Real-life violence that inspired Squid Game left countless dead, survivors were ‘frustrated’ by Netflix show

The Ssangyong strikes of 2009, which engulfed a car factory in Korea, were the inspiration behind Netflix’s Squid Game.

A factory turned into a battlefield, riot police armed with tasers and an activist who spent 100 days atop a chimney — the unrest that inspired Netflix’s most successful show ever has all the hallmarks of a TV drama.

This month sees the release of the second season of Squid Game, a dystopian vision of South Korea where desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children’s games for a massive cash prize. (Also read: Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk likens show’s violent game to US election, S2 will ask ‘is majority always right?’)

But while the show itself is a work of fiction, Hwang Dong-hyuk, its director and writer, has said the experiences of the main character Gi-hun, a laid-off worker, were inspired by the violent Ssangyong strikes in 2009.

“I wanted to show that any ordinary middle-class person in the world we live in today can fall to the bottom of the economic ladder overnight,” he has said.

In May 2009, Ssangyong, a struggling car giant taken over by a consortium of banks and private investors, announced it was laying off more than 2,600 people, or nearly 40 percent of its workforce.

That was the beginning of an occupation of the factory and a 77-day strike that ended in clashes between strikers armed with slingshots and steel pipes and riot police wielding rubber bullets and tasers. Many union members were severely beaten, and some were jailed.

‘Many lost their lives’
The conflict did not end there. Five years later, union leader Lee Chang-kun held a sit-in for 100 days on top of one of the factory’s chimneys to protest a sentence in favour of Ssangyong against the strikers.

He was supplied with food from a basket attached to a rope by supporters and endured hallucinations of a tent rope transformed into a writhing snake.

Some who experienced the unrest struggled to discuss Squid Game because of the trauma they endured, Lee told AFP.

The repercussions of the strike, compounded by protracted legal battles, caused significant financial and mental strain for workers and their families, resulting in around 30 deaths by suicide and stress-related issues, Lee said. “Many have lost their lives. People had to suffer for too long,” he said.

He vividly remembers the police helicopters circling overhead, creating intense winds that ripped away workers’ raincoats. Lee said he felt he could not give up.

“We were seen as incompetent breadwinners and outdated labour activists who had lost their minds,” he said. “Police kept beating us even after we fell unconscious — this happened at our workplace, and it was broadcast for so many to see.”

Lee said he had been moved by scenes in the first season of Squid Game where Gi-hun struggles not to betray his fellow competitors.

But he wished the show had spurred real-life change for workers in a country marked by economic inequality, tense industrial relations and deeply polarised politics. “Despite being widely discussed and consumed, it is disappointing that we have not channelled these conversations into more beneficial outcomes,” he said.

‘Shadow of state violence’
The success of Squid Game in 2021 left him feeling “empty and frustrated”. “At the time, it felt like the story of the Ssangyong workers had been reduced to a commodity in the series,” Lee told AFP.

Squid Game, the streaming platform’s most-watched series of all time, is seen as embodying the country’s rise to a global cultural powerhouse, part of the Korean wave alongside the Oscar-winning Parasite and K-pop stars such as BTS.

But its second season comes as the Asian democracy finds itself embroiled in some of its worst political turmoil in decades, triggered by conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law this month.

Yoon has since been impeached and suspended from duties pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court.

That declaration of martial law risked sending the Korean wave “into the abyss”, around 3,000 people in the film industry, including “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho, said in a letter following Yoon’s shocking decision.

Vladimir Tikhonov, a Korean studies professor at the University of Oslo, told AFP that some of South Korea’s most successful cultural products highlight state and capitalist violence.

“It is a noteworthy and interesting phenomenon — we still live in the shadow of state violence, and this state violence is a recurrent theme in highly successful cultural products.”

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Paatal Lok season 2 also stars Tillotama Shome, Nagesh Kukunoor, and Jahnu Barua in pivotal roles. The crime drama will premiere on Prime Video.

The blood-soaked world of Paatal Lok will be back next year. The second season of the crime thriller will be released on January 17, with actors Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh and Gul Panag set to reprise their roles. Also read: Paatal Lok makers tease season two with new poster featuring Jaideep Ahlawat, fans say: ‘Don’t disappoint like Mirzapur’

Paatal Lok 2 gets a release date
On Monday, the makers of the show announced the release date of the show. The eight-episode series is created and executive-produced by Sudip Sharma. It is backed by Clean Slate Filmz Production in association with Eunoia Films LLP.

The new season will focus on the character of ‘Hathi Ram Chaudhary’ (Jaideep) and his team navigating an uncharted territory – “a perilous ‘fresh hell’ that will test them like never before”. The plot of the show remains under wraps.

Directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware, Paatal Lok season 2 will also star Tillotama Shome, Nagesh Kukunoor, and Jahnu Barua in pivotal roles. The crime drama will premiere on Prime Video.

Sudip Sharma is elated to finally open the second chapter in front of the fans.

“The overwhelming response to the first season filled me with immense gratitude and inspired me to craft stories that are raw, relatable, and intensely gripping. The streaming service also acted as a perfect medium to bring out unique storytelling to life, offering our team a platform to expose and expand our horizons in terms of visual representation. Collaborating with an exceptional team has been a privilege, and together we’ve elevated this drama to new heights, amplifying the themes of crime, mystery, and suspense,” said the creator and showrunner of the series.

About Pataal Lok
The first season of the crime thriller was released in May 2020, and became popular for its intense storyline. It was directed by Avinash Arun and Prosit Roy. The show featured Jaideep Ahlawat, Gul Panag, Neeraj Kabi, Swastika Mukherjee, Ishwak Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, Niharika Lyra Dutt, and Richa Chaturvedi.

The first chapter of the show delved deep into the underbelly of Indian society, with the spotlight on how the news industry works. It was the storytelling, unexpected twists, adrenaline-pumping thrills, and a thought-provoking climax which left a lasting impression on the viewers.

Now, the makers have stressed that the stakes are high in the second season. “This upcoming season promises to propel the drama barometer to new heights drawing viewers into an even darker, immersive and more treacherous world,” read the press note.

Talking about the upcoming season, Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals, Prime Video India, said, “Paatal Lok made a huge impact with its gripping narrative, layered characters and raw portrayal of societal realities, earning critical acclaim and a massive fanbase. At Prime Video, we always prioritise two essential aspects across our shows —the unique and compelling nature of the stories we tell, and identifying the right time to bring those narratives to our audience. The phenomenal response to the first season of the neo-noir crime drama inspired us to delve even deeper into its immersive world with the second installment. While collaborating once again with Sudip, Avinash and the talented cast behind this groundbreaking series, we are excited to unveil a new chapter that pushes creative boundaries.”

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When the Phone Rings’ ratings shoot up in second half; Fiery Priest 2 charges toward finale with record highs

As 2025 approaches, fans are bidding farewell to their favorite K-dramas, while eagerly anticipating the release of Squid Game 2 on December 26.

As 2024 draws to a close, fans are bidding farewell to some beloved Korean dramas while eagerly anticipating new releases. The highly successful sequel to The Fiery Priest is approaching its finale, leaving fans wanting more. Meanwhile, MBC’s record-breaking drama, When the Phone Rings, has entered its second half, with a limited series run expected to continue until January. Amid this excitement continues to build for the highly anticipated release of Squid Game 2.

When The Phone Rings kicks second half with top ratings
Stealing the No. 2 position on Netflix and dominating the non-English TV series chart on the OTT platform, Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae So Bin’s starrer is also receiving rave viewership on national television. MBC’s show, which airs episodes every Friday and Saturday—with Friday ratings typically lower than weekend ones—kicked off the second half of its run with an average nationwide rating of 6.0 percent, according to Nielsen Korea.

The Fiery Priest 2 approaches finale with record ratings
On December 20, ahead of its highly anticipated finale, The Fiery Priest 2 continued its winning streak, securing first place in its time slot across all channels. According to Nielsen Korea, the penultimate episode achieved an impressive nationwide rating of 11.9 percent, a dramtic increase from the previous week’s episode. The series follows the gripping story of a hot-tempered priest and a determined detective who join forces to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of a clergy member.

Squid Game 2 release date
Netflix’s smash hit Squid Game, the show that took the Hallyu wave to new heights, is set to return with its highly anticipated sequel this December 26. After rolling out a reality series inspired by the original, Netflix is now gearing up to bring back fan favorites Lee Jung Jae, Wi Ha Joon, and Lee Byung Hun in the lead roles for the next chapter.

The official synopsis of season 2 reads, “Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 gave up going to the States and comes back with a new resolution in his mind, Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 45.6 billion won.”

Meanwhile, Squid Game season 3 has also been confirmed by the cast. The show will make it to the OTT platform somewhere in 2025.

When the Stars Gossip release date
Lee Min Ho is making his return in 2025 with When the Stars Gossip, set to release on January 4. The series follows him as Gong Ryong, a doctor and tourist at a space station. Playing the secret son of Korea’s wealthiest conglomerate, Lee Min Ho’s path crosses with Commander Eve Kim, a perfectionist on her first mission. As their contrasting personalities clash, they develop undeniable chemistry.

According to Netflix, “the first “earth-to-space romance,” When the Stars Gossip offers a fresh take on a classic love story. Set in an environment where everything is limited — except the depth of their feelings — the series promises an emotional rollercoaster filled with laughter, challenges, and swoon-worthy moments.”

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