Hassan Rehman

Korean content continues to set the standards, this time with a riveting, deliciously dark thriller series on Netflix called Squid Game. Taking inspiration from the simple childhood games played in Korea, a shadowy organization embarks on recruiting out-of-luck people who are burdened by large debts. They then proceed to make these 'contestants' participate in life-or-death versions of these simple games with a large pot of cash as a reward on offer for the final victor. Hwang Dong-hyuk, the genius director behind Silenced (2011) and The Fortress (2017), weaves a rich tapestry of intricate characters ranging from a Machiavellian investment banker to a lazy absentee dad to a North Korean refugee turned pick-pocket. Despite the immense production value and sets, it is these finely written characters that capture your imagination and sucker you into binging the 9-episode thrill ride at a stretch. Lee Jung-jae is electric as the gambling addict who has to embark on the game to cure his mom's illness while O Yeong-su captivates with his nuanced portrayal of an elderly man with seemingly nothing to lose, slowly dying with an ever-growing tumor in his head. Park Hae-soo plays all the layers of his troubled investment banker role with gusto, portraying all the ethical dilemmas and moral turpitude his character faces with conviction. Jung Ho-yeon buys you into the North Korean defector role and the lengths to which she will go to secure the money to enable the rest of her family to cross over to the South. With the storyline pointing clearly towards a Season 2, the director has left enough plot points incomplete to keep the audiences eager for the next instalment of this landmark series. Netflix seemingly has another worldwide sensation on its hands just as Money Heist seems to be drawing to a close. Highly recommended. The perfect weekend binge!