Squid Game and the Rise of Anticapitalist Dystopia in Streaming Culture

What is this article about?

This article explores how “Squid Game” represents a growing trend in anticapitalist dystopian narratives within mainstream audiovisual streaming, marked by aestheticized cruelty. Authors Fernández-Rodríguez, Romero-Rodríguez, and Puebla-Martínez analyze the cultural roots and narrative features of the series using a content analysis methodology, contextualized in the history of cruelty in art and entertainment.

Why is it important?

This article explains that modern audiovisual narratives often disguise social critique behind sadistic imagery, catering to a public desensitized by pandemic-era disillusionment. “Squid Game” embodies a shift toward mainstream cruelty as spectacle, reflecting how capitalism and entertainment converge in global streaming platforms.

Key Findings: What makes “Squid Game” distinct?

1. Cruelty as aesthetic and narrative engine

• Blends torture porn, Giallo, exploitation cinema, and realist drama.

• Uses high production value and stylized violence (e.g., blood with slow-motion and jazz) to captivate audiences.

2. Anticapitalist messages are subtle

While marketed as socially critical, the true appeal lies in its visual innovation and suspense, pushing the critique into the background.

3. Voluntary submission as narrative twist

• Unlike other dystopias, characters willingly enter the deadly game, mimicking neoliberal dynamics of self-exploitation.

• Echoes Byung-Chul Han’s concept of the “zombie society” driven by survival anxiety.

From Artaud to Netflix: Cruelty in Mass Entertainment

This article explains that cruelty in art has evolved from theater (Artaud) and cinema (Bazin) into today’s streaming spectacles. The moral function of cruelty has faded, replaced by aestheticization and commodification.

Visual and Symbolic Analysis

• The series uses geometric symbols, vivid colors, and labyrinthine set designs (inspired by Escher and Monument Valley).

• References to Nazi imagery and elite decadence (e.g., golden animal masks) connect capitalism with fascist aesthetics.

• The final twist gives the protagonist heroic potential, leaving viewers torn between cynicism and hope.

FAQs

Q: Is “Squid Game” truly anticapitalist?
A: Only partially. Its critique is veiled beneath spectacular violence and consumer appeal.

Q: What’s unique about the violence in the show?
A: It’s stylized, choreographed, and emotionally numbing—turning trauma into entertainment.

Q: Why is the show so popular globally?
A: It combines K-drama emotion, dystopian themes, and video game-like visuals with a plot that reflects social inequality.

Q: What does the article suggest for future research?
A: Investigating the banalization of cruelty in overexposed media and its effects on cultural sensitivity.