Gqeberha to Gangnam: What would a South African Squid Game look like?
With Squid Game Season 3 still on everyone's lips and social media feeds, South Africans are asking a uniquely local question: If the game came here, what would it look like?
The popular Netflix series, known for its commentary on debt, desperation, and inequality, may be set in South Korea, but its themes resonate with South Africans, as the country continues to grapple with youth unemployment and joblessness.
So if a South African version of Squid Game existed, what games would be played? And what does it say about our reality?
If there is one thing about South Africans, it is that we know how to add the local but lekker flavour to things, and childhood games are no exception. Before technology and AI, remember the good ol' days of handball, dominoes (that might still be a thing at functions) and three sticks?
They may be childhood games, but these classics have roots in resilience, friendly competition, and most importantly, community. The games would have you befriending the kid down the road in an instant, resulting in a lasting friendship. In a Squid Game context, those roots would be flipped, where the sense of community crosses friendship and becomes rivalry, and 'just playing' becomes survival.
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