User reviews

Gi Hun really is down on his luck, owing money, and losing money, an opportunity pops up to make some easy cash.

I was a little unsure after the first half an hour or so, I was somewhat bored....however, it switches up, and becomes darker, more imaginative, and actually pretty good.

The visuals are awesome, it looks great. I hated the English voice overs, they were shocking, so I switched to original with subtitles, that made a massive difference.

Overall, enjoying, 8/10.

Very good start and we will see alot of interesting things between them and it have a very nice idea.

This how to start a series properly. With a great build up, fleshed-out characters and with a beating suspense that goes on and on, heading to a terrifying, sensational climax with the first game of them all. A Joy to watch, hooked already.

I was invested in the characters in the first 20 mins.

I was intrigued by the world in the 20 mins that followed.

And I was absolutely floored by the final 20 mins. What an ending.

Not since Westworld S1E1 has a pilot been so engaging, shocking, and engrossing all at once.

This was one great pilot, that perfectly sets up the premise of the show, while also adding a lot of mystery to keep you watching and guessing!

I really resonated with the main character and the qctor is so delightfully over the top at times! All you want is the best for those around you, but sometimes its just not possible! You can be a good person, but just make mistakes that will affect the rest of your life!

This the combination of an oppotunity you cant deny while also taking advantage of peoples situation and lifes!

The last part of the episode was amazing, showing the horrors of the game! You play by the rules... or you die!

A great first episode that sets us up perfectly for what is to come. It has everything; a flawed main character with clear motives, brief exposition, some unexpectedly cool visuals (the production design of the show warrants watching it alone), and a final act that is beyond shocking. I cannot imagine anyone viewing this episode and not wanting to see more, even if it's just to find out what twisted game is up next.

I did find it a little odd that no one asked what the punishment would be if they lost the games but once you wake up in a room of 100 mega-bunkbeds I suppose your mind would be a bit scrambled.

It took a while, but this first episode grew on me, despite the horrendous English dubbing and goofy acting.

This first episode does a wonderful job of drawing you in -- solid and concise character development leading into an equally insane and intriguing plot. Really, really looking forward to watching this one pan out!

After the "buzz" around Squid Game I decided to reactivate my Netflix account to give it a chance without looking at actual ratings beforehand or without knowing much about the story except for "it's a battle royal type scenario".

So without knowing much about the characters but understanding what the scenario usually contains (based on other similar shows/anime) I went in with some expectations in the first episode. For the most part it is what I'd think to see in this kind of show. There is not much surprise to be found here.

The characters are stereotypes of what you can expect in battle royals. They are usually bad in one way or another and for the most part you won't feel bad when they die.

To be honest the thorough introduction of the main character in the first 30 minutes made me absolutely hate him and I want him to die. He shows very small pieces of good traits but it's not nearly enough to make me root for him to win. Every bit of pain he gets in this first episode is absolutely deserved. We get to see some characters that might be interesting to follow and where I hope they will survive for several episodes but I kinda want the story to kill off the main character and focus on another one.

The game that is shown in this episode is "fun" in a horrifying way, but to many characters are just acting dumb which results in a lot of lost potential here. Also the duration of the game feels much longer than what is indicated in terms of the time limit. And this is not just related to slow motion.

The visual effects and sounds are solid. I don't really have an issue with the acting neither.

If you have never watched Japanese or Korean shows, you may find the start a bit slow. This is due to their attention to detail in character development. The intensity ramps up quickly and you're hooked.

There are some shows that just get released and become so big that you feel like you have to watch it if you weren't already onboard. "Squid Game" is one of those shows as it came out and virtually broke every record in Netflix's book and got people from all around the world hooked on a Korean survival drama. I figured that I would get to it eventually and didn't really think much about it when it first aired, but now I'm gonna try it. So far, so good; the first episode is a great world-builder that sells a sympathetic lead, while asking some big questions.

Hwang Dong-hyuk apparently came up with this idea over a decade ago, but never went ahead with it because he couldn't find financial backing. Luckily, Netflix is in the midst of a big international product expansion and decided to pick it up. The first episode dedicates very little of its time to the actual games, instead focusing on its lead and setting up Seong Gi-hun as a character that we can root for. The writing is very strong off the bat, and it's nice to see that the show is taking a character-focused approach to its premise instead of simply focusing on the action. Lee Jung-jae is also quite brilliant here, playing someone who is very remorseful of the life that he is living, but can't find a way out of it, even though he really wants to for his family. And that brings us to the game aspect of the episode, which is played as a mysterious tournament where it has consequences if you don't play along. There are a lot of questions hanging in the air right now, but it doesn't seem like the show is waiting long to answer them as there are a couple of games that we need to get through and a lot of information spread across the next eight episodes. Dong-hyuk's direction is very effective and his handling of the climatic scene is really a great showcase in how to handle this kind of action. It's a gripping show, so let's see if it can continue to be.

"Red Light, Green Light" is an effective start to a show that seems to be tackling some big subject matters in a very unique fashion. The episode greatly sets up our lead character as someone we can root for, while giving us a glimpse into a world that doesn't seem that easy to escape from.

The scenography in this episode is amazing. The plot will leave you surprised and amazed.

First of all I really thanks to the makers wo have build this series writers ,directors and actors what a phenomenal performance by all of them. The way show starts from its first epsiode it will grip your mind and body and just hold you stay still. Production design the vfx are outstanding. Performance of the characters are looking so real and the horror sequences that happens in the show that will just blow your mind away. Don't wanna give much details just go and watch. This show shouldn't be miss if you are series lover. NETFLIX you have done it again. WOW.....

I found the very first episode of Squid Game to be very entertaining and well put together. In my opinion it spent a little too much time in the outside world rather than in that of the game masters however it kept me engaged the entire time and that's what matters. In the end my main complaint was that the main character is very annoying. He's always complaining and is just an idiot. I'm hoping this allows for some character development but if it doesn't then he may be the death of this show.

I really like the idea of the show, it brings newness to the horror genre. The story is simple about a poor father and his darling daughter, which gives the viewer sympathy for the main character very well. However, in this episode there are some scenes that are emotionally irrational, illogical, which affect the truthfulness of the story, for example, why is it that the poor people don't panic when they wake up and They line up very neatly. And there are many dialogue scenes between the characters that look a bit fake and like they are joking with each other seriously.

25 years living over here and yet I don't get the reverence that people have with Korean and Japanese TV programs

Poor acting, ridiculous scenarios...stupid plots.

I'm sorry but I remember a time when directors like Iwai Shunji made shows that made audiences think and feel emotions other than fear, loathing and WTAF.... This kind of low hanging fruit programme is by nature purile, lowbrow emotional blackmail redistributed as TV...

very disappointed.. However, I will still give it 5 based on the sheer production quality.

Despite the major hype surrounding the show last year I never get around to watch it. But now having watched the pilot I wish I had watched it sooner. The pilot is engaging and has a few surprises along the way. Clocking at almost an hour, the first half is dedicated to introducing the main protagonist who is a gambler in a deep financial crisis. We get to see all his personal dealings and how his life is hitting the rock bottom. An opportunity comes in such a weird manner but he, nevertheless, grabs it. Now, my favorite the second half, is really entertaining. I like the mystery surrounding the whole scenario, the contestants are now basically hostages. The production design in this segment was visually appealing. I like how the costumes and the colors aren't only for show, the contestants wear green contrasting the guards who wear red indicating they're in charge and the contestants are disposable. We also see a mysterious man whose identity is unknown but is apparently the one who calls the shot. I enjoyed the game sequences, and just like the characters at first no one thought anything is at stake and that it's just a fun little game. But when things turned gory and horror is instilled in not only the contestants but the viewers as well. The themes presented in this show are deep and many today can relate

Overall, an exhilarating, amusing and sometimes terrifying pilot. The cast, direction, writing and technical elements are top-notch. And I hope it stays that way.