THE SQUID GAME EFFECT: Fiction That Feeds Reality

When Squid Game hit Netflix in 2021, the world watched in shock, awe, and fascination.

The brutal Korean survival series became an overnight global sensation—

not just for its gripping storyline, but because it struck a nerve.

Was it really just fiction?

Or was it uncomfortably close to real-life desperation?

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🎭 THE FICTION THAT FELT TOO REAL

Squid Game may not be a direct real story, but it draws heavily from real-life economic struggles, class disparity, and human desperation.

The creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, once said he wrote the script during a time of severe financial difficulty, inspired by South Korea’s rising inequality.

The games themselves are fictional, but the emotions—despair, debt, and the hunger for a second chance—are painfully real for millions around the world. From that lens,

Squid Game is a “real” story, reflecting modern society’s ruthless competition.

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SQUID GAME IN REAL LIFE? YOU'D BE SURPRISED!

While Netflix dramatized the concept, history has shown us similar real-life horrors. In some past and modern-day scenarios, people have been forced into dangerous competitions for survival, often for money, power, or escape:

• Japan’s “Documentary of a Man in a Box” (1998): A real-life reality show where a man lived naked in a small room for over a year, forced to survive only on magazine sweepstakes to win food and essentials—all broadcast live.

• Underground Death Matches: Whispers of dark web “death games” have circulated for years. While many are likely myths, some reports point to illegal betting rings exploiting people in desperate conditions.

• North Korea’s Deadly Games: Some defectors have claimed stories of prisoners or citizens being forced into brutal "games" or competitions as punishment or for elite entertainment.

• Extreme Reality Shows: From Russia’s controversial Game2: Winter (which claimed to allow crimes) to other exploitative formats, the line between entertainment and ethical abuse is thinning.

  
  

In many parts of the world, people still risk their lives for the chance at money or freedom. That’s what makes Squid Game chilling—because it’s not that far from reality.

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📺 HOW THE SERIES BECAME MORE THAN A SHOW

People didn’t just watch Squid Game—they felt it.

The red jumpsuits, the haunting doll from “Red Light, Green Light,” and the deadly tug-of-war turned into Halloween costumes, TikTok trends, and schoolyard games.

Here's where things get dark:

In some places, people took inspiration from the show literally.

School kids in Belgium, the UK, and other countries were caught re-enacting Squid Game games—with punishments for losing.

In one disturbing case, children were hitting each other for losing.

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Why are people inspired by such extreme content?

Psychologists say it’s a mix of thrill-seeking, desensitization to violence, and the fantasy of power in a world where many feel powerless.

For some, Squid Game wasn’t a warning—it was a blueprint.

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💔 Society's Reflection in Blood-Red

Squid Game is a mirror.

Not of who we should be, but of who we could become if pushed far enough.

The characters weren’t monsters—

they were debt-ridden people forced into inhuman choices.

The chilling part is not the games—it’s how easy it was to convince them to play.

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🧠 WHAT CAN WE LEARN

Instead of glorifying the violence or making it a trend, we need to confront the issues Squid Game exposed:

• The crushing burden of debt

• The psychological impact of poverty

• The dark side of unchecked capitalism

• How media can influence real behavior

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✍️ Final Thoughts

Squid Game was never just a series—it was a warning dressed as entertainment.

As viewers, we must be more mindful. Not every viral show should be followed.

Not every character should be idolized.

Let’s appreciate storytelling, not imitate its darkest parts.

💡 Share Your Thoughts:

• Did Squid Game feel too real to you?

• Have you seen examples of people copying it in real life?

• What lesson do you think the world missed from the show?