Global Obsession with 'Ojingeo Game' Sparks Heated Online Debate Over Misogyny Controversy

"Dirty and full of misogyny" vs "Excessive obsession with gender"

The Netflix series "Squid Game," released on the 17th, is gaining attention, but some scenes have sparked controversy over misogyny. Photo by Netflix

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Netflix's Korean original series 'Ojingeo Game' (Squid Game) is enjoying tremendous popularity both domestically and internationally, while some domestic netizens have raised issues about misogyny in the work, sparking controversy.

On the 22nd, a post titled "Why watch Ojingeo Game? The misogyny is really severe" was uploaded on an online community. The author began by saying, "I just organized what came to mind, and it's this much. I really hope people don't watch it. I truly regret watching it," and listed 11 reasons why one should not watch 'Ojingeo Game.'

He wrote, "There is a scene where the protagonist barges into his ex-wife's house and yells at her, which feels sufficiently violent and threatening," and "There is also a scene where an adult man assaults a young girl."

He continued, "Although it is forced as an equal game, it includes unfair games against women like strength contests, and scenes where women are not chosen appear frequently," and "There is also a line implying that several men raped a dead woman's corpse. It properly portrayed that women should not leave a corpse even after death," he pointed out.

He also expressed anger, saying, "There is a scene where a woman hides a cigarette inside her reproductive organ and brings it. I don't understand why such a scene was included."

Other netizens also criticized the objectification of women, such as putting a face between a woman's breasts or using them as footrests or decorations, saying it was uncomfortable to watch.

Criticism also continued that 'Ojingeo Game' insulted independence activists. When a North Korean defector female character says she wants independence, the line "Are you Yu Gwan-sun? Then go wave the Taegeukgi. Oh, since you're from North Korea, you should wave the North Korean flag" was delivered. This was pointed out as belittling the martyr Yu Gwan-sun.

In response, netizens reacted with comments such as "I was shocked when I heard that line," "I couldn't believe my eyes while watching," "A drama that leaves no lingering impression," "Dirty and full of misogyny," "Hatred of the weak and distorted portrayals of foreign workers and the elderly," and "Seeing this succeed shows how far our country still has to go."

However, some expressed opposing views to these opinions. Comments included "Is everything misogyny now?", "By that logic, all movies have male and female hatred," "How can we live being so tired of this," "Stop the censorship," "There are depictions of organ trafficking, murder, and group assault, so why can't sexual assault be portrayed?" and "I wish people wouldn't obsess excessively over gender," urging to see the work just as a work.

Meanwhile, 'Ojingeo Game,' which depicts indebted people risking their lives to compete in a survival game with a grand prize of 45.6 billion won, is being broadcast in 83 countries and became the first Korean series to rank number one overall on the U.S. Netflix 'Today's TOP 10.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.