It's all death and games in Netflix's latest hit, Squid Game, a bloody affair that's got the whole world talking. The K-Drama is an unforgettable show with a wild storyline and plot twists that fans can't stop talking about. Whether it's arguing over the best and worst players or mourning the deaths of their favorite characters, the internet is awash with all things Squid Game.
On Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms, fans are not only sharing their thoughts and feelings about the show but also posting fun memes about it. These vary from hilariously weird to downright heartbreaking. In fact, some viewers were drawn to the show because of the memes shared by the rapidly growing fandom.
Before & After Squid Game
Squid Game starts out on a fairly light note as a story of a father struggling with massive debt and being present for his daughter. Based on the name alone, it's impossible to guess what the story is about or that it takes such a twisted turn until hundreds of people die during a game of Red Light, Green Light in the first episode.
When the game officially ends, all the players, except Gi-hun are dead and understandably, he's wrecked by it and wracked with guilt over the horrible things they did to each other during Squid Game. Fans had a similar reaction to the ending as many of their favorites are dead and all hope for a happy ending is lost.
Who's The Real Villain?
Counting the many workers and soldiers, plus the 456 players the game starts out with, there are plenty of characters to root for or against. Out of all those, the show focuses on a select few, with Player 101 aka Jang Deok-su as one of the villains and among the unlikeable characters in Squid Game. Throughout the game, he's a basic baddie; cheating, stealing, and killing his way through each round. As a result, he's one of the most hated characters on the show.
While Deok-su is the show's official villain, the games later reveal Sang-woo as the true big-bad—a proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing, so to speak. He seems like a good guy in the beginning when he encourages Sang-woo to play and survive until his treachery is shown when he betrays Ali and kills Sae-byeok. By the final round, he's gone so far off the deep end that some fans see him as a worse villain than a murderous gangster.
What's In A Name?
For anyone who hasn't watched the show, one of the first questions is why a show with an odd name like Squid Game is so popular. From the name itself, no one can guess the plot and that's led to some hilarious memes like this one.
Most memes poke fun at the name, making the assumption that the show is about literal squids playing a game. Some even feature Squidward from SpongeBob SquarePants while others have squids in all sorts of weird situations, such as fencers using them as weapons.
The Infamous Episode 6
K-Dramas are known for having heartbreaking plot twists, but episode 6, "Gganbu," of Squid Game takes heartbreaking to the extreme. A lot of fans posted similar reactions to the episode, most of which feature someone crying their eyes out.
While the whole show was sad, the episode took the most emotional toll on the fans as several beloved characters died one after the other. From Sang-woo betraying Ali to Ji-yeong sacrificing herself for Sae-byeok, and Il-nam giving Gi-hun the last marble he needed to win the game, the episode was the real tear-jerker of the season.
Ali Deserved Better
One heartbreaking death in Squid Game is Ali's when he's eliminated after Sang-woo outwits him and steals his marbles. Fans were distraught over his death, not only because of Sang-woo's betrayal but also because Ali was one of the best characters on the show.
He had a touching backstory that made the audience sympathize with him, plus he saved Gi-hun from certain death during the first game. It's no wonder fans grew attached to him and were crushed when he died even though he's just another TV character and one of many to die on the show.
Current Financial State
Every player in Squid Game is chosen by the organizers because of their desperate financial situation. They're first lured in by an easy game of Ddakji and given a special invitation to the tournament, which is a card with a logo consisting of three shapes and a phone number on the back.
The players first chicken out when the games get bloody, but they return to the game when they're hit with the reality of their situation. Knowing how broke the contestants all are, the organizers made sure to show them the attractive prize money as it was certain to draw them back, despite the risk of losing their lives. Some meme creators can relate to that financial situation.
Saving This One For Future Job Interviews
Fans initially sympathize with Mi-nyeo in the first episode when she pleaded to go back home to her baby who she hasn't even named yet. But that changes once she returns and shows her true colors as a frustrating, cruel woman who'll do anything to win.
Her best move was siding with the strongest or smartest players in Squid Game and her catchphrase was saying she was good at everything except the things she wasn't. A fan on Twitter used this as a meme to highlight how a lot of people use a version of that phrase in reality during job interviews where they claim to have the skills to do everything required of them until they prove otherwise once they get the job.
No More Traffic Violations
Of all the props from the games in the show, the doll from Red Light, Green Light is the most terrifying. Once it finishes its chant, the head swivels around to spot moving players, who are immediately shot dead.
A video shared on the Twitter account @Netflix_PH shows a replica of the doll installed somewhere near a crosswalk as part of the marketing for the show and it works almost exactly how Redditor MichaelTheAnimator suggested with the meme they shared. The doll even says the haunting chant and swivels its head like the one from the show and it's a brilliant advertising gimmick for such an interesting show.
The Ending Everyone Wanted
This meme template is a popular one online but this time it's got a bit of a Squid Game twist. When Gi-hun finds out the truth about the founder of the game, he finally makes some changes to his appearance and spends some of his prize money on dyeing his hair red, new clothes, and a plane ticket to see his daughter in the U.S.
But once he realizes the games are still continuing, he abandons his flight—a decision many fans aren't happy with as he's disappointing his daughter once again. The cliffhanger ending seems to set up a sequel. Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, fans are anticipating what might happen in Squid Game season 2 if it's continued.
Twitter's Sweet Moment Of Glory
The recent shutdown of Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp gave Squid Game fans the chance to play around with some memes that combine the unfortunate event with one of the deadly games from the show.
One of the best memes widely shared by fans shows a modified take of the Honeycomb game from episode 3, "The Man With The Umbrella." As Twitter was one of the few mainstream social media platforms still operational, the representation of that with the others having broken candy was a brilliant nod to the show that only fans understood.