Squid Game Games In Order – 6 Korean Games Origin Explained!
Squid game is a popular thriller korean movie on Netflix that literally twisted five korean classic children games into a scary brutal games filled with blood and violence in order to win 45.6 billion won. That’s why in this article we will talk about all the squid game games in order, from it’s origin and a quick guide in how you can also play it at home.
Table of Contents
All Squid Game Games In Order
Here are all the squid game games in order you might already saw in the movie yet never knew it’s meaning, origin and how to play it.
- The Recruiter’s: Ddakji.
- Game 1: Red light, green light.
- Game 2: Dalgona (Ppopgi)
- Game 3: Tug of war.
- Game 4: Marbles.
- Game 5: The glass tile game.
- Final Game: Squid game.
0. Ddakji (딱지) / Korean Pogs
The very early Squid Game games in order in squid game series is a game called “ddakji” in Korean, which all 464 contestants must play with the recruiters in order to gain acceptance into the real main event.
This game is similar to playing pogs: the goal is to flip over a paper card by throwing another one on top of it.
Though this first competition is rigged, with the Recruiter (Gong Yoo) offering a hefty reward if he loses and simply smacking his opponent if he wins, which actually serves as an introduction for higher-stakes games throughout the rest of the series: the Squid Game.
- Origin
Ddakji Squid game games origin dates back to 1990’s traditional korean games resembled Pogs. - How to Play
Make a folded paper of Blue and Red
Hit your opponent’s tile as hard as possible using your own folded paper until it flipped.
1. Red Light, Green Light (무궁화 꽃이 피었습니다)
The first game of Squid Game games in order when we see 456 contestant compete together is Red Light, Green Light, a playground favorite which also known by various names such as Statues, Grandmother’s Footsteps, or “Mugunghwa kkochi pieotseumnida” in Korean language which literally means The Mugunghwa flower has bloomed.
This game named also sung by Young Hee, the killer doll in Squid Game. As per its history in playgrounds, Red Light Green Light is played by the players stop everytime the song ends and walk each time Young Hee sing.
This games demonstrate who follows directions of the powerful will be able to live and who does not–in this case, will die. It’s symbolic in society of how control and power work in life as within the game. Unfortunately, over half of the players are killed before even reaching the second round.
- Origin
Came from a famous playground game, also known as Grandmother’s footsteps and statues. - How to Play
The player who act as the killer Young Hee have to say “무궁화 꽃이 피었습니다” (mugunghwa kkotchi pi-eot-seumnida).
While the song plays, players are able to run until the song end, all the player must stop and freeze until the song start playing again.
Any players caught moving as the song ends lose, they must get out of the games. The winner is the player that can get all the way to the finish line before the times up.
2. Dalgona (달고나) / Ppopgi (뽑기)
The second games we saw in the series is Dalgona games, known as ppopgi. Dalgona is a type of honeycomb toffee candy that was once popular in Korea among children.
In reality, this games actually is a deal where the winner will get free candy. However, in the brutal Squid Game movie, players must complete this challenge for their life survival; failure to do so means death.
The game is as delicate and fragile as the players’ mental state; any slight mistake can mean their demise. Many players die due to their mental weakness especially after witnessing many deaths during the first games Red Light, Green Light.
- Origin
Ppopgi is a korean street food origin in Busan, dates back since the 1960’s. The idea of this games is actually came from a challenge and deal involving ppopgi street food; those who could successfully eat around the shape in the middle without breaking it, receive a free candy. - How to Play
First of all, you can get your dalgona kit here on amazon if you want to make dalgona candy. Afterwards you can make the shape on your self made dalgona. When it is ready, you can lick it until you can the shape out perfectly. - How to Make Dalgona at Home
1. Prepare 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 pinch of baking soda.
2. Begin by melting sugar in a pan over low heat until it melt.
3. Afterwards, stir in baking soda until it forms a thick, foamy mixture.
4. Then, pour the mixture onto parchment paper and flatten it into a circle with a metal press.
5. Use cookie cutters to create shapes in the surface of the sugary mixture and attach lollipop sticks before it hardens.
3. Tug Of War (줄다리기)
Tug-of-war Squid game games was known as Juldarigi in Korea, originated from agricultural communities in Korea as a way to pray for an abundant harvest. This game is traditionally played between two sides of a village, with the promise that whoever wins will be rewarded with good fortune and harvest.
In modern days, it has been transformed into a massive festival in Dangjin, where an entire town creates a 200 meter long, 1 meter wide rope that weighs 40 tons as part of the event. The real game meant to promotes unity and solidarity among participants and spectators alike.
In Squid Games, they must now create a team to compete against another team. This is the first game where we see players must team up and compete against another team players in order to survive. This sets up for a more dynamic, factional game that pits players versus player (PvP) in later rounds of the games .
- Origin
This games came from agricultural communities as their way of prayer for fortune and harvest. - How to Play
All you need is just a long rope and two team of five member or more, if you prefer. Afterwards, just pull the rope until one team falls down.
4. Marbles (구슬치기)
Marbles is the fourth round of the Squid Game games in order. It is played in pairs and one person must obtain all their opponent’s marbles before time runs out. The loser of the round is killed.
It has many different forms, previously seen in Ancient Roman civilizations and now featured in episode 6 of Squid Games. The games started of by player choosing their own team mates, without realizing that they actually choosing their own enemy.
From team competition to player versus player (PvP), now the player must win against their own team mate they chose in order to survive.
- Origin
This games origin dates back through out centuries even since ancient civiliations, which makes this game one of the most enduring games ever recorded in history.
In Korea, Marbles usually played by kids during winter seasons using any round shape items like stones, before glass marbled out and replace all the stones. - How to Play
First of all, players dig a small hole in the ground and then take turns throwing marbles towards it with the goal of getting the marble into the hole. If someone successfully throws a marble into the hole, they get to pick up all of their opponents’ missed throws from earlier rounds.
Marble Games Variation
Odd or Even (쌈치기), two players make wagers about whether an uneven or even number of marbles are being held in a hand.
Hit the Marble Out (토하기), which players drawing a triangle and taking turns hitting out marbles from within that triangle.
Just Hit Some Marbles (알까기), which everyone throwing some marbles at once and attempting to hit other players’ marbles with their own.
Marbles & Walls (벽치기/ 오부십부), which allows players to roll marbles on the ground or against walls in order to win by getting their marble farthest across.
5. Hopscotch (땅 따먹기)
In Hopscotch Squid Game, players must traverse a bridge of two glass squares side by side. With sixteen minutes or less, they need to reach to the other side, the challenge for each player is to figure out which glass is tempered that can hold weight and which one is fragile, as it will easily shatter and cause them to fall down to death.
The first player has no prior knowledge of which side to take, but the advantage increases significantly for the last player at the back, because now he can identify easily which is the right one to make it across. This time the games is not about team vs team or player vs player, but about faith and fortune.
- Origin
This games inspired by hopscotch, originated back through centuries even to ancient rome and india. - How to Play
All you need is just two square of safe materials in which you made one slip and one is rough. You can put maybe above the swimming pool, or else and start play it with your friends.
6. Squid Game (오징어놀이)
Many Koreans might recall playing the classic squid game in their childhood as they see the last and final round of Squid game series.
In this game, two teams compete against each other by drawing a square, a triangle and two circles on the ground. The objective is to try makes your opponents fall down while hopping on one foot in parts of the drawing.
In Squid Game series, this last round is only consist of Gi Hun and Sang Woo, two childhood friends fighting for the ultimate prize. The rules are simple, the winner is determined by making it to the top of the squid drawn on the ground, and because this is a brutal survival games, it means one of them must die.
- Origin
This games is one of the most competitive children games originated in Korea dates back to 1970 and 1980s. - How to Play
All you need is to do is to draw a square, triangle and two circle on the ground. Get 5 – 8 kids together and make two team, the offense and defense team.
The deffense team can’t leave the boundaries and must defend their territories. On the other hand, the offense team must get to the head of the squid and tap the triangle section with their foot in order to win.
Whoever get out of the boundary automatically got out, so the defender must try hard to push the offender to make them disqualified.
If you plan to dress up to play this Squid Game games with your friend , make sure to check out these costume! Have fun and put together a costume that celebrates the look, atmosphere and themes from this popular netflix series.
You’ll have a blast celebrating with so many of your peers all dressed in similar costumes and it will create such an eerie atmosphere like in the movie!
All The Squid Game Games In Order Sum Up
Here are all the squid game games in order we just shared to you, I believe you will love this korean games and if you plan to dress up to play this Squid Game games with your friend, make sure to check out this Crew jumpsuit and Front Man costume!
Hope you will have fun playing this korean traditional games while learning more about korean culture. If you think this article is useful, help me share korean culture and traditional games by share it to your socials or easily pin it on your board.
Have you ever play any of these games when you were young? Which one of these games you love the most? Let us know in the comment sections below!
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