Korean drama Squid Game has captured the imagination of viewers all over the world but it hasn’t been immune to criticism, as many fans have taken issue with the super-rich VIPs that appear towards the end of the show.
They use their wealth to be spectators of the deadly games each year, placing bets on who they think might win and laughing at their misfortune from an opulent viewing lounge.
However, a number of people have found the masked antagonists from the Netflix series to be rather cringe-inducing due to their unnatural lines of dialogue and their exaggerated performances.
In an interview with The Guardian, the actors behind these divisive characters put forward theories as to why their performances didn’t resonate with many viewers.
John D Michaels, who played VIP 1, raised the point that the editing may be partially to blame, as it’s difficult to identify a good take when an actor is speaking an unfamiliar language.
“If I was editing a Russian actor speaking Russian, I wouldn’t have any idea if he was saying his lines correctly, or if his intonation was natural,” he explained.
“There might be two takes. One of them could be perfect, the other wooden. If I’m editing it, the wooden one might move faster or cut more smoothly or the continuity might be better, so I’d just go with that.”
Fellow Squid Game star Geoffrey Giuliano agreed that this could be a factor, following criticism of his portrayal of VIP 4, who got more than they bargained for after encountering disguised police officer Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon).
“Perfect example: My first line in Squid Game, you see me say: ‘Listen, I’ll give anybody some slack’,” recalls Giuliano. “That’s not what people say. They say ‘I’ll cut anybody some slack’.” In all subsequent takes, Giuliano made sure to say ‘cut some slack’. But in the final version, “they went with the ‘give’.”
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The point has also been made that the exaggerated performances given by the VIPs may have been a deliberate stylistic choice, as Korean drama is known for presenting a heightened version of reality.
Michaels continued: “The last thing international K-drama fans want, myself included, is for Korean dramas or movies to become westernised. I think we should let them stand on their own.”
“Unless otherwise asked, we are not playing westerners as we know them. We are generally providing an interpretation of what a westerner is from the point of view of a different culture.
“For western viewers, there can be this kind of uncanny valley feeling that comes from that,” he added. “But as an actor, unless I feel that it’s pointlessly abusive, it’s not my place to challenge a director’s view of my culture.”
Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix. Read our guides to the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.