The Netflix series “Squid Game” is packed with hundreds of moments of intense and graphic violence, according to new data from the Parents Television and Media Council.
“Squid Game” is a dystopian story that centers around Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a chauffeur who is addicted to gambling and will do anything to survive and avoid debt. To save himself, he joins the Squid Game event, which is full of childhood games with deadly consequences.
The show has gone viral, becoming the subject of internet memes, online games and TikTok challenges. It’s literally everywhere. And, for one reason or another, it’s something that children have been interested in watching.
As I wrote in my review, the show is rather violent and not suitable for children. But new VidAngel filter data found that there is a lot of violence and profanity in the show.
VidAngel revealed the following stats about “Squid Game” and its nine-episode series:
- There were 301 instances of violence.
- There were 305 instances of profanity.
- There were 10 instances of nudity.
- The first episode had 25 instances of graphic violence, including “multiple people getting shot in the back, chest, or head; pools of blood, sprays of blood, and piles of dead bodies,” according to the VidAngel data.
Overall, the show’s violence includes “scenes of people being mowed down by guns, shot in the head, scenes of dead bodies piled up, and even depictions of organ harvesting,” per the Parents Television and Media Council.
Council President Tim Winter said parents may be tempted to let their children watch the show. But they should avoid doing so because of the immense violence.
- “‘Squid Game’ might be a global phenomenon, and parents might be tempted to let their kids hop on the bandwagon,” he said. “But it is vital that parents understand just how intensely violent this program truly is. What’s even more concerning is that children — some who are elementary school-aged — are learning about and copying aspects of the series, thanks in part to social media’s role in marketing this program.”
“Squid Game” is rated TV-MA and contains graphic violence, sexual content and mature themes.