Netflix‘s Squid Game Season 3 has finally been released. As a Korean, I’ve always been grateful to the Squid Game production team and director Hwang Dong-hyuk for driving the global popularity of Korean content. However, apart from my gratitude, why have many Koreans shown mixed reactions in Squid Game 2 and Squid Game 3 reviews since Season 1? I believe this isn’t simply a matter of artistic quality, but deeply related to differences in generational perspectives.
Squid Game Season 3 Analysis: The Temperature Gap Created by Generational Differences
Since the Korean War, Korea has experienced both dictatorial regimes and achieved democracy through democratization movements that brought down those regimes. Unlike Korea’s younger generation, those aged 50 and above have experienced both dictatorial and democratic politics firsthand. The current generation in their 40s, who were educated by those over 50, grew up learning about the values and significance of democratization movements in school from an early age.
However, younger generations are far removed from such historical backgrounds. They were born into an era of high economic growth and grew up experiencing earth-shattering changes like the internet, smartphones, and AI as they came of age. Consequently, not only the historical ideologies taught in schools, but also those advocated in online communities and third-country perspectives on Korean history were all injected into their worldview.
As is probably the case in any country, this naturally led to significant ideological differences between Korea’s 40+ generation and younger generations. Given that Netflix’s primary consumer base is the younger generation and director Hwang Dong-hyuk, born in 1971, represents the older establishment, the younger generation may have perceived the director’s message as one-dimensional and clichéd. I believe there was an unconscious resentment among young Korean viewers stemming from this disconnect.
Squid Game Season 3 Voting System Analysis: The Limitations of Democracy
The biggest difference between Squid Game Seasons 2 and 3 and Season 1 is undoubtedly the voting system. Continuing or stopping the game based on majority rule through voting results represents the most “democratic” approach. However, the problem with democracy lies in the question: “Is the majority’s decision really the right decision?”
As Richard Dawkins’ suggests, human brains are designed to favor “our side.” Many viewers must have imagined at least once during each round of voting, “What would I do if I were in that situation?” Simultaneously, they would have had their own “team” – either O or X – in their hearts. When you listen to both sides, you can understand both those who want to continue the game and those who want to stop. Ultimately, democracy allows the majority opinion to ignore minority views, and both majority and minority positions can be considered correct from their respective standpoints.
Going even deeper, we need to ask: “Was this voting system itself properly designed?” The game organizers delivered invitations through ddakji games to ‘socially dead’ individuals who were economically near death, and only those who accepted participation were invited. All participants joined the game “voluntarily.” In other words, the system design itself was skewed to favor continuing the game – is this a fair system? This raises serious questions.
Hwang Dong-hyuk’s Contemporary Message and Its Limitations
Recently, South Korea’s sitting president declared martial law, shocking the world. (I too was confused in the middle of the night when martial law was suddenly declared, thinking “What is this? Am I being called up for reserves? Did war break out?”) However, given that the actual production period of Squid Game Seasons 2 and 3 was before martial law, it’s unclear whether the message questioning the voting system – the democratic system was simply aimed at specific politicians.
What is clear, however, is that the repeated words “fairness” and “equality” in Season 3 can be interpreted politically in Korean society, meaning the director consciously or unconsciously conveyed a contemporary message. As a Korean who supports the development of the Korean content industry, this felt somewhat disappointing to me.
Squid Game Season 3 Review: Understanding the World Through Pareto’s Principle
There’s something called ‘Pareto’s Principle’. Also known as the 80-20 rule, this principle refers to the phenomenon where 80% of all results come from 20% of all causes. For example, 80% of a department store’s total sales come from the top 20% of customers, or humanity is advanced by the top 20% while the remaining 80% follow.
Personally, I believe in this ‘Pareto Principle’. Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and Parasite director Bong Joon-ho – a minority 20% of Korean content masters – lead the industry’s development, and more broadly, I think a few geniuses like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, along with the high-intelligence individuals who follow them, are responsible for the advancement of the remaining 80% of humanity.
Therefore, I believe democracy cannot be an “absolute good”. I think Squid Game effectively illustrates this point. This doesn’t mean I favor dictatorship. I would support a system led by the intelligent top 20% who think about humanity’s advancement, but dictatorship is generally viewed negatively because human greed and desire are designed in such a way that they don’t make humans into saints. However, what’s right or wrong is a “consequential” matter that future generations will judge based on historical context – it’s premature for us living in the present era to definitively declare which system is correct.
What Squid Game Season 3’s Ending Left for K-Content’s Potential
In many ways, I think it’s wonderful that Korean content has gained spotlight and become a global trend thanks to Squid Game. Just wearing green tracksuits as a Halloween costume is enough for people to recognize “Squid Game!!!”
I believe any industry must go through various trial and error to develop. While the Korean Wave boom launched by Squid Game Season 1 didn’t satisfy all expectations for Seasons 2 and 3, the fact that the whole world focuses its attention on it alone means Squid Game played a tremendous role. Season 3, as the series finale, has been particularly meaningful as it’s been praised for delivering a shocking and high-quality conclusion.