Squid Game is a well-known show on Netflix for its intense violence with people playing children’s games where the consequences are life and death. It is a Korean drama where players compete in deadly games such as “Green Light, Red Light” or “tug a war.” Only one player wins as every person that dies adds money to the jackpot, and the last to be eliminated leaves with 100 million dollars. 

In Quebec, there were reports of children reenacting the games on Squid Games. In an elementary school in Massueville, northeast of Montreal, students in 3rd Grade were mimicking the scenes of Squid Game. These children were playing “Green Light, Red Light” and didn’t shy away from bringing the scenes from the show to life. In Squid Game, this gamble of a game between life and death is instructed by a doll. A doll on an open field says green light, allowing the competitors to walk forward. When the doll says Red Light the competitors must stop. If the doll catches one of them trembling or moving forward they shoot them. The doll kills the player and they continue onto the next round. 

Mr. Guillaume Taillon-Chrétien,  a father to an  8-year-old girl who went to the elementary school in Massueville reported how his daughter saw other children playing “Green Light, Red Light.” His daughter went home very traumatized seeing the children playing this game. The playground where children usually play on the swings or run around freely had become a death bed. A death bed where all these young children’s innocence and excitement for the world may have been destroyed. It’s scary as a 3rd Grader to see your fellow classmates reenact Squid Game and pretend to die.

This is not the only incident as there have been many children reenacting the Squid Game games on other campuses. The Riverside School Board in the Montreal suburb of Longueuil sent a notice about how “disturbing Squid Game can be.” It’s important parents understand how urgent this matter is and possibly even take the time to speak with their children about the topic. This show is about violence, death, and greed. It may be an entertaining show but it should not be seen by young children. 

What would you do if you saw people recreating “Green Light, Red Light” here on campus just like it is on the show? Would you join? Would you be scared? Or would you just simply go on about your day? I asked a few students here at North how they would react if they saw other students playing “Green Light, Red Light” here on campus. 

“That’s cool,” Clark Jones (Junior) said. 

Gabriela Cruz (Junior) enjoyed the show and said “it’s really good.” She says that it would be “disturbing” to see other students play the game.

“I thought it was interesting to see the lengths people would go to for a chance to be rich. If I saw kids here recreating their own squid game, I would have many questions and it would be very interesting to watch,” Olivia Allision (Junior) stated. 

Squid Game has become a well-known show and many have watched it around the world. It’s interesting to see how it affects society and the way children have been influenced by the show to play the same games.