When Squid Game debuted in September 2021, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon, capturing global attention with its gripping storyline, vivid characters, and sharp commentary on societal inequality. The series, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, is more than just a survival drama; it’s a complex narrative that explores the darkest corners of human nature, showing what people are willing to do when faced with life-or-death situations. In this blog post, we’ll dissect Squid Game from a screenwriting perspective, using two of the most popular storytelling frameworks: Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat and Dan Harmon’s Story Circle. The former will illustrate the plot breakdown and the latter will illustrate the character development.
Plot Summary
Squid Game follows Seong Gi-hun, a down-and-out chauffeur with a gambling addiction, who is deeply in debt and estranged from his daughter. When he is approached by a mysterious man offering him a chance to win a large sum of money by playing a series of children’s games, Gi-hun reluctantly accepts. He, along with 455 other participants, soon finds himself trapped in a deadly competition where losing a game means losing your life. As the games progress, alliances form, friendships are tested, and the true nature of each participant is revealed. The stakes are not just financial but existential, forcing the players to confront their morals and humanity.
Character Overview
- Seong Gi-hun (Player 456): The protagonist, a struggling father and gambler, who enters the Squid Game to win enough money to solve his financial problems and take care of his family. His journey is one of moral and emotional transformation.
- Cho Sang-woo (Player 218): Gi-hun’s childhood friend and a former investment banker, whose desperation and ambition lead him to make increasingly ruthless decisions in the games.
- Kang Sae-byeok (Player 067): A North Korean defector who joins the game to secure a better future for her younger brother. Her tough exterior hides a deeply compassionate soul.
- Oh Il-nam (Player 001): An elderly man with a terminal illness who participates in the games for the thrill of it. His character plays a pivotal role in the series’ final twist.
- Jang Deok-su (Player 101): A gangster who uses brute force to survive the games, representing the dark side of human nature driven by survival instincts.
- Hwang Jun-ho: A police officer who infiltrates the Squid Game facility to find his missing brother. His subplot adds a layer of mystery and tension to the series.
Save the Cat Breakdown
Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat structure offers a clear roadmap for understanding the key beats of Squid Game. Below, we break down how each beat is represented in the series.
Opening Image
The series begins with a close look at Seong Gi-hun’s dismal life—burdened by debt, living with his sick mother, and struggling to connect with his daughter. This sets the stage for the central theme of desperation and the lengths to which people will go to escape their circumstances.
Theme Stated
Early on, the theme is subtly introduced through Gi-hun’s interactions with his creditors and his mother, highlighting the dehumanizing effects of poverty and the desperation that leads people to make morally questionable decisions.
Set-Up
The first episode lays the groundwork for the series, introducing key characters like Gi-hun, Sang-woo, and Sae-byeok, and showing the dire situations that lead them to participate in the games. This set-up effectively establishes the stakes and motivates the characters’ involvement in the competition.
Catalyst
The catalyst is the moment Gi-hun is approached by the mysterious recruiter in the subway station, offering him a chance to change his life. This pivotal event propels him into the world of the Squid Game.
Debate
The debate phase occurs when the participants are given the choice to leave the game after the first round. Despite the horrific reality of the competition, many, including Gi-hun, choose to return, driven by their desperate situations.
Break into Two
The second act begins when Gi-hun and the others re-enter the game, fully committing to the deadly competition. This marks a shift from their ordinary lives to the extraordinary and dangerous world of the Squid Game.
B Story
The B Story involves the relationships that develop among the players, particularly Gi-hun’s alliances with Sang-woo, Sae-byeok, and Il-nam. These relationships explore themes of trust, betrayal, and the moral complexities of survival.
Fun and Games
This section showcases the various games the participants must play, from Tug of War to the Glass Bridge. Each game escalates the tension and highlights the characters’ resourcefulness and desperation.
Midpoint
The midpoint is marked by the Marbles game, where players are forced to betray their friends and confront the reality of their situation. This is a turning point that intensifies the emotional stakes and underscores the series’ dark themes.
Bad Guys Close In
As the games progress, the competition becomes fiercer, and the players’ true natures are revealed. Sang-woo’s ruthless actions, Deok-su’s aggression, and Gi-hun’s moral dilemmas create a sense of impending doom.
All Is Lost
The All Is Lost moment comes when Gi-hun faces Sang-woo in the final game. The emotional and moral weight of their confrontation highlights the personal cost of survival in the Squid Game.
Dark Night of the Soul
After winning the game, Gi-hun is left alone, grappling with survivor’s guilt and the trauma of what he has experienced. The money, which once seemed like the solution to his problems, now feels hollow and meaningless.
Break into Three
The third act begins with Gi-hun’s attempt to return to normal life, though he struggles with the psychological scars left by the games. The revelation of Il-nam’s role as the mastermind behind the games pushes Gi-hun towards a new resolve.
Finale
In the finale, Gi-hun decides to confront the people behind the Squid Game, signaling his transformation from a passive participant to an active agent of change. He honors the promises he made to his fellow players, indicating his growth and newfound purpose.
Final Image
The final image contrasts with the opening, showing Gi-hun as a changed man. While his future remains uncertain, he now possesses clarity and resolve, shaped by his experiences in the Squid Game.
Dan Harmon’s Story Circle Breakdown
Dan Harmon’s Story Circle is a character-centric framework that emphasizes the protagonist’s transformation through a cyclical journey. Here’s how Squid Game aligns with this structure.
You (Comfort Zone)
Gi-hun begins in a state of financial and emotional despair, stuck in a comfort zone of misery. His life, though far from ideal, is familiar and predictable.
Need (Desire)
Gi-hun’s initial need is financial stability, driven by the desire to take care of his family and escape his mounting debts. This desire propels him into the Squid Game.
Go (Crossing the Threshold)
Gi-hun crosses the threshold into the unknown by accepting the invitation to the Squid Game, leaving his familiar world behind and entering a dangerous, high-stakes environment.
Search (Adaptation)
In the games, Gi-hun adapts to the brutal reality he faces, forming alliances and making difficult moral choices. His character is tested as he learns to navigate the deadly challenges.
Find (Getting What You Wanted)
Gi-hun wins the Squid Game, achieving his initial goal of financial gain. However, the victory is bittersweet, as it comes at the cost of others’ lives and his own moral integrity.
Take (Paying the Price)
The price Gi-hun pays is heavy—survivor’s guilt, emotional trauma, and a profound sense of moral loss. His relationships are shattered, and the money he sought now feels like a burden.
Return (The Road Back)
Gi-hun returns to the real world, but he is deeply changed by his experiences. The trauma haunts him, and he struggles to find peace or purpose in his former life.
Change (Reintegration)
In the final stage of the Story Circle, Gi-hun decides to confront the people behind the Squid Game. This decision reflects his transformation and his resolve to use his experiences to fight against the system that exploited him.
Thematic Analysis
Squid Game is a rich narrative that touches on several profound and relevant themes, making it more than just a survival thriller. Here’s a deeper exploration of the key themes:
Economic Inequality
Squid Game is a biting critique of economic disparity. The series portrays a world where the wealthy have so much power and resources that they can manipulate the lives of the poor for their entertainment. The contestants, all mired in debt and financial despair, are willing to risk their lives for a chance at the prize money, which they believe is their only escape from the crushing weight of their economic circumstances.
- Real-World Parallels: The depiction of financial desperation in the show mirrors the harsh realities of many people around the world who are trapped in cycles of debt and poverty. It reflects how capitalism, in its extreme form, can dehumanize and reduce individuals to mere commodities, valued only for their labor or the entertainment they can provide.
- Critique of Capitalism: The VIPs, who bet on the lives of the contestants as if they were horses in a race, symbolize the ultimate detachment of the ultra-rich from the struggles of ordinary people. The show questions the morality of a system that allows such disparities to exist and critiques the way the rich can exploit the poor without consequence.
Human Nature and Morality
Squid Game also serves as a grim exploration of human nature. The series delves into how extreme circumstances can bring out the best and worst in people, often revealing their true selves.
- Survival Instinct vs. Morality: The games force contestants to make impossible choices, often between their survival and their morality. Characters like Cho Sang-woo exemplify this conflict, as he betrays others to increase his chances of winning, even though it costs him his humanity.
- Trust and Betrayal: The theme of trust is central to the narrative, as alliances are formed and broken throughout the games. The marble game, in particular, is a poignant illustration of how trust can be manipulated and how desperation can lead to betrayal, even between friends.
- Human Dignity: Despite the horrific conditions, some characters, like Ali and Ji-yeong, manage to retain their humanity and dignity, sacrificing themselves for the well-being of others. This contrast highlights the different ways people respond to extreme situations, with some succumbing to their base instincts while others hold on to their principles.
Social Commentary
Beyond the individual stories, Squid Game offers a broader commentary on societal structures and the exploitation of the vulnerable by those in power.
- The Games as a Microcosm of Society: The structure of the games mirrors societal hierarchies, where the wealthy control the lives of the less fortunate. The contestants’ willingness to participate despite knowing the risks reflects the ways people are often forced to navigate systems that exploit and dehumanize them.
- Critique of Spectacle: The show’s portrayal of the games as entertainment for the rich can be seen as a critique of how society often turns suffering into spectacle, whether through reality TV, social media, or other forms of entertainment. It questions the ethics of consuming media that exploits people’s pain for profit or entertainment.
Symbolism and Metaphors
Squid Game‘s narrative is elevated Here are some key symbols and their meanings:
The Masks and Uniforms
The uniforms and masks worn by the guards and VIPs are a powerful symbol of dehumanization and the anonymity of power.
- Dehumanization: The guards’ masks strip them of individuality, making them mere cogs in the machine, enforcing the rules without question. This anonymity allows them to commit atrocities without accountability, reflecting how systems of power can depersonalize those who enforce and those who suffer under their rules.
- Faceless Power: The VIPs, who also wear masks, represent the faceless nature of the elite class. Their masks underscore their detachment and lack of empathy for the players, whom they view as mere objects for entertainment. This symbolizes the often-invisible nature of power in the real world, where those who hold it are insulated from the consequences of their actions.
The Children’s Games
The choice of children’s games as the basis for deadly competitions is a chilling metaphor for the loss of innocence and the brutal realities of life.
- Innocence Turned Deadly: The transformation of innocent games into lethal contests reflects the harsh transition from childhood to adulthood, where the simplicity of play is replaced by the complexities and dangers of the real world. It also highlights how the pressures of survival can corrupt something as pure as a game, turning it into a life-or-death struggle.
- Metaphor for Social Darwinism: The games serve as a metaphor for the survival of the fittest, where only the strongest, smartest, or most ruthless can survive. This reflects the cutthroat nature of capitalist societies, where competition is fierce, and the weak are often left behind.
The Squid Game Itself
The titular Squid Game, with its roots in childhood play, serves as a metaphor for the social and economic systems that govern society.
- A Battle for Survival: The Squid Game, where players must fight to the death, symbolizes the relentless and often brutal competition inherent in capitalist systems. It reflects how people are pitted against each other in a zero-sum game, where one’s success often comes at the expense of another’s downfall.
- The Circular Arena: The circular design of the final game arena could be seen as representing the cyclical nature of poverty and exploitation, where the players are trapped in a system that continually pits them against each other, with no real escape.
Lessons for Screenwriters
In conclusion, Squid Game offers several valuable lessons for screenwriters, particularly in crafting high-stakes drama, character-driven narratives, and blending genre with social commentary.
Crafting High Stakes
One of the most compelling aspects of Squid Game is its ability to keep the audience on edge by constantly raising the stakes.
- Escalating Tension: Each game increases in intensity and danger, pushing characters to their limits and forcing them to make increasingly difficult decisions. This constant escalation is key to maintaining viewer engagement and can be a valuable technique for screenwriters to employ in their own work.
- Personal Stakes: Beyond the physical danger, the show also raises the personal stakes for each character, tying their participation in the games to their personal backstories and motivations. This adds a layer of emotional depth, making the audience care more about the outcomes of the games.
Character-Driven Storytelling
Despite its high-concept premise, Squid Game is fundamentally a character-driven story.
- Complex Characters: The series’ success lies in its well-developed characters, each with their own motivations, flaws, and arcs. Screenwriters can learn from how Squid Game uses its characters to explore broader themes, ensuring that the narrative remains grounded in human emotion and conflict.
- Moral Ambiguity: The show avoids clear-cut heroes and villains, instead presenting characters who are morally complex and often make questionable decisions. This ambiguity adds realism and depth to the narrative, making the story more engaging and relatable.
Balancing Genre with Social Commentary
Squid Game masterfully blends the thriller genre with pointed social commentary, creating a narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
- Genre Blending: The series uses the familiar structure of a survival thriller to explore deeper issues like economic inequality and human nature. Screenwriters can take note of how Squid Game balances these elements, ensuring that the social commentary enhances the story rather than overshadowing it.
- Universal Themes: By focusing on universal themes such as survival, morality, and the struggle for dignity, Squid Game resonates with a global audience. Screenwriters can learn the importance of grounding their stories in themes that are both timely and timeless, ensuring their work has broad appeal.