Squid Game has captured the entire world’s attention due to its disturbing depiction of a capitalist society.
The show’s take on what survival means involves plenty of bloodshed, but the real horror lies in its premise—how money can decide whose lives are worth keeping.
Bingeing the series could leave both an unsettling and cathartic feeling, so here are a few tips to cure the Squid Game hangover, or at least figure out what to do next after the thrilling experience:
1. Choose your winner.
The characters have different reasons for joining the game. Saebyeok (Jung Hoyeon) needs to fulfill her promise to bring their family back together, Sangwoo (Park Hae Soo) needs to pay his debts and save his mother from disappointment, and Gi Hun (Lee Jung Jae) needs the money to turn his life around and be the responsible man he wants to be.
Having the same goal with different convictions eventually shows what these characters value most in life. Seeing this allows us to reflect on our own driving force. Is it family? Is it ambition? Is it the promise of a better future?
Squid Game was successful in questioning what we know about the world. Is it possible this game exists for real? Who really won the game? Was there a real winner? Maybe when we take the time to process what morals the show left us with, we could move on.
2. Open Instagram and look up user @wi__wi__wi (Wi Ha Joon)
Wi Ha Joon stole hearts in his portrayal of Hwang Junho, a police officer who tries to find his missing brother and finds himself assisting in a morbid survival game. His quest was bold and attractive, making it effortless to root for him. Since it’s difficult to choose which player to get behind, it was comforting to be given this character that had the capability to end the game’s atrocities.
This scene stealer's charisma left us begging for more screen time, and the actor's Instagram account may be enough to satiate the thirst for more Squid Game.
3. Talk of the town: @hoooooyeony (Jung Ho Yeon's Instagram)
Squid Game’s It Girl is played by model and actress Jung Ho Yeon, who makes her acting debut in this series. Her portrayal of the character Kwang Saebyeok gave us the heartbreak of losing a friend, and her irresistible charm made it impossible not to get curious about her life off-screen.
Land on her Instagram profile and you’ll see she is actually a real-life It Girl. A runner up in Korea’s Next Top Model, Jung Ho Yeon has walked for several luxury brands since she was 16. She is besties with Blackpink’s Jennie, who visited her at the set of Squid Game during filming.
4. Wait for Season Two.
With Squid Game’s last episode, we are left with more questions than answers, and topping that list is the possibility of a second season.
Director Hwang Donghyuk is reported to be working closely on an upcoming film and he intends to focus on his current work, but this doesn’t mean he’s not ready for Squid Game’s round two. The way it turned out for the characters could make way for more revelations and it is enough to give us hope.
5. Let the thrill linger.
In case there is still room for more suspense, there are several titles that will settle that need for dark themes.
Re:Mind (2017) is a series about teenage girls who find themselves chained to the floor, and are forced to remember the reason that led to their situation.
Confessions (2010) is a film about the elaborate revenge of a grieving mother who wants her daughter’s killer to suffer in her own hands.
Nerve (2016) is a film that starts with a seemingly harmless Truth or Dare game, and eventually turns into a very sinister competition.
With these shows, the wait for Squid Game season two could be a little bit more bearable.