With Squid Game Season 3 dropping on Netflix this June 27, the global phenomenon is making its highly anticipated return. What began as a grim survival story has now become Netflix’s most-watched series of all time, setting a standard for psychological thrillers. Yet behind the show’s iconic visuals and cut throat games lies a collection of lesser-known, deeply unsettling facts that cast the show in an even darker light. Here are 10 facts that might leave you more than a little uncomfortable.
1. Gi Hun’s Story Is Based on Reality
The character of Gi Hun reflects real-life events, particularly the 2009 SsangYong Motor strike in South Korea. Over 2,600 employees were laid off, leading to mass protests. Director Hwang Dong Hyuk said the moment Gi Hun is fired mirrors this event, showing how middle-class individuals can plunge into despair overnight.
2. Inspired by a Real Internment Camp
The show’s eerie island setting parallels the notorious Brother’s Home in Busan, a real internment camp from the 1970s–80s. Thousands of poor civilians were forcibly detained and abused under the guise of cleansing society. Survivors describe being dragged away in blue tracksuits—eerily similar to the show's imagery.
3. Multiple Rejections Due to Disturbing Parallels
Squid Game was rejected for over a decade, partly because of its controversial resemblance to places like Brother’s Home. The similarities—uniforms, dorm-style housing, and deadly “games”—were too uncomfortable for many studios to touch.
4. Real Fear on Set
During the glass bridge challenge, actors were made to run across real glass panels elevated above ground. The aim? To trigger authentic fear. Director Hwang wanted genuine reactions, not acted ones, making the emotional intensity all too real.
5. Organ Harvesting Subplot Mirrors Reality
The grisly subplot involving illegal organ trade is not pure fiction. It draws from real global reports of black-market organ harvesting, underlining how economic despair can drive people into horrifying underground industries.
6. Real News Clip Used in Finale
Season 1’s finale includes a genuine South Korean news segment about rising household debt, adding stark realism. The debt crisis theme wasn’t just dramatic flair—it’s based on a documented national issue.
7. Actor O Yeong Su’s Criminal Conviction
Player 001, played by Golden Globe winner O Yeong Su, was convicted of sexual misconduct in 2022, earning a suspended prison sentence. The revelation shocked fans and stained the series' legacy.
8. Troubled Cast Histories
Many lead actors, including Lee Byung Hun and Lee Jung Jae, have faced controversies ranging from DUI to sexual harassment. Critics questioned whether fame excused past misconduct.
9. The Red Light, Green Light Doll Is Real
Young-hee, the creepy animatronic doll, exists in a museum in Jincheon County. Based on old schoolbook characters, the doll’s presence adds an uncanny layer to the show’s realism.
10. Clues Were Hidden in Plain Sight
Throughout the series, players could have spotted pictograms of each game on their dorm walls. As beds were removed, murals were revealed—showing that every deadly challenge had been foreshadowed from the beginning.
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