society with regard to the distribution of wealth, hu- man morality and other important topics. What will you like about this series? Aesthetically, Squid Game primarily has an extremely special look. The series is either in gaudy or pastel colours (albeit splashed with spouting blood). It has unexpected twists and turns, as well as lead characters who will win over your heart, to the extent that you won’t know who you want to win the game. What might you not like? Well, this isn’t a series for the squeamish. Half of the participants are killed as early as the first game. If you aren’t in the mood for a series that will make you feel bleak, don't watch it un- til you’re in a better mood, because this isn’t a light se- ries. The anxiety caused by the characters' destinies, both before and after donning their green tracksuits, can hit you hard. The end may be predictable, perhaps inevi- table if you’ve watched enough shows with the same kind of premise, but don’t let that fool you into think- ing that you shouldn’t bother watching Squid Game. If you heed our advice, you should binge and watch this series as a nine-hour film. In terms of genre, this series is actually most remi- niscent of the work of Oscar-winner Bong Joon-ho, who won a large number of awards for his latest film Para- site, but also his previous work, the dystopian thriller Snowpiercer. Specifically, class segregation and social inequality are the dominant themes of his films, along with a satirical critique of contemporary capitalism. His colleague and countryman, Hwang Dong-hyuk, wrote the screenplay for Squid Game back in 2008, basing it on his personal experiences. Namely, debts and loans prompted him to participate in bizarre games to earn money and thus escape his debt enslavement. He found inspiration in the growing number of indebted people in South Korea and his own experience. Although this series has gained great popularity, particularly among older teens and 20-somethings, in- ternet game-making platform Roblox has turned this unusual series into a video game that is even popular among the youngest gamers. Specifically, Roblox ena- bles users to program and create their own games, so Squid Game and its popular Korean children's games have been brought to life fully in the video game realm. Squid Game on Roblox includes six mini-games that replicate the series visually. One of the most popular games is “Red Light, Green Light” which is most sim- ilar to the universal game ‘Statues’. Both in the series and in the game, you die if you fail, but everything seems far more innocent in the video game format, due to the stylisation. The Squid Game online video game hasn’t caused any controversy among parents. That’s because, unlike Mor- tal Kombat – which caused anger and was even banned in some countries during the early 1990s, due to its ex- tremely graphic violence – Squid Game doesn’t seem frightening or alarming in the slightest.
Serija koja prati surovu igru na život ili smrt u kojoj učestvuju dužnici, prevaranti, izgubljene i očajne duše opčinila je milione širom sveta This series, which follows a cruel game of life or death that includes the participation of debtors, scammers and lost and desperate souls, has captivated millions worldwide
Series » Serije | 33
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