When Squid Game burst onto the Netflix scene in September 2017, it rapidly captivated audiences worldwide. The series revolves around a South Korean man named Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), whose gambling addiction has left him drowning in debt. As his life crumbles around him, including his relationship with his daughter who is on the verge of moving to the United States with her mother and stepfather, Seong’s hope dwindles. That is, until a mysterious stranger on a subway platform offers him a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win a massive cash prize by participating in a competition. Little does Seong know, the prize could cost him his life.
Upon accepting the stranger’s invitation, Seong is whisked away to a secret location where the competition takes place. Initially, he’s thrilled to discover they’ll be playing simple children’s games. However, his excitement quickly turns to horror as eliminated players are killed on the spot. As the series unfolds, it’s revealed that an anonymous group of wealthy individuals called VIPs, who derive pleasure from watching the contestants’ gruesome deaths, are behind the competition. Despite their significant role in the show, the VIPs receive minimal screen time, leaving viewers with many unanswered questions. However, some fans have concocted a mind-blowing theory about the VIPs’ true identity. Read on to discover this fascinating hypothesis about the VIPs from Squid Game.
Unmasking the VIPs: A Compelling Fan Theory
If you’ve watched Squid Game (and if you haven’t, you should have stopped reading by now), you’ve likely pondered the enigma of the VIPs. They’re introduced late in the series, and their faces remain hidden. Despite the limited information, some fans believe they’ve cracked the code on the VIPs’ identity. In a Reddit thread, user enperry13 posits that the VIPs are actually meant to represent the viewers themselves. Enperry13 explains:
“We’re from all corners of the world enjoying a streaming service that a certain demographic could afford. To some people, having Netflix is actually a luxury. The anonymity is convenient too thanks to the internet where we can identify ourselves as our usernames when we discuss things online. Thanks to high-quality productions, Squid Game is capable of showing very graphic deaths that every feels very real and personal that we can’t help but get sucked in into it. Some even feel there’s sense of gratification from seeing the carnage. We get emotionally invested, we began to “bet” emotionally with the hopes of our favorite “horses” to win or at least make it to the next round or if have people we don’t like, we hope or “bet” they’ll die the next game. And if things get boring and uninteresting, well… Netflix and Chill it is. ;)”
While this theory has piqued the interest of some, others remain unconvinced. User jayreutter counters, “… They make it pretty clear the VIPS are 1 percenters paying millions to watch poor people fight it out for a tiny chance to get out of the rat race that’s capitalism not average people who enjoy a fictional show about a death game.” Regardless of which theory you subscribe to, both are thought-provoking and highlight the intrigue surrounding the VIPs.
What Lies Ahead for Squid Game?
Following its wildly successful debut season, Squid Game has been renewed for a second installment. However, details regarding the release date and plot remain under wraps. According to Esquire, the show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, stated, “I don’t have well developed plans for Squid Game 2. It is quite tiring just thinking about it. But if I were to do it, I would certainly not do it alone. I’d consider using a writers’ room and would want multiple experienced directors.” Fans will have to patiently await further updates. In the meantime, we can only hope that the second season will shed light on the true identity of the VIPs and reveal the motivation behind orchestrating such a brutal competition.
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