Squid Game References Used In Huge South Korean Protest

South Korean protesters demanding better working conditions wore Squid Game masks and suits as they took to the streets this week. Thousands of members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) staged a nationwide demonstration on Wednesday.

The Seoul city government said on Thursday that it filed a police complaint against the South Korean labor group who were wearing outfits of Squid Game and defied COVID-19 curbs. Dozens of members dressed up in the outfits from the show and gathered in downtown Seoul as thousands of members staged demonstrations around the country.

Squid Game is a nine-part thriller show that comes from South Korea which has taken the world by storm. It has earned Nelflix almost $900 million in value, its popularity has internet service providers demanding more money, and it got its first award nomination on Thursday.

The show is about cash-strapped contestants who are given the chance to earn a huge sum of money — 45.6 billion won ($38 million) to pay off their debts. They have to participate in deadly kids’ games where losing results in death. The show has sparked conversations about income inequality and the wealth gap, as well as the downsides of capitalism.

Temporary and contract workers do not receive full benefits under South Korea’s labor laws. As many as 550,000 workers took part in a one-day strike across 13 cities. Several union workers dressed in the Squid Games outfit say that they too are struggling to make a living like the characters in the show.

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