I will be the first to admit that I don’t generally like to jump on “popular” media bandwagons like tv shows, movies, or books. You would be shocked at how long I took to read Harry Potter. I just didn’t want to like something that the masses seemed to love. I would like to say it was me being a moody teen but by now it’s apparently a permanent trait. So anyway, I heard about Squid Game from pretty much every outlet I’m plugged into and when the late night show hosts are raving, I generally pass. Saying that I did not want to watch Squid Game was an understatement. It was David’s fault. I’m blaming him. But I am so thankful he did.

Squid Game, which is currently streaming on Netflix, if you are one of the three people who haven’t heard of it, and is a Korean Hunger Games set in our world. The character development is brilliant, the cinematography is gorgeous and the sound design reminds me so much of Dark it’s crazy. The costumes are so freaking cool and someone could and probably will at some point, write an entire thesis on the social hierarchy that the different shapes and animals represent. It’s a really well made show regardless of it’s crazy premise. And the premise is crazy. People severely in debt agree to participate in a series of children games with death as the penalty of failure in the hopes of winning a large sum of money. It’s grewsome, bloody, violent, and one of the best psychological and sociological studies of human beings I have ever seen. And for any of you who have seen it can understand the conflict of really liking 001.

The coolest thing about this show was that it was made in South Korea, set is South Korea and is in Korean and the themes are just as prevalent here in the United States. To me this isn’t a study in Korean issues (which is something that I have seen a lot of reviews claim), but in human issues. These human dilemmas transcend cultures. It’s brilliant.

So, if you are someone like me who wants to avoid a Netflix series because EVERYONE is saying you should watch it, don’t. Go watch it. It is really good.