'Squid Game': The Cultural Mirror We Never Expected

PARTING WITH ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SHOWS is like breaking up with a really good friend.

- MJ MARFORI

You invest time, emotions and even a piece of your identity into its world — only to be left with an empty screen and a flood of feelings when the final credits roll.

For millions of viewers around the globe, "Squid Game" wasn't just a hit series. It was a cultural experience, a wake-up call, and, yes, an emotional rollercoaster that's hard to say goodbye to.

When "Squid Game" first dropped on Netflix in September 2021, no one quite expected a blood-soaked Korean survival thriller to become a global phenomenon.

What makes it even more compelling is the story behind the story. I remember the almost soap opera-ish tale of director Hwang Dong-hyuk — how he nearly gave up on the project after years of rejections. At one point, he reportedly had to sell his laptop just to afford basic expenses while trying to pitch the script. It was a raw, personal struggle that mirrored the desperation of the characters he created. The irony? The world that once ignored "Squid Game" would later celebrate it as a global phenomenon.

Yet here we are — years later — and the impact of "Squid Game" continues to reverberate across pop culture, social commentary and even fashion. It didn't just entertain, it held up a mirror to society's darkest inequalities — and forced the world to look. There have been mixed emotions and heated reactions surrounding the "Squid Game" ending as it finally bid farewell last week.

Some viewers were heartbroken, others frustrated, and many left with a lingering sense of discomfort. But perhaps that's exactly how it was meant to make us feel.