Squid Game: 12 Hidden Details You Definitely Missed
Just like the show has simple games and complex themes, simple visuals hold complex secrets.
So huge that you're likely to see everyone dressing like the characters in the show for Halloween for years to come, or playing less lethal versions of the game themselves, Squid Game is Netflix's biggest series to date, and its popularity has only grown with word of mouth.
Even taken at face value, Squid Game is an interesting and engaging series that isn't hard to get into. However, it's also a series rife with hidden meanings and themes that you probably didn't understand on your first viewing. Some of the details can be noticed with eagle eyes, while others, especially deeply imbedded symbols, were revealed through interviews by the cast and crew, especially the details shared by the director Hwang Dong-hyuk and art director Chae Kyoung-sun.
Other details are only understood with a level of understanding of South Korean culture and context, since the series relies heavily on real life South Korean cultural influences, not just in the games themselves. Many elements may have confused viewers, but with a script that was made a decade ago and a lot of thought put into every aspect of the show, many questions that come with the story have deep and significant answers .
SPOILERS for Squid Game obviously lie ahead.
12. The Red And Blue Envelopes
A lot of theories have popped up about Squid Game, and one of the most popular ones is a theory surrounding the red and blue envelopes presented by the recruiter at the beginning of the series. It's so popular, in fact, that the director actually spoke up about it, confirming that this theory is not true.
The theory posited that the red and blue envelopes provided during the recruiter's ddakji game would decide the character's role in the games, whether they'd become a guard or a player. This was based on the idea that the guards were in a similar position to the players, trapped and forced to follow orders on threat of death.
However, director Hwang Dong-hyuk has since confirmed that the colours were actually chosen based on an old folk tale, in which a ghost in a bathroom would offer a person a red or blue tissue, forcing them to choose one. Unfortunately, whether you choose red or blue, the ghost kills you either way - similar to how the people willing to return to the Squid Game see no difference between the killer games and their life outside.