The intense, gruesome battle for survival depicted in the series “Squid Game” seems almost unrealistic, yet some spectators speculate that it could be loosely inspired by a real-life event, dating back to 1986 and a place called The Brothers’ Home.
Just as its first season did, Squid Game Season 2 has garnered worldwide attention since it debuted on Netflix in December, establishing a fresh viewership milestone for the streaming platform.
In this new round, the character Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456 (portrayed by Lee Jung-jae), reenters the competition to attempt once more at the high-stakes games where individuals battling financial struggles compete fiercely for a substantial reward.
The second part concludes with a suspenseful twist, setting the stage for a thrilling Season 3. Although it’s definitely exciting, the dark undertones in the narrative have sparked discussions about its possible connection to a true event. Please be advised: some viewers might find this material troubling.
Squid Game’s ‘1986 true story’ explained
Initially, there’s been a rumor spreading online that the Netflix series Squid Game is inspired by a true event from 1986, in which hostages were allegedly trapped in a bunker located in No Man’s Land and forced to play survival games – however, this story is not factual.
In this particular case, there’s neither any written record nor account found, and the assertions lack specific details about which “No Man’s Land” they are referring to.
Several posts imply that the incident occurred within the same nation as Squid Game, potentially alluding to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a boundary zone dividing North and South Korea since the Korean War.
Nevertheless, since it’s not an actual event, the interpretation can vary. The most widely-shared post about this topic originated from TikTok user blink_loveee10, who uploaded a video containing pictures and the caption, “Squid Game was inspired by a real-life incident in 1986.
The events unfolded deep beneath the earth’s surface, in a subterranean bunker that lay within neutral territory. Captives were kept there, forced to participate in multiple challenges just to stay alive. The eerie hosts, whose thoughts seemed alien, remained untraceable.
The video has been watched more than 3.5 million times, but the comments are switched off.
As a devoted enthusiast, you might find yourself questioning the authenticity of these images given the seemingly non-occurrence of the event they depict. However, let me clarify that these photos originate from a chilling and all-too-real establishment, one that leaves an indelible mark on anyone who lays eyes upon it.
The Brothers Home was known as “Korea’s Auschwitz”
Although no deadly tournaments have been documented, the Brothers’ Home bears an eerie resemblance to the fictitious setting of Squid Game – the key difference being that the Brothers’ Home is a real location.
More than twenty factories functioned within the confinement camp, where not only adults but also young children were compelled to labor. Here, you see the camp’s child inmates gathered for their daily assembly. Regrettably, instances of sexual abuse towards these minors and disabled individuals by ROK officials were prevalent within the camp.
— Nat 🇰🇵 (@NatalieRevolts) January 19, 2020
The facility known as The Brothers’ Home, situated in Busan, South Korea, functioned as an internment camp from 1976 to 1987. Contrary to its intended purpose of providing a secure refuge for the homeless, it tragically transformed into a place of unimaginable suffering. In this institution, prisoners endured physical abuse, mental torment, and in some cases, were brutally taken from us.
Labeled as “South Korea’s Auschwitz” by the media, this facility was a consequence of the oppressive regime in charge at the time and their Ordinance No. 410 – a policy aimed at “cleansing the streets” of South Korea, a preparation for the 1988 Olympics.
Instead of presenting the nation proudly to the globe and relocating homeless individuals off the streets, the government’s efforts inadvertently led to one of the area’s most egregious instances of human rights violations at the Brothers’ Home, where care for the homeless was not prioritized.
Notably, an investigation carried out in 1987 revealed that a small fraction, approximately 10%, of the large number of incarcerated individuals were homeless. In 2021, Busan City councilor Park Min-seong stated to Al Jazeera’s 101 East that some individuals were abducted from the streets and unlawfully detained at the Brothers’ Home.
Min-seong, who backed the council’s 2018 apology to victims, stated that these individuals were “people living out their regular routines, people casually enjoying drinks, just typical folks, even kids.
9 individuals who had experienced life in the camp shared their accounts with a media source. They described enduring hunger, abuse, and compulsory work at multiple factories on the site, all without any payment.
At the age of 15, Yeon Seng-mo, who served a four-year term in that facility, stated that if they failed to meet their daily objectives, they would be physically punished with baseball bats.
Just as concentration camps had a hierarchical structure, those in power set up a system of authority. Min-seong commented, “Their tactic was to make prisoners mistreat fellow prisoners.
Hahn Jong-seon, who was only nine years old when he and his older sister were compulsorily admitted to Brothers’ Home, shared with the publication about the numerous troubling incidents that took place during his stay, one of which still deeply affects him: witnessing a fellow resident brutally beaten to death.
Jong-seon explained that after the boy woke up, he clung to the leader’s leg and pleaded for mercy. However, the leader was enraged. Instead of showing compassion, he brutally attacked him. Then, with a resounding ‘smack!’ he hit the boy on the head with a stick. This caused the boy to fall unconscious, his eyes rolled up, and blood began to trickle from the wound.
Have you heard? The hit series Squid Game from South Korea shares striking similarities with real-world atrocities. In the 1970s, a place known as Brother’s Home, which claimed to provide welfare, subjected approximately 38,000 vulnerable individuals to forced labor, mistreatment, and corruption.
This facility has been referred to as South Korea’s Concentration Camp. While the acclaimed TV show…
— Adelle Nazarian (@AdelleNaz) January 3, 2025
17-year-old Park Soon-hee successfully fled the institution in 1986, yet within a short span of time, she found herself giving birth. This pregnancy occurred while under the care of Brothers’ Home, where she was assaulted by a leader and previous inmate who had advanced in rank, resulting in her impregnation.
Her mother arranged for her to place the child up for adoption.”
“She lamented, ‘Our lives held promise, yet they destroyed it.’ Or, ‘They crushed the dreams we had for our future.’
As a passionate follower reporting this, I uncovered some startling findings through an Associated Press investigation. It appears that leaders at the Brothers’ Home were involved in a disturbing practice: sending children overseas for adoption using false documents and profiting significantly from it, even though their biological parents were still living in South Korea.
Despite being arrested in 1987 over charges related to embezzling state subsidies, Park In-keun served a sentence of just two and a half years in prison. He passed away naturally in 2016.
In the end, no one was ever brought to justice for the reported human rights abuses at the Brothers’ Home.
Although Squid Game doesn’t stem directly from a gruesome true story, it shares striking resemblances, particularly in its depiction of ruthless manipulation of susceptible people and the terrifying atmosphere of domination and terror.
Squid Game creator confirms real-life inspiration
Although Squid Game isn’t a real-life account, its creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, has shared that the character Ji-gun’s unemployment, as depicted in the series, was influenced by the Ssangyong Motor Company strikes of 2009.
Back in May 2009, I found myself among a group of dedicated workers at Ssangyong Motor Company in Pyongtaek, South Korea, when we were hit with some devastating news – 1000 of us were being let go. This decision sparked an indomitable spirit within our union, leading to a 77-day occupation of part of the plant as we peacefully protested against these layoffs.
As protesters used slingshots and Molotov cocktails to confront authorities, riot officers retaliated with tasers and rubber bullets, while helicopters dispersed crowds with tear gas.
Based on statements made by union head Lee Chang-kun, the aftermath of the strike took a heavy toll on workers both financially and emotionally. He disclosed to AFP that this situation resulted in about 30 instances of suicide and health problems caused by stress.
After the debut of Squid Game Season 2, creator Dong-hyuk revealed to a media outlet that the character Gi-hun’s backstory was influenced by this. He expressed his desire to portray how someone living an ordinary middle-class life in our contemporary world could plummet down the economic ladder in a single night.
Stream Squid Game seasons 1-2 on Netflix right now! Alongside that, discover why Thanos speaks English, our speculations for the third installment, and the reasons to watch this gripping 2005 thriller.
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2025-01-06 23:55