When Squid Game premiered on Netflix in 2021, it quickly became a global sensation. The series shocked audiences with its raw portrayal of debt, desperation, and survival. Viewers around the world found themselves asking one question: Was Squid Game based on a true story?

While the series features fictional characters and deadly competitions, the inspiration behind Squid Game came from real-life social issues. Understanding where the idea originated helps explain why the show felt so believable and why it struck such a powerful chord worldwide.

The Origins of Squid Game

The mastermind behind Squid Game is South Korean writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk. He first conceived the idea in 2008 during a period of personal financial struggle. Hwang admitted he spent much of his time in cafés reading Japanese manga such as Battle Royale and Liar Game, which involved survival scenarios and psychological tension.

However, unlike manga that often leaned toward fantasy, Hwang wanted to root his story in real life. He envisioned a competition where desperate people played childhood games for money, with tragic consequences for failure. The games themselves were not fictional inventions but traditional Korean children’s games that many viewers recognized instantly.

Fictional Drama with Real-Life Inspiration

So, was Squid Game based on a true story? Not exactly. The deadly competition and masked guards never existed in reality. Yet, the themes and struggles portrayed in the series reflect very real issues in South Korea and beyond.

The Reality of Debt in South Korea

Household debt in South Korea is among the highest in the world. Many individuals, especially young adults, face overwhelming financial burdens due to education loans, housing costs, and unstable job markets. Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that he himself once struggled with debt and unemployment, which directly influenced his writing.

Characters like Seong Gi-hun, who faced job loss and gambling addiction, or Cho Sang-woo, who fell into massive debt despite being highly educated, represent different faces of financial desperation. While their stories are fictional, they echo the struggles of countless real people.

The Dark Side of Inequality

The series also highlights social inequality, another issue deeply rooted in reality. South Korea’s rapid economic growth created prosperity but also widened the gap between the rich and poor. In Squid Game, the wealthy VIPs watch the competition as entertainment, a disturbing metaphor for how society sometimes treats the struggles of the less fortunate as spectacle.

Childhood Games with a Sinister Twist

Another striking feature of Squid Game is the use of innocent childhood games like Red Light, Green Light or the titular Squid Game itself. These games are not fictional; they are part of the Korean cultural tradition. By turning them into deadly challenges, Hwang amplified the contrast between innocence and brutality. The games may not have been deadly in real life, but their familiarity made the fictional violence hit closer to home.

Why Squid Game Feels Real

The reason so many people asked whether Squid Game was based on a true story lies in its authenticity. Everything about the series—from the characters’ struggles to the setting of the games—feels grounded in reality.

The contestants are not superheroes or fantasy warriors. They are everyday people: a single mother, a migrant worker, an elderly man, a disgraced professional. Their motivations stem from problems many viewers understand: debt, unemployment, discrimination, and betrayal.

The games themselves are simple, familiar, and easy to understand, which makes the stakes feel terrifyingly real. Watching someone risk their life over a tug-of-war game is shocking precisely because the rules are so universal.

Global Relevance of Squid Game

Although rooted in Korean society, the message of Squid Game resonates globally. Financial inequality, crushing debt, and the pressures of capitalism are not unique to South Korea. Viewers from the United States, Europe, Latin America, and beyond saw reflections of their own societies in the series.

This global relevance is why audiences kept wondering whether it had been inspired by real-world events. The answer is that while the games themselves never happened, the pain and struggles depicted on screen mirror real lives across the globe.

Director’s Own Words on the Story’s Reality

Hwang Dong-hyuk has addressed the “true story” question multiple times in interviews. He clarified that Squid Game was not based on any specific real-life event. Instead, it was inspired by the harsh economic climate he witnessed and personally experienced.

At one point, Hwang even had to stop writing the script because of his own financial troubles. He sold his laptop to survive. That personal connection to debt and desperation makes the story resonate so powerfully—it is fiction born from lived experience.

The Role of Fiction in Revealing Truth

While Squid Game is not literally true, it symbolically captures truths about society. Fiction often serves as a mirror, allowing audiences to examine real problems through a dramatic lens. In this case, the violent games exaggerate the competition and cruelty already present in modern economies.

The show forces viewers to confront uncomfortable questions: How far would someone go to escape debt? How much value does society place on human life compared to wealth? Why do people in power often exploit the struggles of others for entertainment or profit?

These questions may not have clear answers, but they are rooted in the very real world we live in.

Squid Game Compared to Real-World Events

While the competition itself is fictional, some parallels exist in real life. Reality shows often put contestants in humiliating or extreme situations for money. Gambling and underground games sometimes exploit vulnerable people. In history, powerful groups have treated human suffering as entertainment, from gladiatorial arenas in ancient Rome to exploitative modern television.

Though not direct inspirations, these examples show that the line between fiction and reality is not always as wide as it seems. Squid Game may not be true in a literal sense, but it reflects patterns that exist throughout history and culture.

Read More: Super Why Games: Fun Learning for Kids Online

Conclusion

So, was Squid Game based on a true story? No, the competition never took place. The deadly childhood games are fictional, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk as a metaphor for the brutal realities of modern society.

But while the story itself is fictional, the inspiration comes from very real struggles—debt, inequality, desperation, and the exploitation of the vulnerable. That is why the series feels so real and why it continues to spark conversation worldwide.

In the end, Squid Game succeeds not because it tells a true story, but because it tells a story filled with truth.

FAQs

Was Squid Game based on a true story?

No, the competition is fictional, but it was inspired by real-life debt, inequality, and social struggles in South Korea.

Who created Squid Game?

Hwang Dong-hyuk, a South Korean writer and director, created the series based on his personal struggles and social observations.

What inspired Squid Game?

The show was inspired by economic hardship, rising debt, and survival themes seen in society, as well as classic children’s games.

Are the games in Squid Game real?

Yes, most games like Red Light, Green Light and Squid Game are real childhood games in Korea, though not deadly in real life.

Why does Squid Game feel so real?

It feels real because it reflects genuine issues like debt, inequality, and desperation, even though the storyline is fictional.