Squid Game Childhood Song

The Netflix show Squid Game is a South Korean drama and horror series produced by Hwang Dong-hyuk. It is about a game that offers a generous cash prize for desperate people in grave monetary debts. Participants compete in variations of traditional childhood games, ultimately fighting for their own survival. The series takes South Korean tradition and adds a dark twist to it, incorporating grave consequences and ominous settings to make seemingly harmless and fun games seem scary and threatening. In addition to context to establish sinisterness, Hwang Dong-hyuk utilizes a traditional South Korean childhood song and makes it seem creepy without changing the song itself.

In Season 2, Episode 6 of the series, players participate in a game where they stand on a merry-go-round, and as soon as a number appears on a screen, players have to form a group of that number of people and go inside a room together before a timer goes off. Any remaining stragglers do not survive. While players on the merry-go-round wait for the digit to appear so that they can form groups, a song called “Round and Round” plays on the speakers.

“Round and Round” is a traditional childhood song that accompanies this game, and because it is for children, the melody is meant to be jolly and catchy. However, in such a terrifying context, the song actually adds to the suspense. The jolly melody persists; however, it is heard out of speakers that make the audio fuzzy, creating a sense of uneasiness. In addition, the juxtaposition between the happy and nostalgic tune and the alarming, brutal scene adds to the already present fearful feeling. The song repeats with each round of the game, causing tension and inflicting fear upon the players as they prepare for a life-and-death situation.

Overall, the incorporation of a childhood melody in a gruesome, fearful episode scene completes the sinisterness of the scene’s ambience. Even though the cheerful tune contradicts the gruesome setting, it ultimately makes the audience feel more fear and suspense as the scene plays out.