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Serena Lopez

Dr. Sharity Nelson

English 1301

12 October 2022

Squid Game Poster Analysis

Not everything is as it seems, which is something that can be said with the advertising

poster for the 2021 Netflix series: Squid Game (Fig. 1). Multiple elements throughout the poster

can look ordinary on the surface but have a meaning that is not completely obvious at first sight -

a dangerous game is occurring for the reward of money. Green tracksuits can be seen on every

single person in the poster, embroidered with various numbers. Furthermore, the people in the

poster can be seen running away with expressions of fear from the robotic doll. The background

of the poster is bright and two-dimensional, and a vivid field decorated with tall grass decorates

the scene. In addition to this, a tall tree sits in the center. The tree contrasts with the bright field

since it is wilting away and is darker than the rest of the scene. A pile of dead bodies lies in the

far back, further proving that supposed contestants of this game lose their lives if they do not

perform tasks correctly. There is text on the advertising poster that reads, "45.6 Billion Won is

Child's Play". This is further evidence that a game of some sort is occurring for a reward. The

visual narrative creates the impression that a dark competition is taking place for prize money,

possibly at the expense of other people's lives, thanks to the large doll, the tracksuits, and the

innocent-looking setting.

Something very evident at a glance is that the people in the poster are wearing green

tracksuits with numbers on them, insinuating that there may be a game occurring where players

compete against one another. What's more, each person has a different number on their tracksuit,
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furthering the idea of competition. The person in the center dawns the number "456" on his shirt.

This number can be a callback to the text written on the visual image: "45.6 Billion Won is

Child's Play", and a direct hint that the person in the center is the main character in the television

series. Furthermore, the color of these tracksuits, green, contrasts with the color of the guards'

uniform, pink. This contrast in colors can signify a difference in roles, as often, in stories and

various forms of media, guards contain high status. The green tracksuits and contrasting colors

between the players and the guards suggest that a contest is transpiring to win money for a higher

status in society.

Dead bodies can be seen piling up in the background of this poster while other

contestants continue to live, implying that the game is fatal to the contenders who do not play

correctly. Moreover, the look of fear on their faces can signify that the contestants did not predict

that the game being played could ever lead to their demise. Blood spatters can also be seen on

the ground, further proving that the game is deadly. Apart from that, the contrast of a bright field

and a dead tree can signify that behind the optimistic feelings a children's game can induce in the

players, they are oblivious to the notion that the game could end in death. The various pieces of

evidence listed, such as the dead bodies and blood spatters, can contribute to the concept that the

players' lives will result in death if they do not execute the game rules properly.

As one of the first things a spectator sees when looking at the poster, it can be assumed

that the doll possibly poses a threat to the people around it. The doll's head is backward, and it

seems that when its head turns, the contestants run away from it and scream in fear. In addition

to this, the doll's hand sits on the tree's trunk, and it is inferred that when it turns its head, its

hand on the tree also shields its eyes. The doll's backward head can instigate unsettling feelings

from viewers and provoke the thought that it is always watching for a misstep. This doll and the
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emotions surrounding its uncanny presence represent a world of dystopia in which people are

dehumanized and killed, possibly for the entertainment of others.

The colors in this poster are extraordinarily vivid and playful, reinforcing feelings of

innocence and carelessness. This advertisement's overarching colors are green, yellow, orange,

and pink. These colors are a part of the primary colors spectrum. This spectrum of colors can be

attributed to feelings of sentimentality and childlike tendencies. Children are taught about these

fundamental colors at a young age, meaning it is a range of colors they have been acquainted

with all their lives, even while growing up. This scope of bright colors attracts viewers' attention

and can generate a response of familiarity and nostalgia.

As expressed, the evidence presented in the forms of various visual elements creates

pivotal points that signal to this very consensus: contestants are playing a game for prize money

at the expense of their lives and possibly for the entertainment of others. This poster does an

excellent job of piquing the curiosity of others with nostalgic elements of childhood, such as

vivid colors, a doll, and bright fields. Not only does the poster succeed as an advertisement, but it

also combines the essence of childhood with unexpected twists such as death and tragedy, further

mesmerizing viewers and stimulating their brains with the element of surprise. Oftentimes,

searching for a deeper meaning in popular media can reveal meaning that is not completely

obvious at first, proving that surprise could be around any corner, even if it is not believed to be

as such.
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Appendix

Figure 1. Poster for the television

series Squid Game (2021).
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Works Cited

Poster for the television series Squid Game. Netflix 2021, https://about.netflix.com/en/news/kill-

or-be-killed-main-trailer-and-ensemble-poster-released-showing-the Accessed 4 October

2022.
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