5 things viewers dislike about Squid Game: The suspicion of plagiarism is still less irritating than Lee Jung Jae’s talent being wasted!

The recently released Korean TV blockbuster Squid Game has received mixed reactions. These are the reasons why viewers are mad at the series!

After Hospital Playlist 2 ended, Squid Game is probably the most anticipated Korean TV blockbuster in September. With the theme of a deadly survival game rarely seen in Korea with the participation of a popular cast, Squid Game attracted viewers’ attention right from the first trailers.

Despite getting positive reviews on the idea, well-invested set, and acting, Squid Game still makes many fans dissatisfied with the plot holes. Here are 5 problems that cause viewers to be disappointed with Squid Game.

1. The supposedly creative storyline turns out to be similar to 3 classic survival productions, the ending is also suspected of plagiarising the famous horror film series

Viewers don’t have to be an expert to notice the similarities between some of the rounds in Squid Game and those in Japanese productions such as As The Gods Will and Liar Game. Specifically, the first round of when the players are not allowed to move when being “watched” by the doll is almost identical to As The Gods Will. The round where players have to jump on glass panels is also “similar” to the manga version of this Japanese movie.

Although the director of Squid Game stated that the series’s script was completed in 2009 while As The Gods Will was released in 2014, this explanation is still not able to convince the audience.

The “shocking” twist at the end of the series is also very similar to the classic twist of the horror film series Saw. Therefore, those who have watched Saw will be surprised but not impressed.

2. The game rounds are based only on luck, intellectual factors or actions are “ignored”, making it less thrilling to watch

Famous survival films and series around the world such as As The Gods Will, Liar Game, Hunger Games or Alice in Borderland all require players to brainstorm and think carefully to overcome deadly challenges. Or they are supposed to be action-packed, showing the characters’ impressive escapes or use of physical strength.

Squid Game has the opportunity to combine these two elements. Even two actors Lee Jung Jae and Park Hae Soo are very famous in the action genre, but the series refuses to take advantage of this. Throughout all the games, the characters only rely on luck to win. The tug of war match does show the use of “tricks” to win, but it is still quite superficial and not convincing enough. This round also exposes a “plot hole” when the final twist is revealed.

3. The annoying main character

The main character Ki Hun (Lee Jung Jae) is described as a warm, kindhearted person who has bad luck in life.  There is nothing wrong with this, except that throughout the 9 episodes, Ki Hun does not have a significant character development in terms of change in personality and outlook on life. The fact that this character hesitates before everything (and even has no talent) for many episodes makes viewers feel irritated and tired. Meanwhile, the supporting characters in Squid Game are more interesting and have many special talents.

4. The organizers and the game scale are too loose, issues constantly occur 

Squid Game is organized by a mysterious force with a huge source of money, the scale and facilities are “top notch”. However, this organization should invest more in security and human resources.

Players in Squid Game have a variety of ways to smuggle items into the arena. They can also cheat in the game. The organization is easily infiltrated by a police officer, and even after knowing there is an intruder, it is still impossible to detect him. There is even an underground organ selling network operating in the series.

This element is something new, but also shows the weakness that goes against the flow of logic of Squid Game.

5. The pace of the series is too slow, includes many life lessons but viewers can’t absorb

One of the most prominent complaints that audiences have for Squid Game is that the series has a too slow pace. Many scenes on the sidelines are not really necessary, as well as the characters talking back and forth on morality take up a lot of time but the meaning is not successfully conveyed.

The ambition of the Squid Game’s director can be clearly seen when he wants to establish a drama that not only focuses on the survival theme but also reflects humanity and society. However, that is not what the viewers expected. The slow pace of the series combined with the irritating characters can’t help Squid Game leave a good impression on many viewers.

Despite its weaknesses, Squid Game is still well received by international viewers. The series has a viewership rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, a decent score of 8.1 on Douban. The series is considered a great effort of Korean television in the survival genre, which is very new to this country.

Squid Game is now available on Netflix.