Best TV Series 2021 by Lifehacker

Netflix's Squid Game was unanimously voted the Best TV Series of 2021.

In the center of the plot is the loser and windbag Song Ki-hun. The man is not very successful in life and at his far from young age sits on the neck of an elderly mother. In addition, he is mired in debt, and his ex-wife is going to separate him from his daughter. One day the hero meets a stranger who offers him some kind of game with a huge cash prize if he wins.

Together with other similar adventurers, Son Ki-hun finds himself on a closed island. They are forced to participate in bloody versions of children's courtyard entertainment. And the stakes in competitions are monstrously high - you can literally die at any moment.

At first glance, it is not entirely clear why everyone was so surprised by the series, which combines the concept of "Battle Royale" by Kinji Fukasaku and "Kaiji" by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. However, not all so simple. Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk has been hatching the idea of ​​Squid Game for over ten years. And only now it was possible to realize the show exactly in the form that the author wanted.

First of all, the series delights with unusual solutions in working with decorations and visuals. The crimson security suits and green jumpsuits of the players provide a striking contrast, and the crazy bright rooms and corridors are instantly memorable.

In addition to visual appeal, the series is full of social issues. He criticizes the structure of society, raises issues of inequality and poverty. Considering that social and economic stratification is a hot topic not only for South Korea, but for the whole world, the Squid Game hit the nerve of the times and turned out to be more relevant than ever.

It is also worth noting a creative approach to the narrative: the plot has a place for comedy, thriller, detective, and horror. By the way, such genre eclecticism is a common thing for korean cinema. But to Western audiences, this explosive cocktail of cruelty, humor and drama seemed extremely unusual and cool.

Finally, the "Squid Game" caused a real sensation on the Web. For example, TikTok users dressed like the heroes of the series, built theories about undisclosed plot details, or tried to repeat the games shown in the show in their own way. And actress Jung Ho-yeon, who played one of the main roles, was followed by more than a million people on Instagram during the day.

The combination of uncompromising cruelty, beautiful visuals, addictive plot and nostalgia for children's games makes Squid Game the most memorable TV series of this year.

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