Can Squid Game Series Be Watched Through Social Darwinism? A Semiotic Review

Abstract

Social events are reflected as a string of signs in the language of the productions in question by forming the subjects of cinema and TV productions. The language of expression in television creates a dream world, and the message is tried to be placed in the audience’s mind in the form of images. This study discusses whether the South Korean production Squid Game, which has recently reached a significant audience, can be watched through Social Darwinism. In the research, the exploitation of the efforts and hopes of the weak by the strong was analyzed within the framework of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is adapting Darwin’s theory of Evolution, which is valid in all species, to the social field. This theory asserts that the fittest for the environment can survive in competition between individual organisms. Social Darwinism postulates that competition between individuals, groups, or nations causes the social Evolution of human societies. The competition, which started as a group in the TV series Squid Game, continues with individual competition and is represented by the survival of the one who finally overcomes all these challenging competitive conditions. The semiotic method was used in the research due to its suitability for the subject’s purpose, context, and basic research question. The sample of the study was determined according to the purposive sampling technique. The research data consists of scenes and player expressions reflecting the Social Darwinism perspective of the visual and verbal expressions in the series. Research findings show that the evolutionary laws among living things continue in social life in the form of Social Darwinism.