Lord Ba'al
Well-known member
A Korean show on Netflix. It's quite the hit apparently. Binged it last night and today. Must admit it was pretty good. Parts of it were pretty violent. Here's a trailer.
View: https://youtu.be/oqxAJKy0ii4
Squid Game
- Thread starter Lord Ba'al
- Start date
YJ02
Well-known member
yes, NF, to my wife's dismay, is scooping up a lot of the big name Korean TV drama actors
the main actors in this one are long time mainstays in "KDRAMAs" i have seen them all in many historical 'period dramas' from korean network tv shows
the one actor- the head masked man- played by Lee Byung Hun has also been in several US movies like magnificent 7 and GI Joe films
this show is a BIG break away from typical korean TV. you will find nothing like it on Korean broadcast tv. also, it attacks at its basest level, the notions of 'money is everything' that drive so much of korean society and much of many asian nations society
the modern melding of western capitalism, and twisted versions of Confucianism where wealth is seen as a quicker way to earn the status one cannot attain by birth, training or education
and that bit at the beginning where they had him sign the "body contract" in the bathroom? where he thought he was still dealing with the gangsters he owed money too? that is NOT hyperbole, that IS standard fare in Korean society. It may not be for body parts, but it is very often for things like indentured service. technically illegal, but since you are engaged in illegal acts to begin with..well
that is how they get so many women into work as prostitutes and many men into working in illegal factories where no one else will work because of hazardous materials. they guarantee their loan payments with their bodies if they fail to make payment.
this attacking of so much of society that koreans know of but dont want to know of is what is so unsettling about the show and why it IS so popular
YJ02
Well-known member
also, having "seasons" like we do is not a thing in korean tv, but seeing how it is NETFLIX and how it ended, i am sure there will be a S2
the monetary value to NF of a S2 cannot be walked away from either
Lord Ba'al
Well-known member
They sure left the door open for a second season. The way it ended, I didn't like that he didn't get on the plane to see his little girl. The fact that he didn't means he has plans in regard to the game. I bet they'll make another season, and am wondering how the perspective would change assuming the same guy takes part.
YJ02
Well-known member
in korea, each actor is contracted to a specific tv network or movie studio, a lot like it used to be in hollywood. not as restrictive in their lives as the kpop scene is; where singers are forced to live together, they can't date and must eat, drink and be entertained on the companies schedule or void their contracts, but its pretty tight- they have no independent agency or agent.
so, if NF and Siren want to make SG 2 with the same or some of the same actors, they will buy out their contracts. THIS IS HOW it works in korea
did you think i was kidding when i described the illicit "body contracts" loan sharks make people sign? they are real and the contracts korean actors sign are not that much different. it is always all about money to the 1000 power in excess of how it is in the US.
so, if NF and Siren want to make SG 2 with the same or some of the same actors, they will buy out their contracts. THIS IS HOW it works in korea
did you think i was kidding when i described the illicit "body contracts" loan sharks make people sign? they are real and the contracts korean actors sign are not that much different. it is always all about money to the 1000 power in excess of how it is in the US.
Lord Ba'al
Well-known member
I re-watched the first season and then watched the second season over the weekend. I still think this is a great show. It was a major disappointment though to find that this season suddenly ended when it was basically still right in the middle of things. It's more like season 2 is half of a season, and they're making the second half of it season 3. In any case, I will look forward to what follows. Some of the scenes in season 2 were a copy of scenes in season 1 by the way, perhaps a little too much so, but still, it works.
YJ02
Well-known member
Koreans are very good at making TV shows in ONE long season. sometimes in excess of 100 1hr long episodes. ONE season and done
typically the only returning seasons are for shows like talk shows and documentaries. or 'game shows' where the contestants are celebrities.
point being, this returning to make more is a pretty new thing for korean productions companies
Lord Ba'al
Well-known member
Then on the one hand, I am happy that they are making more, but on the other hand, I am sad that they didn't make it already.
