid Game, or here, Round 6. It is almost mandatory to watch.

The most-watched series on Netflix and worldwide, it has become a popular reference. I was in two work meetings where examples of Round 6 were used in the conversation; if I hadn’t watched it, I would be floating. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s my advice: RUN. You will binge-watch it and spend days thinking about the uncomfortable depth of the story. Uncomfortable, fascinating, and well-told.

Clever, tightly-knit narrative combined with unique visuals

The story begins with our anti-hero, addicted to gambling and lost in life, ending up, along with 455 other people, in a strange warehouse, where everyone is “invited” to participate in a competition for money. At first, they don’t know how much, but the rules are apparently simple, just 3, just like the games, all of them childish without exception. But of course, there’s much more than meets the eye.

Now for the spoilers.

The contestants soon discover that the game is in fact simple: either you win and live, or you lose and die. In the first round, more than two hundred are eliminated because of the doll that detects movement. The violence shocks them as it does the unsuspecting, on the screen and at home. And it’s just the beginning.

The suspense is growing, as is the human drama. When faced with the choice between making life-changing choices or winning billions, the worst comes out in people. And even when it doesn’t happen immediately, everyone is still forced to make a cruel choice at some point.

If it were possible, everything gets worse when they are reminded that the fewer competitors, the greater the prize, so the war is endless. It is the fight for survival alternating between authorized and instigated greed. It is a metaphor that applies to any culture, hence the phenomenon.

Criticism of misogyny and others

The female characters do not have a leading role in the series. Only a few are highlighted, and they have little to say. But they represent the still reigning machismo – they are the last to be chosen to join teams and when they do join, they are despised for their weaknesses. Or they are sexual objects. It is uncomfortable because we want examples of heroines, but within an oppressive universe, it is realistic.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who created the series in 2008 but only found the time to produce it in 2021, also talks about racism, experienced by the female character Sae-byok (played by model Jung Ho-yeon), who defected from North Korea and is despised for her origins and gender, despite being one of the strongest survivors. And the sweet Pakistani immigrant Ali, who – as a foreigner – finds few supporters.

Dong-hyuk also uses our antihero, Gi-hun, as a symbol of the failed worker who cannot escape poverty. And the contrast between classes is clear between those who compete, between those who compete, like Cho Sang-woo, and those who control the game.

Children’s games, nostalgia and violence

The script for Round 6 is one of the best presented in recent years. There are no mistakes. We start with the two protagonists, children, playing Squid Game, explaining the rules of defense and attack and how it is a strategy game for survival. When Squid Game finally enters the competition, we are exhausted and anxious, but we know the result. Still, it is exciting.

The main spoiler of the series is hinted at from the beginning, but when revealed, it leaves us open-mouthed. Even with the obvious hint, we only understand it at the end.

The dystopia of a society dependent on money, needing to earn more, and addicted to reality shows is a contrast to the simplicity of children’s games. Some do not remember what it was like to be innocent, an important part of gaining focus to win the test, but at the same time, nostalgia can be the trap for falling. It is very intelligent and necessary. Unfortunately, unlike Parasite, which was able to reach the Oscars as a foreign language, Round 6 will not have the same opportunity at the Emmy, only at the so-called International Emmy. Of all the series I saw in 2021, there were many that I liked, this one absolutely went to the pedestal. It is worth every compliment, every moment. Don’t miss it.

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