While Squid Game's deadly premise is fiction, its DNA comes from very real Korean entertainment. Game shows, variety programs, and survival competitions have been massive in Korea for decades, and Squid Game draws directly from this tradition.
Running Man Influence
Running Man (2010-present) is Korea's most famous variety game show. Celebrity contestants compete in physical and mental challenges, often based on children's games—sound familiar?
- Physical challenges derived from traditional games
- Alliance and betrayal dynamics
- Elimination format
- Comedic and dramatic tension
Running Man keeps things lighthearted, but the core idea of adults competing in playground games translates directly to Squid Game's darker vision.
The Genius: The Strategy Element
The Genius (2013-2015) featured celebrity contestants in complex psychological games requiring strategy, manipulation, and alliance-building.
- Marble games where trust is weaponized
- Voting and elimination mechanics
- The tension between cooperation and betrayal
- High-stakes decision making
Many fans consider The Genius a must-watch for Squid Game enthusiasts who want more strategic competition.
VIP Viewing Culture
The VIPs in Squid Game—wealthy foreigners who watch players die for entertainment—comment directly on reality TV culture. We watch people suffer, struggle, and sometimes humiliate themselves for our entertainment.
- I Am a Singer (extreme pressure performances)
- Produce 101 (public voting creates parasocial investment)
- Physical: 100 (competition at its most primal)
All feature real people in high-stakes situations for audience entertainment. Squid Game asks: how far is it from this to the arena?
The Social Commentary
Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has said Squid Game is partially about how reality TV exploits desperate people. The contestants who enter Korean survival shows often genuinely need the prize money—trainees who've invested years, athletes past their prime, ordinary people hoping for a break.
Squid Game literalizes this dynamic: people so desperate they'll risk death for money while wealthy viewers enjoy the spectacle.