'Squid Game' Is All About Greed and Desperation and Fans Think It Has Roots in Reality

The idea behind Squid Game is too horrific to ever be real — right? Some fans are now convinced otherwise, however, after a series of what first appeared to be real life Squid Game photos popped up on Reddit and TikTok. But is Squid Game based on a true story in any way? The internet has a way of fabricating literally anything in order to get a fandom talking.

When Squid Game first premiered in 2021, viewers around the world took notice of the intricate web of details in the games, the deadly competition, and the money behind it all. But some couldn't help but wonder if the idea was somehow based on something that happened in real life. And now, after the second season dropped on Netflix, others have started to wonder the same thing.

While Squid Game was not created with a real life series of games in mind, there is something that happened in South Korea in the 1970s and '80s that mirrors the games in a very small way. A facility known as Brothers Home was advertised as a place to shelter those without homes and take them off the streets.

However, what really happened according to former inmates of the camp involved cruel treatment from what were called platoon leaders and sick games for the entertainment of those in charge. According to those who survived Brothers Home, one of the games included hanging upside down for as long as possible, and being beaten when they fell.

When Squid Game first came out on Netflix, some assumed it was meant to be based on the stories from this internment camp. But it's clear that, while similar, the games featured in Squid Game and the web of storylines and ideas from the Front Man to the recruiter, are all fictional and made up for the dramatic thriller series.

In 2021, Squid Game creator Director Hwang Dong-hyuk spoke with The Korea Times about just how fictional the series is and how it was a challenge to find a balance between what could happen and what realistically could not happen in real life.

"Such a situation would never happen in real life, so it's unrealistic and could possibly only appeal to those who like this specific genre," he shared at the time. "So I had to find the perfectly even balance between fantastic and real-life elements."

Although Squid Game is not based on a true story, or real life games played by hundreds of down and out individuals willing to die for the prize, it hasn't stopped fans from wondering if it could be. Which is thanks in part to what appear to be AI-generated photos on Reddit and TikTok.

The photos depict a more realistic-looking real life version of the place where the games are held in the show. In the photos, you can see a colorful maze of staircases, not unlike those in the Squid Game series. But the place in the photos also looks rundown, as if games were indeed played there years ago.

These photos circulating social media have been debunked and labeled as AI by many. But, it seems, every time a new fan comes across them, they can't help but ask if Squid Game is based on a true story.