Squid Game has taken over the world by storm, becoming one of the most popular shows on Netflix by a country mile. The simple yet brutal premise of this engaging title has helped it attain widespread acclaim and popularity. From the characters on the show to the twisted games they need to play — everything about Squid Game has become absolutely legendary.
Squid Game has become such a major phenomenon that its fans want to know everything possible about the show. This can be everything from minor trivia to major details that they missed out on during their binge. Keeping this in mind, here are some things that even the most hardcore fans of Squid Game have no idea about.
10 Lee Jung-Jae Was Cast As Gi-Hun Despite Being Known For His Good Looks And Charismatic Roles
Squid Game is a show that’s all about breaking down established tropes and showing that even the most polished exteriors can be rotten at the core. This is perhaps why Lee Jung-jae was cast as the role of the downtrodden Gi-hun.
Before Squid Game, Lee Jung-jae was mainly known for featuring in roles where he was the charismatic and likable protagonist. Deconstructing this trope for the show would be a great way to hint at what was in store in Squid Game.
9 Sae-Byeok And Ji-Yeong’s Friendship Was Meant To Be A Contrast
During the episode where the players are unintentionally pitted against each other, Sae-byeok and Ji-yeong end up developing an unlikely friendship. Both these participants are the youngest players in the game and end up seeking comfort in each other as a result.
The quick yet powerful nature of this friendship serves as a major contrast to the relationship between Gi-hun and Sang-woo. While both individuals when steadfast friends when they were young, their friendship deteriorated over time.
8 The Soldiers’ Masks Are Meant To Replicate An Ant
The workers at Squid Game are meant to seem like a colony, with faceless names and workers who have certain designated tasks. As such, it’s only a given that people would make comparisons to this group and that of an ant colony.
It seems that these parallels were supposed to be intentional. This is because the black helmets that these people were wearing were supposed to make them seem like ants!
7 The Scene Where Gi-Hun Bumps Into Sae-Byeok Was Improvised
The first meeting between the two main characters Gi-hun and Sae-byeok had a hilarious piece of ad-libbing that most people wouldn’t realize. After bumping into Sae-byeok while she was holding a drink, the script stated that Gi-hun would just mindlessly put the drink back in her hand without a second thought.
However, during the shooting of the show, Lee Jung-jae made a slight change to the scene that made it all the more memorable. After accidentally dropping the drink, he decided to put the drink back in Sae-byeok’s hands before trying fruitlessly to put the straw back in the drink too. It was a comic moment that forced HoYeon Jung to put her face down since she was visibly cracking up.
6 The Maze’s Color Darkens With Each Game
The games that the contestants of the show are put through are downright barbaric at times. In fact, the nature of the games becomes so bleak that their environment starts reflecting the same.
The iconic maze staircase of Squid Game is one of the most notable aspects of the show. However, what most people don’t realize is that the color of this brightly-lit section ends up fading away as the game continues.
5 Anupam Tripathi Was Studying Acting Before His Role In Squid Game
Anupam Tripathi, the actor who played Ali, had a standout role in the show. His fluent Korean was already impressive, but that’s far from being his only laudable trait.
Given how compelling Ali’s role was, it’s hard to believe that this actor hadn’t even completed acting school. In fact, he managed to bag the role of Ali before he even completed his studies!
4 North Korea Used Snippets Of Squid Game As Propaganda
It’s no secret that the relations before North and South Korea are extremely tense. The former often tries to find a way to discredit the latter in any capacity.
A great example of this is the way in which North Korea used Squid Game as a way to spread propaganda against South Korea. It’s a truly bizarre thing to even imagine, which goes to show just how manipulated the media of this country really is.
3 The Creator Of The Show Made Squid Game A Decade Ago
Squid Game feels like a show that was perfectly tailor-made for this climate. However, what might be even more surprising is that the creator of this show was already well ahead of the curve.
The plot and concept for Squid Game had been created almost ten years ago! It was only recently that series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk actually found some backing to produce the show with Netflix!
2 Jun-Ho Was Initially Not A Part Of The Script
When Squid Game was originally conceived, the idea of a police officer exploring the game and its intricacies hadn’t been thought of at all. However, later down the line, Hwang Dong-hyuk realized that he needed some side stories to go along with the main story of the series.
This led to the inception of Jun-ho, a police officer who would infiltrate the games in search of his brother. The fact that this change was last minute makes it even more impressive that this story managed to tie in seamlessly with the main theme of the show.
1 Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor Was A Source Of Inspiration For Squid Game
Fans of anime who’ve seen Squid Game have seen major similarities between this title and Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor. This anime has mostly gone under most people’s radar, which is a shame since the show is incredible.
The premises of both shows are quite similar, and there’s a reason for this. Hwang Dong-hyuk, a director for Squid Game, stated that Kaiji was actually a source of inspiration for the show!
