Squid Game is a South Korean dystopian survival thriller horror television series created, written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix. The series revolves around a secret contest where 456 players risk their lives to play a series of deadly children's games. The title draws from ojingeo ("squid"), a Korean children's game. The first season of Squid Game was released worldwide on September 17, 2021, to critical acclaim and international attention.