Rating: 4/5

Netflix  recently released a  new show “Squid Game,” and it has become  insanely popular in a short amount of time. The Korean thriller drama has taken pop-culture and social media by storm. So I was with some friends, and we decided to give the show a try.

As soon as we hit “play,” we knew it  was going to be good. 

For non-Korean speakers, there is an option to watch the show with English language dub or subtitles. I took it upon myself to listen to the English dub. Surprisingly, the English voice-acting was pretty good; however, in the future, I plan to view it again and read the subtitles to hear the actors’ real voices.

Unlike many Netflix original shows, Episode 1, titled “Red Light, Green Light,” had me hooked. The cinematography, acting, music and plot had me on the edge of my seat. 

The show starts with main character Gi-Hun( Lee Jung-Jae) as a poor, divorced, middle-aged man living with his mother. He spends his money gambling, which sends him into even more debt. After hitting rock bottom, he finds himself at a subway station where he is greeted by a man who gives him  an opportunity to win lots of money if he agrees to participate in a set of childhood games. 

Once agreeing to participate, he is brought to an unknown location with 345 other “players” and instructed to play a game of “Red Light, Green Light”. 

It’s a game most of us played as kids. If a player is still moving after a red light is called, the player is eliminated. This game, however, has a twist: instead of being just removed from the game, the player is killed.

The series is full of these unexpected twists.

 For those who enjoy action, thrillers or dramas—-and have access to the streaming network—- I cannot recommend “Squid Game” enough.