6 “Squid Game” lessons to help you win the game of money and debt

The Korean drama Squid Game has become Netflix’s most popular series yet and had reached 111 million fans worldwide so far. The storyline is creative and makes you sit at the edge of your chair, waiting for the outcome of each game played in the drama. The mystery and ambiguity of the characters also fuelled the suspense and make the viewers keep anticipating more of it.

Squid Game is an entertaining drama series. The series comes with many plot twists with plenty of substances that spark our observation on life lessons that we can learn from. There are a few lessons that help you win in the game of money and debt from watching Squid Game. Here are my top 6 picks.

Spoiler alert here to those who haven’t watched it, I suggest you pause here and watch it first before continue reading.

1. Debt is a real motivator

Debt can be used as energy to push you up as well as it can cause you to sink deeper. 456 people initially signed up for the game in the hope the prize money can help them settle their money problem. But when they found out that it is a life and death manner, many voted to stop playing.

After they went back to their own life, it motivated them that they had nothing to lose to come back to Squid Island to have a chance to win back their life. 187 players who initially quit, willingly signed their own lives away to come back for a chance to win the prize money of 255 million won (RM 897 million).

So are you using your stress from debt as motivation to get out of it or sink further and deeper into debt?

2. Money and stress can reveal a person’s true character

Sang-woo was hailed as the hero early in the series as someone smart and righteous. But in the end, he reveals his true intention. His desire for money outweighs the importance of the relationship when he started sacrificing his fellow teammates for his own gain.

Do you do what you say even when the pressure forces you to choose between money and friendship? Which do you choose? Are you aligned and in line with your core values? Do you preach what you do, even during stressful situations?

3. Leave no one behind

Do you remember how Gi Hun would never leave the old man behind (Player 001) even to the point that it could cost the group their life? There were 2 instances, first during the tug of war game. When everyone chose the stronger group with all men, their group was made up of 3 ladies and an old man. They were rewarded when they used brain vs brawl.

The second instance was when they had to partner in a pair. No one would choose the old man and one person would risk not having a partner. Gi Hun decided with his heart to go with the old man (Player001) although he had a choice of going with another stronger choice (man). But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the 4th game was to go against your partner. Hence he had a hard time ‘winning’ the old man which will result in him dying. But the advantage here as he went up against someone weaker. Which turned out to be the right choice to make.

Gi Hun made a lot of decisions with his heart. He stayed true to his intentions. He invested in humans and relationships with no expectation of returns.

Do you provide value to others first or do you always tie an expectation of favour and money behind every action?

4. Relationship saves life

Remember when Gi Hun started to reach out to Player 001 and Sang Woo to form an alliance? He started paying it forward because Ali had earlier saved his life. Eventually, the 4 of them started the core team and attracted others to form a pack. If not, how else would they have survived the massacre on the 3rd night if they would have stayed silo?

So are you investing only in money but forgotten on investing in relationships and your team? Remember, alone you can run fast but Together as a team, you can run far. See how far Gi Hun had gone.

5. Money is not the real problem

Having too much Debt and having too much money are opposite extremes but they have the same common problem. They create the same immune feeling when you indulge in it and can make you lose yourself and your purpose in life.

Having too much money can create the same feeling as having no money at all. It pushes you to the edge where you will do whatever it takes to find purpose and meaning again.

6. Money can’t buy you the happiness, health and relationship

Being in debt is also a result of not being happy. We could be suffering bad health and strain our relationship by being too self-centred. Did you notice at the end, Gi Hun continues to live his normal life despite the 45 billion Korean Won (RM 158 Million) sitting in his account. The money didn’t make him happier because all that he valued was gone. Gone too soon, before he could make amends. It was only after his conversation with the founder of Squid Game, that he found his purpose and lived life meaningfully.

What is the big picture you are missing? Could it be you have similar blind spots like Gi Hun? In actual fact, what you wanted wasn’t all about money, and most of the things are right in front of you, but you take for granted?

These are the top 6 lessons for me from watching Squid Game. If you have watched the series, do share what are your key lessons and takeaways from the series.

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