The success of the Korean series was described by Min Young Kim, vice president of content for “Netflix” in South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, as exceeding their wildest dreams.
“When we first started investing in Korean dramas and movies in 2015, we knew we wanted to create world-class stories for core K-content fans across Asia and the world,” Kim added in a press statement. Korean”.
The events of the series (The Squid Game), of which only the first part was shown, out of 9 parts, revolves around a group of people immersed in debt, competing during a strange competition in order to win an amount equivalent to about 38 million dollars, and the player who fails in any game of the competition games is His destiny is death.
wide controversy
Despite the great success of the series “The Squid Game”, it sparked widespread controversy because of its violent scenes, amid great fears from educational institutions that children are affected by the games presented by the Korean series.
According to the “Metro” website, a number of British schools have begun sending warning letters to families indicating the dangers of children watching the series “The Squid Game”.
In the same way, a number of Arab schools warned students’ families not to allow young people to watch the “squid game”, which Egyptian artist Aiten Amer spoke about through a tweet on her official account.
The controversy raised by the series “The Squid Game”, in addition to its great popularity, opened the door to questioning the enjoyment that the audience gets by watching bloody conflicts on small and large screens.
parallel universe
For his part, the psychological consultant, Dr. Abdel Mohsen Daghim, says that violent dramas in general are more attractive to children and adolescents than the older age groups, because it allows them to play heroic roles in the parallel world before them on the screen, and in most cases this world is without rules, It is an experience that the child or adolescent wishes to experience on the ground.
Daghim added to Sky News Arabia: “Older age groups are also affected by these works, but to a lesser extent, and in general, it cannot be said that there is one effect on a particular age group as a result of watching a particular drama, where reactions vary according to different types of characters.”
Daghim continues: “For example, two children can watch the same dramatic work, which includes a number of violent scenes and ideas, but with a different effect. If the first child is subjected to violence and bullying, the work will be painful for him, and if the other child already has an intention to practice violence in various ways. In all its forms, the drama will create stronger motivations for him to act violently towards others, and he may even rely on the harmful plans he has witnessed during the work.”
It is noteworthy that the Korean series includes a number of psychological games, such as the decision to leave the game collectively, so you cannot withdraw from the game individually, and that each player can kill any other player during sleeping hours, in order to reduce the number of players participating in competition games, and others. One of the harsh tests that competition players are exposed to.
The contest is shown before the eyes of a handful of rich people who take pleasure in watching debt holders vie to the death for a life-changing prize money.
The “plane and the donkey” race
The psychological consultant also clarifies that theories that talk about the ability of dramas classified as acts of violence or horror to empty the negative energy of the viewer are not realistic and far from reality.
In his speech, Abdul Mohsen Daghim addresses the role of educating children about the danger of being affected by dramas similar to the “squid game”, saying: “It is important for parents to talk to their children about the negative impact resulting from pursuing violent artwork, and that it is an unhealthy drama capable of planting Lots of negative thoughts in their minds.
He added, “The role of awareness here is not only related to the family, but also to educational and media institutions.”
art limitations
Another important question raised by the series “The Squid Game” is whether there are restrictions to art? Or does the artwork maker need a less harsh way to express their idea?
In this regard, art critic Magda Morris makes it clear that no writer can be forced to express a world away from the reality in which people live, but can be discussed only about the way the idea is presented.
Morris added to Sky News Arabia: “All that is required of the dramatic work maker is not to be a means of promoting the love of crime among the audience, especially children and adolescents, in appreciation of the extent of the impact of art on the recipient.”
The art critic also points out that there are tools that can be relied upon by the work maker to avoid the negative impact of his artwork on the audience, such as: the presence of elements that represent the good side of the work in an attractive way, highlighting the damages resulting from the practice of harmful and violent behavior in a way that covers the luster of the evil character, and providing space for Enough within the work to discuss this aspect.
.