Squid Game

Squid Game (Korean: 오징어 게임; RR: Ojingeo geim) is a South Korean dystopian survival thriller drama television series created, written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix. The series revolves around a secret contest where 456 players, all of whom are in deep financial hardship, risk their lives to play a series of children’s games that result in death if eliminated, for the chance to win a ₩45.6 billion (US$39.86 million) prize. The series’ title draws from ojingeo (“squid”), a Korean children’s game. Lee Jung-jae, who portrays series protagonist Seong Gi-hun, leads an ensemble cast.

Hwang conceived the idea based on his own economic struggles, as well as the class disparity in South Korea and capitalism.[8][9] Although he wrote the story in 2009, Hwang could not find a production company to fund the idea until Netflix took an interest around 2019 as part of a drive to expand their foreign programming offerings.

The first season of Squid Game was released worldwide on September 17, 2021, to critical acclaim and international attention. It became Netflix’s most-watched series and received numerous accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe. The second season was released on December 26, 2024, followed by the third and final season, which was filmed back-to-back with the second, on June 27, 2025. The final two seasons were met with generally positive reviews from critics.