The curse of capitalism, U had to go through a lot of shits to be successful and when u finally have success u are already a changed, tasteless, lonely person.
The strike was based on a real strike at Ssangyong Motors. SY wanted to lay off 43% of workers. After 77 days of striking, cops violently broke it up, and workers were saddled with massive fines with massive interest. Many committed suicide. The vans that the Squid Game uses to transport players? Ssanyong.
Yup. It's heavily implied that Gi-Hun was suffering from PTSD due to his labor union strike days and being blacklisted by major companies from ever securing a good stable job as a result. After being laid off for so long and a string of failed businesses and crushing loans, he predictably fell into gambling. Gi-hun was definitely a victim of the system in more ways than one.
I also thought it was significant that the old man wanted to participate in the game for the thrill of it, but was clearly never really in jeopardy of losing his life as his "death" when he eventually lost was faked. Like a rich man wanting to have the appearance of a working class man, and "walk a day in their shoes" but never really knowing the difficulty of their life as at the end of the day he will be secure. His participation in the game is insulting to those who really are at risk, and trivialises their experience
@@davidreeding9176 yeah that's a good point mate, didn't think about that one. Maybe doesn't work as a theory but still think it holds some thematic truth anyway
@@davidreeding9176 I can think of only 2 possibilities: 1. He is so addicted to gambling that he is gambling his own life for fun. 2. Think about the night scene where players start killing each other. He vanished as his teammates can't find him. Then he miraculously appear at top of bench giving speech as que for Front Man to stop game. I bet there might be something which haven't seen during tug of war. As we know from glass challenge that this isn't fair game.
@@cherylpyodeamedha9346 i like that explanation. And with the glass maybe all the glass (even if really different) can hold 2 person, but they just put random detonators that will go off for him
Jihyeon intentionally loses, in what a Lacanian philosopher called “the only authentically free choice” in the game. Ironically although the victim of religious abuse she shows more Christ-like character by sacrificing herself than the outwardly religious guy she despises
It's kinda weird because it is framed as a christ figure... but could it also be suicidal depression. How exceptional do you have to be before you get help. She's like living Sartre. Why don't you *unalive* yourself...
Ali Abdul was the most purer hearted guy in the whole series His case reminds me of how people that you think they’re your “friends” end up betraying you, stepping on you to get above you The scene of Ali’s eyes watering, 🥺 and sent-woo not looking back after what he did just breaks me man 😔
Entire episode 6 was just ... incredible. Only a couple pieces of media made me cry before. I cried 3 times in that episode alone, and then multiple times in the following episodes. What an incredible series. The Ali - Sang Woo pair was incredibly sad, but the Sae Byeok and Ji Yeong pair was the one that made me a fountain.
When the screen showed Gi-hun as the last contestant, it struck me that he wasn't the smartest, strongest, or even noblest of the contestants and despite being the protagonist, he didn't really deserve to win, nor did anyone else. The contest was supposed to be "fair", but mostly it was a literal crapshoot. The message I got from this was that some people, like the frontman, think that they are successful totally due to their own merit and that the world is fair, but in reality most of it comes down to luck. I don't totally agree with that view, but it was interesting to think about nonetheless.
I mean, they literally changed the rules of that glass jump game cuz that one guy was a glass maker, because of that he fudged the odds on the remaining contestants, so they removed the light. Literally taking away a *fair* advantage someone has due to their own experience in life. That one scene shows that it isn't at all about your own merit, but pure luck.
Gi Hoon really was one lucky son of a b*tch in the games. Saved by Ali, inspired by sweat, teamed up with Il Nam twice who happens to be the host, being last to move on the stepping stones and given the win to him when he really wanted to stop while having no intention to win. It really is a game of luck. Sang Woo on the other hand did everything what it takes to win. Played by the rules, played it smart, ready to backstab and kill. In the end he lost. Guess this is how the show saying Meritocracy can only get you so far?
He was also a Gambler, so it was definitely something that was done on purpose. Gambling got him into debt, and Gambling got him out. But he also realizes when he wins big on a bet, there are also a bunch of people who lose out.
@@TheRedAzuki If you really think about it, he didn't even choose to be glass makers because he was worried about participating in some death game involving glass; he ended up a glass maker from the sum of his life circumstances (in other words, "luck"). A person being skilled at something (more specifically, having the opportunity to become skilled at something), or being born with a talent, or literally anything.. everything is all luck. This isn't to say personal responsibility doesn't exist: even in non-capitalistic society one must trade something in return for necessities (even if the work-to-pay ratios aren't fair across the society), and even if people living in first-world countries lead lives with much higher standards of living, they do work to earn their keep. What the luck DOES translate to, is that a person's success does not then translate to supremacy, nor give them any moral right to trample over their fellow people or treat the less fortunate as lesser people.
Hope there's no season 2. The creator spent 10 years trying to get this made, and it gave him lots of time to perfect his story. When you rush guys like that you get True Detective Season 2. And a mega corporation demanding a sequel to an anti-capitalist show so they can make more $$$ is farcical If there must be a season 2 give the creators a couple years to write something out
Anyone notice how the food they're given starts traditional, and gets more westernized over the course of the show? They even have a "famine" where they're only given a potato, just before the opulent western steak feast at the end. I think it mirrors Korea's westernization over time but also mirrors its economic status, with the famine coming right before modern abundance. When I noticed that, I started thinking that the show was also trying to talk about how Western (and Russia, depending on how you classify) forces are pitting Koreans against eachother. Both in terms of bringing a capitalistic debt structure and the "debt relationship" part of Christianity that pits them against eachother, and more literally, Russia and USA fighting a proxy war over Korean land and throwing Korean bodies at eachother to do it.
The steak at the end is an aspirational food for some Asians as beef commands a high price over there, and a tomahawk steak would only be served at a very expensive restaurant. Notice the mention of his daughter being taken to a steak dinner early in the show - something he couldn't give her. Having it as the end reward dinner is a callback to that.
@@janewildly Potatoes originated in the Americas and only spread through the rest of the world as a result of Western colonialism. So yeah Adam's comment about Westernization and the USA holds up, especially the specific example with the potato.
Honestly I couldn't tell if it was a potato or a pear. But the decrease off food along the game also has psychological aspect to it. The uncertainty of enough nutrition in the future leads to gang-behaviour like Jang Deok-su and his thugs do when stealing eggs and soda from other players. It creates air of uncertainty and further boosts violent and selfish behaviour.
Fun fact: The writer/director of this series went to SNU in Seoul Korea! Oh great he’s like that guy who brags about going to Cornell or NYU except he made successful show to brag to everyone in the world. Lol
My favorite part of the show was it's commentary on how money turns everything into a cold, cruel numbers game. For starters, the players are only referred to by their numbers, and the show really wants us to notice when players tell each other their names. Also, the Darth Vader guy makes it clear that his henchman must die if their identities are discovered. Basically, any glimpse of humanity has to be removed from the games for them to function. Everything that takes place is so regimented and organized. The henchmen's cells are chrome boxes all laid out in an optimal arrangement to make best use of the space. In fact, the architects of the games have removed so much humanity from the games that it almost stops being cruel and just becomes standard procedure the way a machine runs. A machine doesn't feel anything or think about its role in whatever it's doing; it just turns and turns until it runs out of gas. The henchmen are just doing their jobs, turning like cogs in a machine. That's my take at least.
And then we have Gi-hun who breaks the system but being human. Being kind to 001 resulted in 001 letting him survive the marble game so he could continue to watch Gi-hun play. Not wanting to fight his friend at the end despite everything i what led to his friend giving up. Caring for the girl led to her helping him in the glass stepping stones games, as did giving up his chosen number. Over and over Gi-hun did not win because of brains skill or brawn but because he was human. Even in the sugar cookie game he "broke" the rules by licking the cookie instead of using the needle.
Not to mention the comforts the participants "enjoy" such as the food they have access to, and even a decent night's sleep become more and more sparse and abysmal, all in service to the game. The parallel being what working class folks sacrifice in attempts to continue making ends meet in a world where cost of living keeps rising and wages remain stagnated, the worker can afford only a poorer and poorer quality of life, and there is literally nothing they can do but keep playing the game and hope against all odds that they'll eventually come out on top.
@@BeinDraug I totally agree with everything you said, and you did you “quotes” but he didn’t break any rule by licking it. He just used the best strategy available. The characters who used the smuggled lighter did indeed break the rules. But gi hun just used the tools available, his brain and his tongue. Another strategy wouldve been to collect his sweat and spit in the cylinder the cookie came in and soak it for maximum effectiveness. In addition, the way sang woo won the marbles game was perfectly legal. It was gain all twenty marbles. You didn’t even have to really play if you could convince your opponent to hand them over to set up a complex game or something. As far as the glass stepping stones go, they asked players to remove their shoes. They didn’t say anything about gathering their shoes in their track jumper and smashing the glass ahead of them. Aside from red light, green light most of these games could easily be bested if you’re cunning enough, and even that has tricks to help. Running along a wall away from other players and using it to stabilize and balance yourself. Hell, the tug of war could’ve had the last person be the strongest and wrap the rope around themselves. They could’ve woven the tension between them, or even tied the rope off at the side of one of their platforms after knocking the enemy over. Gi hun could’ve won squid game the moment he blew sand in sang woos face.
RIP David Graeber... "Debt: The first 5000 years" is the most transformative book I've ever read... I highly recommend reading it. The quote from David on Christianity is slightly removed from its context in this video and he has some positive things to say about Christianity (& Islam). The broader argument that he's making is that there has always been a tension in our language and religious practices surrounding debt. On one hand, mutual obligation powers all of society, but if it's allowed to spiral too far, it can turn into a brutal form of slavery. The institution of slavery was so baked into Imperial Roman society that they could not conceive of a world without it. Instead both Christianity and Islam launched a moral attack on the pipeline to enslavement - usury - lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest - that is to say, debt was outlawed between followers of the religion. This broke the link that would see people sold into slavery and for a period of time the practice virtually disappear as a fact of life for the common man. Sadly, the lesson wasn't permanent, and loop holes and easing of restrictions around usury saw it creep back into society over a 1000 year period. This culminates with the first conquistadors looking to plunder all the riches they could to avoid debtors prison, and is part of the process that would see the intuition of slavery rise again.
Truly mind blowing and sad. Hopefully as we get more educated, we can learn our way out of debt in the future, because the alternative is much bloodier.
This comment deserves to be one of the top comments in this section. Thank you for the effort it took to write this. I’ve had Graeber’s book on my reading list for a year now, but never had time to get to it. After watching squid game, which turned out to be one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, I’ll definitely start the book now.
When the components of mutual obligation cease to be made from relatively equal power, the obligation is no longer truly mutual. When only one party has the capacity to walk away from an obligation it ceases to be meaningfully mutual. When one party can't walk away, the other party has the capacity to leverage one 'mutual' obligation into further obligations, and that rapidly escalates to the worst forms of human exploitation.
The book is a life-changer. The biggest concept was that there are two types of debt: Type 1. *Debt between close friends and family* - is personal, so it builds relationships and it's non-transferable. It's cancelled or modified if either party is in too much financial trouble. *People used this instead of money for most of human history* - because most people lived in small, high-trust villages. If your neighbor needs a chicken you can just give it to him, and ask for something equivalent in two months. Money or barter was only used for travelling strangers you'd never see again. Type 2. *Debt between non-equals* - The point is to settle-up and end the relationship if you're the debtor, or extract as much money if you're the lender; it's relationship-destroying. Debts are never cancelled even if the debtor can't pay, and held so religiously sacred that any way of extracting payment is seen as morally justified. And that morality spreads to the rest of our society. In Squid Game, deep down a lot of viewers feel that the players _deserve_ their situation for racking up debts.. even if the debt was to a mafia loan-shark/casino/corporation which was actively trying to get people in debt (and doesn't need the money anyway). The problem is that the 2nd Debt is so pervasive in society, that we start to think of _every_ relationship as a moral, unforgivable debt - even between close friends and family.
And it just so happens the invention of credit allowed nations and people to become wealthy. Go try living a 0 AD farmer lifestyle and I promise you will suddenly love the credit markets
I wish the show went deeper into the relationship between the Detective Hwang Jun-ho and his brother In-ho. It is revealed In-ho had actually been the victor years ago and then somehow transitioned into the Frontman, presumably because he became a money lender after he won. Like the original creators of the game and VIPS, In-ho is cold and mechanical even killing his own brother for the sake of rules. I found In-ho and Oh Il-nam (Player 001) to be interesting because they were the only two characters that transitioned in their roles as "debtors" and "creditors". This shows that being in either group is ultimately meaningless because you are either in financial debt or moral debt, both of which become blurred lines as one transitions to the other.
The fact that Gi-Hun didn't help the drunk homeless man and that when he finally does somewhat make good on his promise to look after the kid, it's by way of dumping him on Jon-shoo's elderly mother, it kinda felt like Gi-Hun and the old guy were broken in similar ways, but to different degrees.
I swear, Gi-Hun literally betting on a human like he's a horse (there very thing he chastises the game runners for) and not opting to aid the man himself to prove that goodness in humanity can begin with oneself, a trait he showed most of the time in the games, is one of the most baffling decisions I can imagine. It was right there! I have to assume it was intentional to draw a parallel like you say, but then I'm left wondering what that is trying to say.
Add to that, Gi-Hun left the child to languish in a orphanage with no family to visit him for a year while he grieved his mother’s death and dealt with the trauma of the game. Until he left the boy with his childhood friend’s mother and all that money, I thought he’d forgotten about the promise he made. Plus, the little boy’s mother is still stuck in North Korea. Gi-Hun is not a bad guy but he still has some work to do thinking outside of himself. Hope we get to see that happen if we get a Season 2.
@@PureLionHeart Gi Hun lost his hope in humanity so seeing someone help the homeless man gave him back hope and the will to live. Gi Hun suffered decades of PTSD and witness 450+ people dying, including his friends and then his mother. He did not touch his money. Il Nam and the VIPs don't care about life and have lived comfortably for a long time. This whole "Gi Hun became a VIP!" idea completely misses the point of the bet.
@@cartermariano no K-Drama has ever made a mainstream splash like this until now, you're being naive if you think American media corporations haven't noticed and won't start trying to copy the formula.
While watching the show I kept saying to myself "this shit about equality in the game makes no fucking sense" and then on like episode 5 I was like "Oh right thats the point you idiot" lol I still have lots of problems w the show, but overall I would recommend it. Great episode btw!
@@Poadiup Exactly, the glass-maker in episode 7, proof that its not fair. He had knowledge from his own merit. But since they had missed that as a point in his dossier, they didn't have any bets on him, so they actively changed the game to remove that advantage he had. Basically showing that the uber-rich will change the rules so they always come out on top.
@@TheRedAzuki Isn't that part of the point? Those in power claim that they got there via a method available to everyone. As soon as someone outside of their group starts their progress, they do everything possible to close the paths.
One thing I thought was interesting is that the show didn’t really make it clear that only 1 person would be winning. Like with the hunger games you already know everyone in the game is dying besides the protagonist. Squid games had me thinking at first that like 10-20 people could win and split it
Yeah, maybe i am recalling bad or was a mistranslation, but the cop found a list of winners from another year and it was quite long. And the last game was a team game, i meant, come on!
They could have, that’s why the last game was a team game. Everyone just assumed they had to kill eachother, it was something they thought up themself, but killing others outside of the game did not actually help them.
"Here, every player gets to play a fair game under the same conditions". Finalist effectively killed after passing the game because the hosts wanted to show off and destroy the glass before the winners were a safe distance away.
This infuriated me. She did everything right and was killed over nothing - but I guess that's probably a metaphor for how you can do everything right in life and still get fucked over. Same with the glass maker right before. He had an advantage because of his skills that he developed in life and then they changed the rules on him at the last second. His advantage was no different than the strength or intelligence advantages other people had in the game. Both of them got a completely raw deal
I love how South Korea, a country we always were told was a prosperous capitalist nation, is now setting the tone for anti capitalist discourse on mainstream pop culture. It still freaks me out how capitalism is able to absorb everything to a point it can even turn its critics into merchandise, but I feel there's something refreshing about how Korean films are portraying class struggle. I hope these productions can move the needle a bit in how we talk about this broken system.
What made this story so compelling was when in episode 2 they decide to quit, only to come back. They came back despite knowing the nature of the game; that was raw. Any show could have had them trapped from the beginning, but we would feel much more pity for them if that was the case. By coming back we do not have as much sympathy for the contestants, and yet we all seem to get it. "It's just as bad out there as it is in here".....
The combination of gambling and debt is so freaking cruel that i find it barbaric and i feel thats the most relatable thing about the show. It is brutal.
i'm pretty sure this is survival bias. Almost very language has this saying but we only talk about 1% of languages that eventually made it and think the prediction was true all along
Eastern Civilisation is Superior to Western Civilsation. The West might be a proud eagle, maybe even a fire dragon. But the East is an immortal lung dragon, and really, that is true as China and it's surrounding regions never experienced anything like the Bronze Age collapse, or the Fall of the Roman Empire. Those were like Strokes that have fucked up the Morality and wisdom of the West and why it will fall again in the form of America's implosion. That's what most people underestimate about China. It wouldn't matter if they are communism, fuedalist, capitalist, or callathumpian. They'll always be a massive united Civilisation posing as a Nation. It's one of the five original fertile valley civilisations, and it's still there. That's terrifying.
And yet, considering that the last game was a team game it was absurd only two persons arrive to the end. The final should had been those two vs the gang dude, recalling their childhood, when they were still equals
I literally binged watched this series after I came home from the E.R. for a possible heart attack, not before waving rights to an ambulance, then finding out after discharge it cost $250 for being there for less than 3 hours. That's another debt added to student loans, unpaid medical bills. etc. Also putting me still at an F rating on my credit score. Society really prepares the crime.
@@rsrocha1984 it's funny because the translations inaccurately stated in the second episode that Gi-Huns mom didn't have insurance to get her diabetic feet treated. So I'm wondering what was the sole reason she refused to go to the hospital.
@@JimmyJojoshabadoo Yeah, I talk about this in other comment. I think it was Netflix trying to appeal to an american audience. I know the show is Korean, but the same think happen in a brazilian show (O Mecanismo). They do something (the equivalent of a US Marshal in Brazil being very poor, but they are actually very well pay and have a high middle class salary) that it was only to appeal to foreign audience because all brazilians would immediadly know as bullshit (the amount public servants are pay in Brazil is a very contencious subject here). The show didnt hit outside Brazil, but when doing original shows Netflix has always foreign audience in mind. So I imagine they put him being very poor because in the US is more like that.
@@JimmyJojoshabadoo I think Parasite had more a focus in the kind of critic that Wisecrack try to force into Squid Game. All the south Korean players that we met are in their dire situation because of their on decision, the "system" didnt throw them there. Gi-hun steal from his own mother to bet on horses. Sang woo steal from his clients and risk his mother business in the process. The only ones who were not there because of their own fault, are the immigrants, something that I find very interesting and probably it was meant to signal a criticism of xenofobic behavior (that it is very present in South Korean sociaty as far as I know). I think if Wisecrack was not so focus in trying to fit the "capitalism is bad" message in all of their videos they would have notice that.
@@rsrocha1984 the thing is i already knew South Korea had free Healthcare. I'm upset that companies like Netflix underestimate the viewing audience is much more smarter than that. I would be more happy if translations told the story in accuracy. It's only the ignorant who don't really bother to look up the customs in another country.
Wouldn't it be wild that we all worldwide die our hairs red as a way to protest against this global BS system? And wouldn't it be wild that then banks start betting on red hair die companies to try and make profit of our expressed rage? Ugh................ How much I hate the market 😒
@@wyvrusgriffion3948 it’s the exact same prayer isn’t it? The Lord’s Prayer, debt or trespasser can be swapped. I grew up southern baptist and parents switched the Methodist, both said trespass. Maybe it’s location based?
I'd like to point out that Gihun won each game at the very last second, kind of how working class people survive their financial situations but just barely. His number's the last, too.
Sometimes it’s so scary specially as someone freshly walking into real adult life. I’ve managed to avoid student loan debt but there seems to be no way to a avoid house debt. Unless I want to lose money over years to save up to buy a house I will almost always have to get into debt to acquire something that will continue on to my family and generations. It’s a scary thought. It’s like this whole system was made for people who were just born with money.
Don't forget deciding to have a child. Giving birth to one can be $10,000 in a hospital. Don't forget added costs for assistants like having an epidural if your wife is in pain while giving birth. Even a woman is released less than 2 days and billed heavily, even when she hasn't completely passed everything in her body. Only the high staus have the best access to everything.
@@JimmyJojoshabadoo sorry but this is mostly only in the US as far as the first world countries go. Healthcare is not prohibitively expensive everywhere else for the middle class.
Mate you don't need a house. Just dollar cost average into a US index fund tracking the S&P 500. Vangard ETF works well and has very very low fees. It's only the ignorant that think buying a house is the only way to accumulate wealth.
@@thelawgameplaywithcommenta2654 can you imagine that most people don't buy a house to accumulate wealth but just won't to have a place they can cal home that is truly there's?
Could anyone give some insight on the show with regards to Lacan's theory of desires? I noticed it was on the front man's desk when his brother first looked for him at his rinky little apartment
Omg I was waiting for your guys take on this. I was watching the series like “I have so much to talk about with my RUclips video essayists about this!!”
The phrase dog-eat-dog comes to mind with this show. Sometimes you have to screw people over to come out ahead, Sang Woo understood this. If it was either your life or someone else's, you don't know how you would act in that situation. Ali trusted Sang Woo and thought they were friends. We've all been Ali or Sang Woo at one time in our lives. Feelings aside,, none of us can say we wouldn't have done the same thing Sang Woo would've done in the marble game.
An interesting thing is that while you are playing children’s games you are temporarily safe: this is an allegory to how we are relatively sheltered from the expectation of labor and working. After all, you are kids, you’re not expected to be paying rent and being forced to work for food.
0:53 zawa...ZAWA... Edit: I did like how both Kaiji and Squid Game showed the debtors sympathetic lives outside the 1st game and how they reluctantly walk back to the gallows after they realize that their outside debt filled lives are nothing more than borrowed time.
I am from Norway, and I really struggled with relating to the peoples situations, but I know from some Webtoons how bad it can be. I am glad it became popular, I just hope it sparks a wish for change
Really I identified with the main character almost immediately. I was thinking I can’t wait for my mom to see this so she can see how much it sucks being an adult forced to take money from your parents because all your career attempts have been unsuccessful.
Anyone else appreciate the steak scene at the triangular table? If you pay attention, Ji-yeong has didn’t touch the steak, leaving all the meat on the bone, Gi-Hun still had some meat left, and Sang-woo was left with only the bone. I like to think that this is used to show who still has the most humanity by the end. Considering their reasons for the game, it also makes sense since Ji-Yeongs reason for money is selfless, Gi-Huns is well intended, and Sang-woos is to save his own skin. Although, you could argue the system itself lead all them to a point of zero humanity by even playing the game in the first place.
"Who really wins?" Us, the viewers, obviously. Also the creators and actors of the show because they must be getting so many offers thanks to this show becoming an international phenomenon.
Whether they meant it or not this show also makes one more statement: you gotta have debt to even play the game. This is to say people without a house or students loans are extra spicy screwed. Sorry people who rent you are even more alienated than the rest of us.
there are a few references to another big movies too. I identified "Empire Strikes Back", when the undercover police falls from the cliff after finding out his brother is actually the front man. The most obvious reference is "Saw" when the game's main boss is actually has brain cancer.
Hi, have always absolutely loved each episode of yours! It would also be amazing if you guys can link up articles/sources in an archive section and can link it (not necessarily for free). Cheers!
I’ve noticed a theme in a couple of pieces of media. There is an idea of purity and corruption. In order to survive one has to corrupt themself beyond what society would accept. This is most exemplified in the platform. Squid game had a similar theme but broke the mould a little bit with a greater reverence for personal autonomy. Would be interesting to see a meta media analysis of these themes.
True, but I think the show goes beyond just financial debt. It illustrates other debts incurred between family members and friends. We all recognize that when someone does us a favor, we pay it back in some form or another. Gi-Hung gives half the winnings to Sang-Woo's mother. Old man loses on purpose to save Gi-Hun. Etc...
Right before winter break a bunch of my students during recess were playing Red Light Green Light for the first time and referred to it as "Squid Game"
My favorite part about the super in depth talks about this show is always the rich Americans watching…you do realize there other people there right ahhaha
So... Here's an interesting thing. It's not necessarily Christianity, but Protestantism. In Catholicism "debts" is "sins" and "debtors" is "those who sin against us". I think Calvinism is the starting point for this, not Christianity, especially given the religious makeup of South Korea.
All of this does not make sense because they are not talking financially but spiritually in fact most forms of Christianity are very anti usury he obviously hates Christianity
Note: at the start, Seong Gi-hun has NO sense of guilt over his debt. He is a compulsive gambler and is manic with his modest win and gives/throws away money, forgetting the larger prior losses. His reasons for debt are the least defensible. He wasn't forced into debt to save another person. My interpretation of his character is that if he had simply bet on the absolute right horse in episode 1 in a non-Squid game and won enough to pay off his debts and live comfortably, he would go right back and bet it again and again until it was all lost. As such, most would say no one is responsible for Seong Gi-hun's debt problem but Seong Gi-hun and the only resolution would be for someone else to hold his money and give him an allowance. Unless you want to envision a world where no one will give Seong Gi-hun any credit through a legal bank loan or less legal bookie loan. To me, it does beg the question, why would a bookie (or a bank) advance more money to a person than they could plausibly pay back? Beatings can recover only a portion of the money, and further beating Seong Gi-hun does not actually recover more money unless the lender sees a scenario where Seong Gi-hun would be in a position to steal or get into an illegal business (if desperate enough) and give the money to the lender. Or simply that the lender is a sadist and the loan is simply a transaction where the lender buys the rights to send someone to beat up Seong Gi-hun because it brings the lender joy to do so. This principle seems to be represented metaphorically by the recruiter who pays in cash and collects in slaps, establishing a negotiable value of humiliation.
Great Video, I was wondering if others would tap in on that stuff about faith in the series. I do feel like there is a misunderstanding of "Debt to Sin" in Christianity as Christ is the one who covers our debt, having forgiven all of and taken on that debt in Crucifixion. When that Prayer is prayed it's asking us to as Christ did to forgive those who wronged us. Christians aren't to treat God like a debt Collector in the sky, but as a liberator from our debts to sin. But to be fair to WiseCracked the Characters in Squid Game who profess faith, both in and out of the Game certainly treat existence as a whole as a great big payday loan on which Collection Day is coming up.
I always understood it as God the father being the debt collector and Christ Jesus being the liberator, but I suppose different sects have different understandings of the mythos.
@@brenatevi Let me affirm your comment, You hit the nail on the head, I can't pretend that there aren't tonnes Christians who do treat God like that. In fact I remember hearing songs like that growing up. However. 1)I don't think that it's a supported position from scripture. Especially in the minds of the 1st Century Judean audience who would have heard the Lord's Prayer and understood it fitting into their tradition of gratitude and example. 2) I'm sure that mentality comes from ages of the church looking for ways to control people. (Thanks for the comment)
@@fabsmaster5309 Surely it's the devil who's the debt collector. That's one of the things that's never really added up to me about it. The devil's supposed to be the antithesis and enemy of God, yet he's clearly doing God's dirty work symbiotically, punishing the people whom God deems unworthy.
@@sdastoryteller3381 What's this debt that Christ writes off? Apparently, we incurred it just by being created - by God. We're all marked from the get-go by original sin, which is why we allegedly can't make it into heaven without asking Christ to forgive us. Pretty nice little power game they've got going here, asking us to be grateful for writing off a debt we never even signed up for in the first place.
I spent my 1 day off binging this show just because I saw there was a Wisecrack video about it... Worth it! Actually, I've kind of come to rely on channels like this to learn when there's something worth watching anyway.
@@slickestrick4117 1) Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." No amount of works or obedience can pay the debt of Sin, by design. 2) Even if works could somehow pay the debt it does not return one into communion with God. It's through mercy that God doesn't Thanos-style snap us to hell. It's through his grace (and Christ) that the debt is paid and we can return to perfect communion with God.
He played the game the whole time Ali was gullible AF no different than survivors or Big Brother sung wu played within the rules he was the only one thinking logically
@@siege824s8 he wasn't playing "the game," he fucking *_cheated._* Ali won the marble game, fair and square and lucky. Sang-Woo then _took advantage of Ali's identity and experience_ as a transactional worker with (implied) low educational level, a stranger in a strange land with almost no native friends, a man who has been conditioned to being obequiesece to the majority (native Korean in this case), and a kind guy who so rarely received kindness from a native that Sang-Woo's minimal gestures made Ali think he's a beneficent friend who also happens to be a genius. Seriously, Sang-Woo first angrily accused Ali for "cheating" (he didn't), making him panicked because Ali didn't want Sang-Woo to die too. Then he capitalized the man's trust on his ingenuity and friendship. If Sang-Woo played by "logic" then Sang-Woo would know that *by logic* he lost, he has to die, and he could have told Ali about his mom and asked him to take care of her in his stead. I have seen this defense of Sang-Woo enough, guys; let's not conflate "logic" with guile now. And also, let's not pretend that if we were strangers in strange land the way Ali was, we're often the ones being cheated out the most by natives and the system they had grown up and adapted to. Even Sang-Woo could potentially be an Ali if he's in Pakistan or India or anywhere outside Korea. That's the thing. We are all liable to be Ali, whether we're too Dunning-Krueger to deny it or we accept it.
@@lyndiss.2017 the rule stated win your opponent marbles how ever youcan just cant use violence Ali got played and if uou have that same naivete in a place were your life is on the line you wont last long morality gets blurred when your trying to survive
@@lyndiss.2017 Sang-Woo didn't owe Ali anything. His goal was to survive, and he used everything to his advantage. Ali was gullible and let his emotions, compassion for Sang-Woo in this case, overcome his reason. Also, the marble game had no rules beyond "No Violence" so fair play to Sang-Woo for being sly enough to deceive Ali. It is what it is.
@@lyndiss.2017 The only important element I see in your interaction with Siege824's is that if you knew his identity, you already know that he/she is someone you can't and should never trust based on his adamant defense of the Sang-Woo character. Clearly, he/she identifies with Sang-Woo and thus legitimates his behavior.That kind of person who gives you the benefit of the doubt in revealing who they truly are, is a gift in of itself that you cannot allow to pass by. The best thing to do with that kind of toxic human specimen is to ostracize them from your life the moment they reveal who they truly are.
As a Scandinavian, it's sounds insane that you become indebted for life just for studying. Here, out governments give us money to study. Because they've reached the obvious conclusion that an educated population benefits society more than an uneducated one.
You're taking debt far too literally in the biblical sense. While debt is typically associated with money, debt is simply a term for owing something to someone. That can be money, a favor, an object, or simply your gratitude.
It's interesting how everyone working on the game are treated as badly as the contestants, and in the eyes of the foreigners, even the guy in black is just another employee, someone who was put in charge but is bound by the limitations imposed by the Americans. Lee Byung-hun is one of the most talented South Korean actors, and it was sad how Hollywood cast him in a third-rate action movie playing the part of a Japanese character. Talk about disrespect.
I feel like dismissing the portrayal of player 1, the one who made the game with 'aw poor rich guy feels bad' made this quite myopic. There's alot to dig into there
I get you. Il Nams point about his clients saying they don't find any joy in life is relatable. I'm not rich at all lol, but talking to people in life , you get that general feeling and I guess this comment section reveals that aspect too. A simple how's it going will be answered almost too similarly lacking some enthusiasm either due to pressures of work or life in general. Wisecrack does not dig into it too much but he does comment that we all sort of know money won't absolve us of our problems. It creates newer problems.
This show was great. Made me cry like a little girl more than once. Kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Hopefully they'll do a squid games 2
@@maynase I've heard that the show's creators are extremely exhausted just thinking about what to do for a season 2. Like any GOOD or even decent show, the creative well dries up after season one so I'm wondering if they'll be able to top season one...
@@robeyhairston3298 the show had been trying to greenlit for a decade and was probably a deal and few months of writing away from being done throughout the whole time. the creator being exhausted likely is because during that decade he had to resort to stuff like selling his laptop to make ends meet, i’m sure after fighting for a decade to ive us this masterpiece he most likely just wants to enjoy getting to finally relax, that said i absolutely believe creativity he is far from gassed out and when they get together to do season 2 i don’t see it being too far from now, and probably even better somehow than season 1 now that he doesn’t have to work to live and rather gets to work simply because he loves his work. regardless, I CANT WAIT!
@CEO of Secularism it took the creator the past ten years to get it greenlit, he was selling his laptop just to eat at one point, that said i think finally getting to work for the love of it rather than because you have to survive will allow him to blossom as a director and writer, i think season 2 will be even better. he displayed an amazing ability to incorporate messaging thru every aspect of that masterpiece.
@@grantkistel3411 I'm hoping that they won't rush the sequel. It should come outta nowhere like this season. What I mean by that is that they shouldn't hype it up but let the word of mouth spread just as it was the case with season 1.
Ali, is calling him Big Brother in the marble scene- he has moved from calling him and referring to him formally as boss to brother big brother to be exact
To me, the revolution will be two sided. So until the working class realize they don't need a $1500 iphone from the richest company on earth, when they don't even make that in a month, the struggle will always continue. Live in balance, then raise the balance. That's been the key for me after a decade of drowning in debt.
I find it kind of ironic that the advertisement given is literally wasting money just to feel good with oneself. The video criticizes capitalism but at the same time supports it...
"Did you know how we stopped paying back our debt for almost 2 years and nothing bad happened and society continued to function like normal, weird how that worked out" Didn't realize how based Michael is
@@DaedricFaZe we literally made up money and private property, so you’re correct it literally doesn’t mean anything other than hurt feefees for a few hoarders.
@@robeyhairston3298 same, went all over reddit to figure it out. They all just say check urban dictionary. "A word used when you agree with something; or when you want to recognize someone for being themselves, i.e. courageous and unique or not caring what others think. Especially common in online political slang."
“did you notice how we stopped paying back our debt for like two years and nothing bad happened” - wisecrack “U.S. inflation accelerated last month and remained at its highest rate in over a decade” - WSJ
Loved this episode. Could have gone for a better analogy for hitting the subscribe button like, I dunno, when the characters actually hit a button to vote, but that's just me lmao
I think that your missing the cultural context of that passage. Also, its often translated and definitely understood as "trespasses." Its relational debts and not financial which makes way more sense. Its honestly a laughably bad take...
The thing about the prayer being about debt I think it's only in the version English of the Lord's prayer, because in Portuguese it says "Perdoai as nossas ofensas, assim como nós perdoamos a quem nos tenha ofendido", which translates to "forgive our *offenses* , as we forgive those who *offended* us". "Offense" here meaning someone that did something the was detrimental to us; not just offensive in the strict sense of the word, but in a broader sense of the word.
![Quando Rondo - Life Goes On [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eIf3fhMXAow/mqdefault.jpg)
This entire show is the epitome of "I've won, but at what cost?", and I love it
"I did it all for NOTHING"
You start to feel very empty
Whether you have it all or have nothing, neither have fun
The curse of capitalism, U had to go through a lot of shits to be successful and when u finally have success u are already a changed, tasteless, lonely person.
Only way to eliminate Debt is to 'convince' rich people to remove it all
Plenty of corrupt, rich people that deserve to be beheaded
@@jerrygil1965 ARMY (sorry I had to)
The strike was based on a real strike at Ssangyong Motors. SY wanted to lay off 43% of workers. After 77 days of striking, cops violently broke it up, and workers were saddled with massive fines with massive interest. Many committed suicide. The vans that the Squid Game uses to transport players? Ssanyong.
Goddamn
pew pew
KEKWait
Oh maaannn thats crazy
Yup. It's heavily implied that Gi-Hun was suffering from PTSD due to his labor union strike days and being blacklisted by major companies from ever securing a good stable job as a result. After being laid off for so long and a string of failed businesses and crushing loans, he predictably fell into gambling. Gi-hun was definitely a victim of the system in more ways than one.
I also thought it was significant that the old man wanted to participate in the game for the thrill of it, but was clearly never really in jeopardy of losing his life as his "death" when he eventually lost was faked. Like a rich man wanting to have the appearance of a working class man, and "walk a day in their shoes" but never really knowing the difficulty of their life as at the end of the day he will be secure. His participation in the game is insulting to those who really are at risk, and trivialises their experience
I don't know, man, it would be really hard to fake his death during the tug of war game. Other than that, I vibe with your interpretation.
@@davidreeding9176 yeah that's a good point mate, didn't think about that one. Maybe doesn't work as a theory but still think it holds some thematic truth anyway
@@davidreeding9176 I can think of only 2 possibilities: 1. He is so addicted to gambling that he is gambling his own life for fun. 2. Think about the night scene where players start killing each other. He vanished as his teammates can't find him. Then he miraculously appear at top of bench giving speech as que for Front Man to stop game. I bet there might be something which haven't seen during tug of war. As we know from glass challenge that this isn't fair game.
@@davidreeding9176 not really, they just say that the locks on his cuffs failed, so they "shoot" him on spot and drag him away.
@@cherylpyodeamedha9346 i like that explanation. And with the glass maybe all the glass (even if really different) can hold 2 person, but they just put random detonators that will go off for him
Jihyeon intentionally loses, in what a Lacanian philosopher called “the only authentically free choice” in the game. Ironically although the victim of religious abuse she shows more Christ-like character by sacrificing herself than the outwardly religious guy she despises
that is an astute observation
And not unlike Christ's sacrifice, it was all for nought. The life of a martyr in a world of monsters...
wow. This is why I love the comment's section
It's kinda weird because it is framed as a christ figure... but could it also be suicidal depression. How exceptional do you have to be before you get help. She's like living Sartre. Why don't you *unalive* yourself...
Wow yea
Ali Abdul was the most purer hearted guy in the whole series
His case reminds me of how people that you think they’re your “friends” end up betraying you, stepping on you to get above you
The scene of Ali’s eyes watering, 🥺 and sent-woo not looking back after what he did just breaks me man 😔
Entire episode 6 was just ... incredible. Only a couple pieces of media made me cry before. I cried 3 times in that episode alone, and then multiple times in the following episodes. What an incredible series. The Ali - Sang Woo pair was incredibly sad, but the Sae Byeok and Ji Yeong pair was the one that made me a fountain.
@@Propulus abdul is not a real name
How and he used that old man
Wasn't even his fault he was in debt he got stiff by an employer, he just drew the shortest of straws
If the games were based on being a good guy... Ali would win.
When the screen showed Gi-hun as the last contestant, it struck me that he wasn't the smartest, strongest, or even noblest of the contestants and despite being the protagonist, he didn't really deserve to win, nor did anyone else. The contest was supposed to be "fair", but mostly it was a literal crapshoot. The message I got from this was that some people, like the frontman, think that they are successful totally due to their own merit and that the world is fair, but in reality most of it comes down to luck. I don't totally agree with that view, but it was interesting to think about nonetheless.
I mean, they literally changed the rules of that glass jump game cuz that one guy was a glass maker, because of that he fudged the odds on the remaining contestants, so they removed the light. Literally taking away a *fair* advantage someone has due to their own experience in life. That one scene shows that it isn't at all about your own merit, but pure luck.
Gi Hoon really was one lucky son of a b*tch in the games. Saved by Ali, inspired by sweat, teamed up with Il Nam twice who happens to be the host, being last to move on the stepping stones and given the win to him when he really wanted to stop while having no intention to win.
It really is a game of luck. Sang Woo on the other hand did everything what it takes to win. Played by the rules, played it smart, ready to backstab and kill. In the end he lost.
Guess this is how the show saying Meritocracy can only get you so far?
Squid Game is essentially the lottery. There's no system, there's no technique, it's just simply luck.
He was also a Gambler, so it was definitely something that was done on purpose. Gambling got him into debt, and Gambling got him out. But he also realizes when he wins big on a bet, there are also a bunch of people who lose out.
@@TheRedAzuki If you really think about it, he didn't even choose to be glass makers because he was worried about participating in some death game involving glass; he ended up a glass maker from the sum of his life circumstances (in other words, "luck"). A person being skilled at something (more specifically, having the opportunity to become skilled at something), or being born with a talent, or literally anything.. everything is all luck.
This isn't to say personal responsibility doesn't exist: even in non-capitalistic society one must trade something in return for necessities (even if the work-to-pay ratios aren't fair across the society), and even if people living in first-world countries lead lives with much higher standards of living, they do work to earn their keep. What the luck DOES translate to, is that a person's success does not then translate to supremacy, nor give them any moral right to trample over their fellow people or treat the less fortunate as lesser people.
Hope there's no season 2. The creator spent 10 years trying to get this made, and it gave him lots of time to perfect his story. When you rush guys like that you get True Detective Season 2. And a mega corporation demanding a sequel to an anti-capitalist show so they can make more $$$ is farcical
If there must be a season 2 give the creators a couple years to write something out
He already said he wouldn't because it wouldn't be worth the effort.
I would be interested in seeing what Gi-hun does, cause i really want to see those rich people get murdered
Maybe we need to make the radical choice to decide there is no season 2 and never will be.
Sounds to me the guy made his money and got on the plane.
this should be pinned
Anyone notice how the food they're given starts traditional, and gets more westernized over the course of the show? They even have a "famine" where they're only given a potato, just before the opulent western steak feast at the end. I think it mirrors Korea's westernization over time but also mirrors its economic status, with the famine coming right before modern abundance.
When I noticed that, I started thinking that the show was also trying to talk about how Western (and Russia, depending on how you classify) forces are pitting Koreans against eachother. Both in terms of bringing a capitalistic debt structure and the "debt relationship" part of Christianity that pits them against eachother, and more literally, Russia and USA fighting a proxy war over Korean land and throwing Korean bodies at eachother to do it.
Potatoes are not native to western countries. In WWII, potatoes are give to prisoner’s of wars. There’s asian variety of potatoes
The steak at the end is an aspirational food for some Asians as beef commands a high price over there, and a tomahawk steak would only be served at a very expensive restaurant. Notice the mention of his daughter being taken to a steak dinner early in the show - something he couldn't give her. Having it as the end reward dinner is a callback to that.
@@janewildly Potatoes originated in the Americas and only spread through the rest of the world as a result of Western colonialism. So yeah Adam's comment about Westernization and the USA holds up, especially the specific example with the potato.
Honestly I couldn't tell if it was a potato or a pear.
But the decrease off food along the game also has psychological aspect to it. The uncertainty of enough nutrition in the future leads to gang-behaviour like Jang Deok-su and his thugs do when stealing eggs and soda from other players. It creates air of uncertainty and further boosts violent and selfish behaviour.
You should see north Korea if you are convinced that capitalism is so bad
Gi-Hun ends the show in debt... he's in moral debt to the people who died during the games. He owes his success to their sacrifice.
He beat them. They didn’t sacrifice themselves
@@Infidelx Sang woo sacrificed himself instead of fighting on
@@62cky4powerthirst stfu. He was already beaten
@@62cky4powerthirst sang idk who I’m guessing is the guy who sacrificed his education, career and that poor Pakistani
@@Infidelx someone doesnt know how to read inbetween the lines
The real friends are the ones who went to SNU along the way
Except not really
"friends"
"This is my best friend. He went to SNU. What a smart guy"
What is SNU?
Fun fact: The writer/director of this series went to SNU in Seoul Korea!
Oh great he’s like that guy who brags about going to Cornell or NYU except he made successful show to brag to everyone in the world. Lol
My favorite part of the show was it's commentary on how money turns everything into a cold, cruel numbers game. For starters, the players are only referred to by their numbers, and the show really wants us to notice when players tell each other their names. Also, the Darth Vader guy makes it clear that his henchman must die if their identities are discovered. Basically, any glimpse of humanity has to be removed from the games for them to function. Everything that takes place is so regimented and organized. The henchmen's cells are chrome boxes all laid out in an optimal arrangement to make best use of the space. In fact, the architects of the games have removed so much humanity from the games that it almost stops being cruel and just becomes standard procedure the way a machine runs. A machine doesn't feel anything or think about its role in whatever it's doing; it just turns and turns until it runs out of gas. The henchmen are just doing their jobs, turning like cogs in a machine. That's my take at least.
And then we have Gi-hun who breaks the system but being human. Being kind to 001 resulted in 001 letting him survive the marble game so he could continue to watch Gi-hun play. Not wanting to fight his friend at the end despite everything i what led to his friend giving up. Caring for the girl led to her helping him in the glass stepping stones games, as did giving up his chosen number. Over and over Gi-hun did not win because of brains skill or brawn but because he was human. Even in the sugar cookie game he "broke" the rules by licking the cookie instead of using the needle.
Not to mention the comforts the participants "enjoy" such as the food they have access to, and even a decent night's sleep become more and more sparse and abysmal, all in service to the game. The parallel being what working class folks sacrifice in attempts to continue making ends meet in a world where cost of living keeps rising and wages remain stagnated, the worker can afford only a poorer and poorer quality of life, and there is literally nothing they can do but keep playing the game and hope against all odds that they'll eventually come out on top.
@@BeinDraug I totally agree with everything you said, and you did you “quotes” but he didn’t break any rule by licking it. He just used the best strategy available. The characters who used the smuggled lighter did indeed break the rules. But gi hun just used the tools available, his brain and his tongue. Another strategy wouldve been to collect his sweat and spit in the cylinder the cookie came in and soak it for maximum effectiveness. In addition, the way sang woo won the marbles game was perfectly legal. It was gain all twenty marbles. You didn’t even have to really play if you could convince your opponent to hand them over to set up a complex game or something. As far as the glass stepping stones go, they asked players to remove their shoes. They didn’t say anything about gathering their shoes in their track jumper and smashing the glass ahead of them. Aside from red light, green light most of these games could easily be bested if you’re cunning enough, and even that has tricks to help. Running along a wall away from other players and using it to stabilize and balance yourself. Hell, the tug of war could’ve had the last person be the strongest and wrap the rope around themselves. They could’ve woven the tension between them, or even tied the rope off at the side of one of their platforms after knocking the enemy over. Gi hun could’ve won squid game the moment he blew sand in sang woos face.
@@oftenspanx this is a really great take. Thanks.
👏
RIP David Graeber... "Debt: The first 5000 years" is the most transformative book I've ever read... I highly recommend reading it.
The quote from David on Christianity is slightly removed from its context in this video and he has some positive things to say about Christianity (& Islam). The broader argument that he's making is that there has always been a tension in our language and religious practices surrounding debt. On one hand, mutual obligation powers all of society, but if it's allowed to spiral too far, it can turn into a brutal form of slavery.
The institution of slavery was so baked into Imperial Roman society that they could not conceive of a world without it. Instead both Christianity and Islam launched a moral attack on the pipeline to enslavement - usury - lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest - that is to say, debt was outlawed between followers of the religion. This broke the link that would see people sold into slavery and for a period of time the practice virtually disappear as a fact of life for the common man.
Sadly, the lesson wasn't permanent, and loop holes and easing of restrictions around usury saw it creep back into society over a 1000 year period. This culminates with the first conquistadors looking to plunder all the riches they could to avoid debtors prison, and is part of the process that would see the intuition of slavery rise again.
Truly mind blowing and sad. Hopefully as we get more educated, we can learn our way out of debt in the future, because the alternative is much bloodier.
This comment deserves to be one of the top comments in this section. Thank you for the effort it took to write this. I’ve had Graeber’s book on my reading list for a year now, but never had time to get to it. After watching squid game, which turned out to be one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, I’ll definitely start the book now.
When the components of mutual obligation cease to be made from relatively equal power, the obligation is no longer truly mutual. When only one party has the capacity to walk away from an obligation it ceases to be meaningfully mutual. When one party can't walk away, the other party has the capacity to leverage one 'mutual' obligation into further obligations, and that rapidly escalates to the worst forms of human exploitation.
The book is a life-changer. The biggest concept was that there are two types of debt:
Type 1. *Debt between close friends and family* - is personal, so it builds relationships and it's non-transferable. It's cancelled or modified if either party is in too much financial trouble.
*People used this instead of money for most of human history* - because most people lived in small, high-trust villages. If your neighbor needs a chicken you can just give it to him, and ask for something equivalent in two months. Money or barter was only used for travelling strangers you'd never see again.
Type 2. *Debt between non-equals* - The point is to settle-up and end the relationship if you're the debtor, or extract as much money if you're the lender; it's relationship-destroying. Debts are never cancelled even if the debtor can't pay, and held so religiously sacred that any way of extracting payment is seen as morally justified. And that morality spreads to the rest of our society.
In Squid Game, deep down a lot of viewers feel that the players _deserve_ their situation for racking up debts.. even if the debt was to a mafia loan-shark/casino/corporation which was actively trying to get people in debt (and doesn't need the money anyway).
The problem is that the 2nd Debt is so pervasive in society, that we start to think of _every_ relationship as a moral, unforgivable debt - even between close friends and family.
And it just so happens the invention of credit allowed nations and people to become wealthy. Go try living a 0 AD farmer lifestyle and I promise you will suddenly love the credit markets
I wish the show went deeper into the relationship between the Detective Hwang Jun-ho and his brother In-ho. It is revealed In-ho had actually been the victor years ago and then somehow transitioned into the Frontman, presumably because he became a money lender after he won. Like the original creators of the game and VIPS, In-ho is cold and mechanical even killing his own brother for the sake of rules. I found In-ho and Oh Il-nam (Player 001) to be interesting because they were the only two characters that transitioned in their roles as "debtors" and "creditors". This shows that being in either group is ultimately meaningless because you are either in financial debt or moral debt, both of which become blurred lines as one transitions to the other.
The fact that Gi-Hun didn't help the drunk homeless man and that when he finally does somewhat make good on his promise to look after the kid, it's by way of dumping him on Jon-shoo's elderly mother, it kinda felt like Gi-Hun and the old guy were broken in similar ways, but to different degrees.
I swear, Gi-Hun literally betting on a human like he's a horse (there very thing he chastises the game runners for) and not opting to aid the man himself to prove that goodness in humanity can begin with oneself, a trait he showed most of the time in the games, is one of the most baffling decisions I can imagine. It was right there! I have to assume it was intentional to draw a parallel like you say, but then I'm left wondering what that is trying to say.
@@PureLionHeart If he saves the man, would it be because he's kind or because he wanted to win the bet?
Add to that, Gi-Hun left the child to languish in a orphanage with no family to visit him for a year while he grieved his mother’s death and dealt with the trauma of the game. Until he left the boy with his childhood friend’s mother and all that money, I thought he’d forgotten about the promise he made. Plus, the little boy’s mother is still stuck in North Korea. Gi-Hun is not a bad guy but he still has some work to do thinking outside of himself. Hope we get to see that happen if we get a Season 2.
@@PureLionHeart Gi Hun lost his hope in humanity so seeing someone help the homeless man gave him back hope and the will to live. Gi Hun suffered decades of PTSD and witness 450+ people dying, including his friends and then his mother. He did not touch his money. Il Nam and the VIPs don't care about life and have lived comfortably for a long time. This whole "Gi Hun became a VIP!" idea completely misses the point of the bet.
@@dearyvettetn4489 I thought the exact same thing, he's a fucked up person, a main character not a moral one.
The real game is: how much time will take to Hollywood copy and paste the series into a garbage western movie?
They already did The Hunger Games. And the battle royale genre has already been used for a bunch of video games too.
I bet Disney is going to come up with The Game of the Octopus
K-dramas are out there since the late 90's, I don't think this one will make Hollywood start the copy-paste presses.
@@cartermariano no K-Drama has ever made a mainstream splash like this until now, you're being naive if you think American media corporations haven't noticed and won't start trying to copy the formula.
@@pan-semitistcommunist4181 actualy they already started they adapted old boy in 2014 and adapting train to Buson right now
Kinda ironic that the sponsor is a service that let's you buy a title/status.
On the contraire, the fact that any people could have titles and for a good cause, it´s a happy and ironic ending of titles themself
@@everyrose3225 No because it inherently would uphold a hierarchy (if titles actually meant anything)
While watching the show I kept saying to myself "this shit about equality in the game makes no fucking sense" and then on like episode 5 I was like "Oh right thats the point you idiot" lol
I still have lots of problems w the show, but overall I would recommend it.
Great episode btw!
Guy with gun hemos you: YOU are all Equal.
Yeah it was never equal for the players, only for the gamblers. The horse race is fair and equal for all horses.
@@Poadiup Exactly, the glass-maker in episode 7, proof that its not fair. He had knowledge from his own merit. But since they had missed that as a point in his dossier, they didn't have any bets on him, so they actively changed the game to remove that advantage he had. Basically showing that the uber-rich will change the rules so they always come out on top.
@@TheRedAzuki Isn't that part of the point? Those in power claim that they got there via a method available to everyone. As soon as someone outside of their group starts their progress, they do everything possible to close the paths.
@@Andrew-ff3is The glass wasn't beneath their feet, it was above their heads all along...
I appreciate this channel challenging concepts like perpetual debt, systems that have been so normalized but objectively are downright savage.
One thing I thought was interesting is that the show didn’t really make it clear that only 1 person would be winning. Like with the hunger games you already know everyone in the game is dying besides the protagonist. Squid games had me thinking at first that like 10-20 people could win and split it
Same
exactly, hence its unfair to the couple participating it.
Yeah, maybe i am recalling bad or was a mistranslation, but the cop found a list of winners from another year and it was quite long. And the last game was a team game, i meant, come on!
They could have, that’s why the last game was a team game. Everyone just assumed they had to kill eachother, it was something they thought up themself, but killing others outside of the game did not actually help them.
@@jessicav931 I thought through the interference of the Cop that multiple people would escape the Squid Game. But that didn't come into fruition.
"Here, every player gets to play a fair game under the same conditions". Finalist effectively killed after passing the game because the hosts wanted to show off and destroy the glass before the winners were a safe distance away.
This infuriated me. She did everything right and was killed over nothing - but I guess that's probably a metaphor for how you can do everything right in life and still get fucked over. Same with the glass maker right before. He had an advantage because of his skills that he developed in life and then they changed the rules on him at the last second. His advantage was no different than the strength or intelligence advantages other people had in the game. Both of them got a completely raw deal
@@robcampbell3387 Yup, the fairness was seemingly never a real goal. The goal was entertainment, and the fairness an excuse.
I knew you would quote Graeber, his book on the topic of debt is phenomenal. RIP
Please explain to me who Graeber is.
@@unfortunatewitnessX Here you go buddy. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Graeber
I didn' know him either but his thoughts seem worth investigating in.
I love how South Korea, a country we always were told was a prosperous capitalist nation, is now setting the tone for anti capitalist discourse on mainstream pop culture. It still freaks me out how capitalism is able to absorb everything to a point it can even turn its critics into merchandise, but I feel there's something refreshing about how Korean films are portraying class struggle. I hope these productions can move the needle a bit in how we talk about this broken system.
What made this story so compelling was when in episode 2 they decide to quit, only to come back. They came back despite knowing the nature of the game; that was raw. Any show could have had them trapped from the beginning, but we would feel much more pity for them if that was the case. By coming back we do not have as much sympathy for the contestants, and yet we all seem to get it. "It's just as bad out there as it is in here".....
The combination of gambling and debt is so freaking cruel that i find it barbaric and i feel thats the most relatable thing about the show. It is brutal.
"In the 21st century, the World will learn Korean language, culture and civilization!"( in 1909, Korean religious philosopher, Gang, Zeung-San)
How did Koreans succed a this
Amazing!
Uh no. I watch this movie in english dub lol. Not many ppl interested in korean stuff tbh.
i'm pretty sure this is survival bias. Almost very language has this saying but we only talk about 1% of languages that eventually made it and think the prediction was true all along
Eastern Civilisation is Superior to Western Civilsation.
The West might be a proud eagle, maybe even a fire dragon. But the East is an immortal lung dragon, and really, that is true as China and it's surrounding regions never experienced anything like the Bronze Age collapse, or the Fall of the Roman Empire. Those were like Strokes that have fucked up the Morality and wisdom of the West and why it will fall again in the form of America's implosion. That's what most people underestimate about China. It wouldn't matter if they are communism, fuedalist, capitalist, or callathumpian. They'll always be a massive united Civilisation posing as a Nation. It's one of the five original fertile valley civilisations, and it's still there. That's terrifying.
JUSTICE FOR MY BOY, ALI!
But it's stupid to go into debt...
That being said, I'm now going to buy myself a Lord title with money that I don't have.
Oh man I highly appreciate you for saying this 👏
Imagine if we all went on strike and never paid universities a dime till they had no choice but to fold. Too bad people still willingly enroll
@@iheartjbgccb imagine living in a country where university is free...
The USA could have this system too.
@@JustsomeSteve It's never really free, but I get what you're sayinf and it's true
The real winners of the Squid Game are friends we find along the way. Wait! That saying does not work for the Squid Game.
And yet, considering that the last game was a team game it was absurd only two persons arrive to the end. The final should had been those two vs the gang dude, recalling their childhood, when they were still equals
I literally binged watched this series after I came home from the E.R. for a possible heart attack, not before waving rights to an ambulance, then finding out after discharge it cost $250 for being there for less than 3 hours. That's another debt added to student loans, unpaid medical bills. etc. Also putting me still at an F rating on my credit score. Society really prepares the crime.
Well... American society. Even most third world countries have universal healthy care... South Korea included.
@@rsrocha1984 it's funny because the translations inaccurately stated in the second episode that Gi-Huns mom didn't have insurance to get her diabetic feet treated. So I'm wondering what was the sole reason she refused to go to the hospital.
@@JimmyJojoshabadoo Yeah, I talk about this in other comment. I think it was Netflix trying to appeal to an american audience. I know the show is Korean, but the same think happen in a brazilian show (O Mecanismo). They do something (the equivalent of a US Marshal in Brazil being very poor, but they are actually very well pay and have a high middle class salary) that it was only to appeal to foreign audience because all brazilians would immediadly know as bullshit (the amount public servants are pay in Brazil is a very contencious subject here). The show didnt hit outside Brazil, but when doing original shows Netflix has always foreign audience in mind. So I imagine they put him being very poor because in the US is more like that.
@@JimmyJojoshabadoo I think Parasite had more a focus in the kind of critic that Wisecrack try to force into Squid Game. All the south Korean players that we met are in their dire situation because of their on decision, the "system" didnt throw them there. Gi-hun steal from his own mother to bet on horses. Sang woo steal from his clients and risk his mother business in the process. The only ones who were not there because of their own fault, are the immigrants, something that I find very interesting and probably it was meant to signal a criticism of xenofobic behavior (that it is very present in South Korean sociaty as far as I know). I think if Wisecrack was not so focus in trying to fit the "capitalism is bad" message in all of their videos they would have notice that.
@@rsrocha1984 the thing is i already knew South Korea had free Healthcare. I'm upset that companies like Netflix underestimate the viewing audience is much more smarter than that. I would be more happy if translations told the story in accuracy. It's only the ignorant who don't really bother to look up the customs in another country.
I was waiting for the Wisecrack video on Squid Game, it was worth it
"Should we all dye our hair and burn everything to the ground? Kinda yeah."
Oof
Hell yeah, times like these i take refuge in the final scene of Fight Club
Why not to hire a millennial, in two sentences.
Wouldn't it be wild that we all worldwide die our hairs red as a way to protest against this global BS system?
And wouldn't it be wild that then banks start betting on red hair die companies to try and make profit of our expressed rage?
Ugh................ How much I hate the market 😒
The revolution will -not be televised- be television.
The church I grew up in said “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”… so I guess my church was more b&e than debt
Actually that's the Lord's Prayer, mostly used in Roman or Orthodox Catholic, and rarely used by other Christian denomination.
The show Moral Oral actually had an episode about two Christians that clash over the "proper" way to say the prayer.
@@wyvrusgriffion3948 it’s the exact same prayer isn’t it? The Lord’s Prayer, debt or trespasser can be swapped. I grew up southern baptist and parents switched the Methodist, both said trespass. Maybe it’s location based?
@@cherylpyodeamedha9346 I love that show
@@mooselove it's sooooo good. Season 3 made me cry so many times.
I'd like to point out that Gihun won each game at the very last second, kind of how working class people survive their financial situations but just barely. His number's the last, too.
just finished it, now i can catch up on all the internet ive been avoiding for spoilers
Saaaame
"Hit that subscribe button like you're taking the last marble from your wife," cmon man, too soon 😭
Sometimes it’s so scary specially as someone freshly walking into real adult life. I’ve managed to avoid student loan debt but there seems to be no way to a avoid house debt. Unless I want to lose money over years to save up to buy a house I will almost always have to get into debt to acquire something that will continue on to my family and generations. It’s a scary thought. It’s like this whole system was made for people who were just born with money.
Don't forget deciding to have a child. Giving birth to one can be $10,000 in a hospital. Don't forget added costs for assistants like having an epidural if your wife is in pain while giving birth. Even a woman is released less than 2 days and billed heavily, even when she hasn't completely passed everything in her body. Only the high staus have the best access to everything.
@@JimmyJojoshabadoo sorry but this is mostly only in the US as far as the first world countries go. Healthcare is not prohibitively expensive everywhere else for the middle class.
"It’s like this whole system was made for people who were just born with money."
THAT'S A BINGO!
Mate you don't need a house. Just dollar cost average into a US index fund tracking the S&P 500. Vangard ETF works well and has very very low fees. It's only the ignorant that think buying a house is the only way to accumulate wealth.
@@thelawgameplaywithcommenta2654 can you imagine that most people don't buy a house to accumulate wealth but just won't to have a place they can cal home that is truly there's?
Could anyone give some insight on the show with regards to Lacan's theory of desires? I noticed it was on the front man's desk when his brother first looked for him at his rinky little apartment
Omg I was waiting for your guys take on this.
I was watching the series like “I have so much to talk about with my RUclips video essayists about this!!”
"Society continued to function like normal" over the last two years, eh? Riiiiight
The phrase dog-eat-dog comes to mind with this show. Sometimes you have to screw people over to come out ahead, Sang Woo understood this. If it was either your life or someone else's, you don't know how you would act in that situation. Ali trusted Sang Woo and thought they were friends. We've all been Ali or Sang Woo at one time in our lives. Feelings aside,, none of us can say we wouldn't have done the same thing Sang Woo would've done in the marble game.
Ahh I’ve been waiting for this.
Me too
💜💜💜
An interesting thing is that while you are playing children’s games you are temporarily safe: this is an allegory to how we are relatively sheltered from the expectation of labor and working. After all, you are kids, you’re not expected to be paying rent and being forced to work for food.
Imagine you made Kaiji Ultimate Survivor and all everyone knows is this instead.
0:53 zawa...ZAWA...
Edit: I did like how both Kaiji and Squid Game showed the debtors sympathetic lives outside the 1st game and how they reluctantly walk back to the gallows after they realize that their outside debt filled lives are nothing more than borrowed time.
Dying right now
This, I watched that like 10 months ago and thought it was decent, when this story came out it is like a nearly exact copy like WTF
Both are good but Kaiji did it better
Doubting quality of wisecrack research team how could they miss its a kaiji rip off. How similar does the story has to be.
I really thought the honesty was going raw here and that you were gonna be all
"Are we all prisoners of debt? And spoiler alert: Yes"
I am from Norway, and I really struggled with relating to the peoples situations, but I know from some Webtoons how bad it can be. I am glad it became popular, I just hope it sparks a wish for change
Don't worry, things definitely do suck pretty much everywhere.
Don't worry; you're from norway, you beautiful bastard.
Are you bragging?
@@Halcon_Sierreno Oh yeh, definently /s
Really I identified with the main character almost immediately. I was thinking I can’t wait for my mom to see this so she can see how much it sucks being an adult forced to take money from your parents because all your career attempts have been unsuccessful.
Anyone else appreciate the steak scene at the triangular table? If you pay attention, Ji-yeong has didn’t touch the steak, leaving all the meat on the bone, Gi-Hun still had some meat left, and Sang-woo was left with only the bone. I like to think that this is used to show who still has the most humanity by the end. Considering their reasons for the game, it also makes sense since Ji-Yeongs reason for money is selfless, Gi-Huns is well intended, and Sang-woos is to save his own skin. Although, you could argue the system itself lead all them to a point of zero humanity by even playing the game in the first place.
And before Sang Woo had been coy about eating. Like he was on IF or Keto or something. Or maybe it was linked to his suicidal depression.
"Who really wins?" Us, the viewers, obviously. Also the creators and actors of the show because they must be getting so many offers thanks to this show becoming an international phenomenon.
We viewers don´t win, just learn that there is no escape
The more people aware of the system, the more chance of change
Battle Royale from Japan, 13: Beloved from Thailand, and now Squid Game from South Korea...my faves!
Whether they meant it or not this show also makes one more statement: you gotta have debt to even play the game. This is to say people without a house or students loans are extra spicy screwed. Sorry people who rent you are even more alienated than the rest of us.
there are a few references to another big movies too. I identified "Empire Strikes Back", when the undercover police falls from the cliff after finding out his brother is actually the front man. The most obvious reference is "Saw" when the game's main boss is actually has brain cancer.
🎵No one really wins this time🎵
Hi, have always absolutely loved each episode of yours! It would also be amazing if you guys can link up articles/sources in an archive section and can link it (not necessarily for free). Cheers!
Who really wins? The rich people. Next question.
Are you going to finish that cheesecake?
I’ve noticed a theme in a couple of pieces of media. There is an idea of purity and corruption. In order to survive one has to corrupt themself beyond what society would accept. This is most exemplified in the platform.
Squid game had a similar theme but broke the mould a little bit with a greater reverence for personal autonomy.
Would be interesting to see a meta media analysis of these themes.
Okay but for similarities though nothing beats how close kaiji is to squid game
Okay but that lordship promo is the only sponsor is the only ad I’m ever going to buy
I justo HATE owing ANYONE ANYTHING.
Looks like I "dodge a bullet" there
True, but I think the show goes beyond just financial debt.
It illustrates other debts incurred between family members and friends.
We all recognize that when someone does us a favor, we pay it back in some form or another.
Gi-Hung gives half the winnings to Sang-Woo's mother. Old man loses on purpose to save Gi-Hun. Etc...
In that pursuit of not owing anyone anything, you will inevitably owe someone something.
Right before winter break a bunch of my students during recess were playing Red Light Green Light for the first time and referred to it as "Squid Game"
My favorite part about the super in depth talks about this show is always the rich Americans watching…you do realize there other people there right ahhaha
There was definitely a dialogue by a VIP that was in Chinese, so I am assuming they are from different countries.
@@MacrosFTW I thought the same thing: I picked a british accent from one of them.
So... Here's an interesting thing. It's not necessarily Christianity, but Protestantism. In Catholicism "debts" is "sins" and "debtors" is "those who sin against us". I think Calvinism is the starting point for this, not Christianity, especially given the religious makeup of South Korea.
All of this does not make sense because they are not talking financially but spiritually in fact most forms of Christianity are very anti usury he obviously hates Christianity
The show DP also makes reference to the debt problem in South Korea
DP?
ah yes debt, the uniquely korean problem lol
Note: at the start, Seong Gi-hun has NO sense of guilt over his debt. He is a compulsive gambler and is manic with his modest win and gives/throws away money, forgetting the larger prior losses. His reasons for debt are the least defensible. He wasn't forced into debt to save another person. My interpretation of his character is that if he had simply bet on the absolute right horse in episode 1 in a non-Squid game and won enough to pay off his debts and live comfortably, he would go right back and bet it again and again until it was all lost. As such, most would say no one is responsible for Seong Gi-hun's debt problem but Seong Gi-hun and the only resolution would be for someone else to hold his money and give him an allowance. Unless you want to envision a world where no one will give Seong Gi-hun any credit through a legal bank loan or less legal bookie loan.
To me, it does beg the question, why would a bookie (or a bank) advance more money to a person than they could plausibly pay back? Beatings can recover only a portion of the money, and further beating Seong Gi-hun does not actually recover more money unless the lender sees a scenario where Seong Gi-hun would be in a position to steal or get into an illegal business (if desperate enough) and give the money to the lender.
Or simply that the lender is a sadist and the loan is simply a transaction where the lender buys the rights to send someone to beat up Seong Gi-hun because it brings the lender joy to do so. This principle seems to be represented metaphorically by the recruiter who pays in cash and collects in slaps, establishing a negotiable value of humiliation.
Great Video, I was wondering if others would tap in on that stuff about faith in the series.
I do feel like there is a misunderstanding of "Debt to Sin" in Christianity as Christ is the one who covers our debt, having forgiven all of and taken on that debt in Crucifixion. When that Prayer is prayed it's asking us to as Christ did to forgive those who wronged us. Christians aren't to treat God like a debt Collector in the sky, but as a liberator from our debts to sin.
But to be fair to WiseCracked the Characters in Squid Game who profess faith, both in and out of the Game certainly treat existence as a whole as a great big payday loan on which Collection Day is coming up.
As someone that was raised in Prosperity Christianity, there are a LOT of Christians that treat God the same way as they do in Squid Game.
I always understood it as God the father being the debt collector and Christ Jesus being the liberator, but I suppose different sects have different understandings of the mythos.
@@brenatevi Let me affirm your comment, You hit the nail on the head, I can't pretend that there aren't tonnes Christians who do treat God like that. In fact I remember hearing songs like that growing up.
However. 1)I don't think that it's a supported position from scripture. Especially in the minds of the 1st Century Judean audience who would have heard the Lord's Prayer and understood it fitting into their tradition of gratitude and example. 2) I'm sure that mentality comes from ages of the church looking for ways to control people.
(Thanks for the comment)
@@fabsmaster5309 Surely it's the devil who's the debt collector. That's one of the things that's never really added up to me about it. The devil's supposed to be the antithesis and enemy of God, yet he's clearly doing God's dirty work symbiotically, punishing the people whom God deems unworthy.
@@sdastoryteller3381 What's this debt that Christ writes off? Apparently, we incurred it just by being created - by God. We're all marked from the get-go by original sin, which is why we allegedly can't make it into heaven without asking Christ to forgive us. Pretty nice little power game they've got going here, asking us to be grateful for writing off a debt we never even signed up for in the first place.
I spent my 1 day off binging this show just because I saw there was a Wisecrack video about it... Worth it! Actually, I've kind of come to rely on channels like this to learn when there's something worth watching anyway.
Also I heard in an article the Gaurds with the masks are made to represent the Universal Conscription in south korea and hands of the state at large
The fact that the sponsorship for this episode is to buy a Scottish lordship title is fucking incredible.
As a fellow Korean man they all have very pretty hair
Envious of Michael rockin' those cool tie-dyes... Keep up the good work, Wisecrack!
no matter who won we all wanted number 67 to win
Nah, 199 deserved it most
@@dispater101 sorry but he was a fucking idiot for getting duped like that. i don't think "deserve" is the right word
@@AlaskaBoyAlex yea 199 was annoying asf
12:52 - Bait & Switch. You didn't show how me succeeding in my middle-classness caused someone else to lose.
He’s not talking about wage owners
@@andrewd2534 - So, am I not "winning?"
@@jdpalm1981 you’re not playing. “Playing” would be starting a business in this metaphor
Netflix.. netflix wins
I’ve been waiting for you guys to post a squid game video
Thanks Wisecrack
After watching multiple theory videos, the only thing no one ever seems to notice, is that one of the VIPs is Japanese.
Christianity isn't about repaying debts. Grace is freely given, and unearned
Yeah...i wouldn't look to Wisecrack for an accurate representation of Christianity or Christian principles, especially from Michael.
Bullshit, sin is the debt and it's earned by not obeying. Obedience, giving up your will to God, is the price of "grace".
@@slickestrick4117 that’s not how Christian belief structures work. Christian structures do not include Karmic systems.
It still doesn't matter because all of that is not financially talking but spiritually Christianity in fact hates usury
@@slickestrick4117 1) Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." No amount of works or obedience can pay the debt of Sin, by design.
2) Even if works could somehow pay the debt it does not return one into communion with God. It's through mercy that God doesn't Thanos-style snap us to hell. It's through his grace (and Christ) that the debt is paid and we can return to perfect communion with God.
Came straight to HERE when I finished this💜
Totally relate to "fck Sang Woo and we will never forgive him for what he did!!"
He played the game the whole time Ali was gullible AF no different than survivors or Big Brother sung wu played within the rules he was the only one thinking logically
@@siege824s8 he wasn't playing "the game," he fucking *_cheated._* Ali won the marble game, fair and square and lucky. Sang-Woo then _took advantage of Ali's identity and experience_ as a transactional worker with (implied) low educational level, a stranger in a strange land with almost no native friends, a man who has been conditioned to being obequiesece to the majority (native Korean in this case), and a kind guy who so rarely received kindness from a native that Sang-Woo's minimal gestures made Ali think he's a beneficent friend who also happens to be a genius.
Seriously, Sang-Woo first angrily accused Ali for "cheating" (he didn't), making him panicked because Ali didn't want Sang-Woo to die too. Then he capitalized the man's trust on his ingenuity and friendship.
If Sang-Woo played by "logic" then Sang-Woo would know that *by logic* he lost, he has to die, and he could have told Ali about his mom and asked him to take care of her in his stead. I have seen this defense of Sang-Woo enough, guys; let's not conflate "logic" with guile now.
And also, let's not pretend that if we were strangers in strange land the way Ali was, we're often the ones being cheated out the most by natives and the system they had grown up and adapted to. Even Sang-Woo could potentially be an Ali if he's in Pakistan or India or anywhere outside Korea. That's the thing. We are all liable to be Ali, whether we're too Dunning-Krueger to deny it or we accept it.
@@lyndiss.2017 the rule stated win your opponent marbles how ever youcan just cant use violence Ali got played and if uou have that same naivete in a place were your life is on the line you wont last long morality gets blurred when your trying to survive
@@lyndiss.2017 Sang-Woo didn't owe Ali anything. His goal was to survive, and he used everything to his advantage. Ali was gullible and let his emotions, compassion for Sang-Woo in this case, overcome his reason. Also, the marble game had no rules beyond "No Violence" so fair play to Sang-Woo for being sly enough to deceive Ali. It is what it is.
@@lyndiss.2017 The only important element I see in your interaction with Siege824's is that if you knew his identity, you already know that he/she is someone you can't and should never trust based on his adamant defense of the Sang-Woo character. Clearly, he/she identifies with Sang-Woo and thus legitimates his behavior.That kind of person who gives you the benefit of the doubt in revealing who they truly are, is a gift in of itself that you cannot allow to pass by. The best thing to do with that kind of toxic human specimen is to ostracize them from your life the moment they reveal who they truly are.
As a Scandinavian, it's sounds insane that you become indebted for life just for studying. Here, out governments give us money to study. Because they've reached the obvious conclusion that an educated population benefits society more than an uneducated one.
To me it's always outrageous the amount of money US citizens have to pay for education and how they allow such a billionaire scam to continue.
It was rather less expensive before the government got involved. My mom got her nursing degree and a full career with no debt whatsoever.
I was waiting for Wisecrack to talk about squid games for a while
HA! jokes on you, I watched it in two sittings cause I had to go to work halfway through.
Love that all the adverts while I'm watching this are for gambling websites. 😂
You're taking debt far too literally in the biblical sense. While debt is typically associated with money, debt is simply a term for owing something to someone. That can be money, a favor, an object, or simply your gratitude.
@@indi4091 "forgive us our offenses" for spanish speakers.
Squid Game like Battle Royale is the reflection
of highly competitive society in East Asia
most notably, in Japan and South Korea.
Unpopular opinion: Sangwoo only did what he had to do and was real in his survival instinct.
He was a real one at least. Extreme, but realistic how fucked up some people are
Impecable timing, finished the last episode 5 min ago
It's interesting how everyone working on the game are treated as badly as the contestants, and in the eyes of the foreigners, even the guy in black is just another employee, someone who was put in charge but is bound by the limitations imposed by the Americans.
Lee Byung-hun is one of the most talented South Korean actors, and it was sad how Hollywood cast him in a third-rate action movie playing the part of a Japanese character. Talk about disrespect.
I feel like dismissing the portrayal of player 1, the one who made the game with 'aw poor rich guy feels bad' made this quite myopic. There's alot to dig into there
I get you. Il Nams point about his clients saying they don't find any joy in life is relatable. I'm not rich at all lol, but talking to people in life , you get that general feeling and I guess this comment section reveals that aspect too. A simple how's it going will be answered almost too similarly lacking some enthusiasm either due to pressures of work or life in general. Wisecrack does not dig into it too much but he does comment that we all sort of know money won't absolve us of our problems. It creates newer problems.
Yeah. It seems trivial and almost childish. But that kinda is Number Ones brand. I mean Oh Il Nam means number one. Listen to the dub
This show was great. Made me cry like a little girl more than once. Kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Hopefully they'll do a squid games 2
They set up the story for a 2nd season, so it’s very likely
@@maynase I've heard that the show's creators are extremely exhausted just thinking about what to do for a season 2. Like any GOOD or even decent show, the creative well dries up after season one so I'm wondering if they'll be able to top season one...
@@robeyhairston3298 the show had been trying to greenlit for a decade and was probably a deal and few months of writing away from being done throughout the whole time. the creator being exhausted likely is because during that decade he had to resort to stuff like selling his laptop to make ends meet, i’m sure after fighting for a decade to ive us this masterpiece he most likely just wants to enjoy getting to finally relax, that said i absolutely believe creativity he is far from gassed out and when they get together to do season 2 i don’t see it being too far from now, and probably even better somehow than season 1 now that he doesn’t have to work to live and rather gets to work simply because he loves his work. regardless, I CANT WAIT!
@CEO of Secularism it took the creator the past ten years to get it greenlit, he was selling his laptop just to eat at one point, that said i think finally getting to work for the love of it rather than because you have to survive will allow him to blossom as a director and writer, i think season 2 will be even better. he displayed an amazing ability to incorporate messaging thru every aspect of that masterpiece.
@@grantkistel3411 I'm hoping that they won't rush the sequel. It should come outta nowhere like this season. What I mean by that is that they shouldn't hype it up but let the word of mouth spread just as it was the case with season 1.
Ali, is calling him Big Brother in the marble scene- he has moved from calling him and referring to him formally as boss to brother big brother to be exact
To me, the revolution will be two sided. So until the working class realize they don't need a $1500 iphone from the richest company on earth, when they don't even make that in a month, the struggle will always continue. Live in balance, then raise the balance. That's been the key for me after a decade of drowning in debt.
Performed surgery on myself for the first time today.
What a relief I won’t be paying out of pocket for an elective procedure.
I find it kind of ironic that the advertisement given is literally wasting money just to feel good with oneself. The video criticizes capitalism but at the same time supports it...
This channel in a nutshell.
Land conservation and sustainability are wastes of money?
Are you fucking serious.
there is no correct live in the wrong. butchered Ardorno there a little bit but it's hard to translate.
"You critize capitalism but you.. exist" I´ve done with that argument lately
The commodification of anti-capitalism. You should read Capitalist realism.
"Did you know how we stopped paying back our debt for almost 2 years and nothing bad happened and society continued to function like normal, weird how that worked out"
Didn't realize how based Michael is
I didnt know you can take someone else property without paying them back, so based
@@DaedricFaZe we literally made up money and private property, so you’re correct it literally doesn’t mean anything other than hurt feefees for a few hoarders.
The fuck does that stupid ass term "based" mean? It looks like you're not completing your sentence more than anything.
@@robeyhairston3298 same, went all over reddit to figure it out. They all just say check urban dictionary. "A word used when you agree with something; or when you want to recognize someone for being themselves, i.e. courageous and unique or not caring what others think. Especially common in online political slang."
@@robeyhairston3298 based
loveeee the tag for this video
“did you notice how we stopped paying back our debt for like two years and nothing bad happened” - wisecrack “U.S. inflation accelerated last month and remained at its highest rate in over a decade” - WSJ
Loved this episode. Could have gone for a better analogy for hitting the subscribe button like, I dunno, when the characters actually hit a button to vote, but that's just me lmao
I think that your missing the cultural context of that passage. Also, its often translated and definitely understood as "trespasses." Its relational debts and not financial which makes way more sense.
Its honestly a laughably bad take...
The thing about the prayer being about debt I think it's only in the version English of the Lord's prayer, because in Portuguese it says "Perdoai as nossas ofensas, assim como nós perdoamos a quem nos tenha ofendido", which translates to "forgive our *offenses* , as we forgive those who *offended* us". "Offense" here meaning someone that did something the was detrimental to us; not just offensive in the strict sense of the word, but in a broader sense of the word.
I'm a horror fan with a degree in finance, no debt and a near perfect credit score. This video was made for me.