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The Netflix series Squid Game needs to come with a neon-red warning sign for children. But even if you instructed your children not to watch it, there is a good chance they saw it at a friend’s house or on their computer without you knowing. Squid Game continues to make news: Just this week a North Korean was sentenced to death after smuggling in copies of the series and selling it. Seven high school students were caught watching it—one who bought a copy received a life sentence while the others received five years of hard labor, according to Radio Free Asia.
On YouTube, a creator named MrBeast recreated the show, not only replicating many of the “games," but even offering a $456,000 cash prize.
We can thank Netflix for promoting the show's deeply disturbing images and content that only adds to a generation of kids being desensitized to brutal killings in the pursuit of self-aggrandizement. But instead of shrugging your shoulders while stating, "There is nothing to do about it now," you can choose to engage your kids in a productive and hopefully healing conversation. Let me help you have that conversation.
If you haven’t watched the series, do some research ahead of your conversation. The intensely violent images of Squid Game, often set against the backdrop of brightly colored, animated, child-like scenes (and with irritating music blaring) disturbed many of my senses. The alarming scenes, filled with images of people being slaughtered, was an unfortunate and upsetting reminder of historical genocides.
The writers and producers skillfully play on our emotions. Just as I became attached to a character —bang!—her head was blown off or his body was shattered to pieces.
Equally unpleasant was the portrayal of women in the series. Many of the female characters are elderly mothers teetering between exhaustion, anger, and pervasive hopelessness, weighed down with financial instability. These women were projected as weak, broken, or “crazy.”
Images of sexual violence, including women getting their hair pulled, being smacked across the face, or being verbally victimized are woven through the story.
The ultimate seduction is the quest for money. Millions of dollars of money hang in a vast glass ball high above the players, enticing them to do things most viewers could not imagine. It literally drove characters to destruction.
If I knew my child had watched this show, I would want to know what they thought about it. Ask them if they are feeling uncomfortable or anxious about anything they saw: What did they feel when people were killed? Also, talk about times in history when mass shootings have occurred, and ask if they worry about being hurt in school or elsewhere. Do they know anyone who worries about their physical safety?
When the policeman—a good character who was brave, kind, and on a mission to save his brother—was betrayed by that same brother, what did they think?
Other good questions to ask:
- How did you feel when it was over?
- Did you have bad dreams?
- Do you enjoy watching violent shows or scary shows?
- Can you explain why?
Squid Game highlights how easy it is to get hooked on to gambling, drinking, or other risky pursuits. Use this time to talk about what to do if they found themselves in a difficult situation.
Help your child find the words to discuss what they saw and what they are feeling. They likely witnessed more intense violence and betrayal in the series than they are used to seeing. The show also portrays adults having sex, threats of sexual violence, and the sadistic pleasures of the game master, both in the arena and outside of it.
You might not have been able to stop your children from seeing the vivid brutality of Squid Game, but you can help them process what they saw and help them make better choices for their own futures.
