Predictable storyline saved by exemplary production value and acting

Truly on-the-edge of your seat production. While it's not difficult to predict what'll happen in Squid Game, it's the journey that makes this show such an enjoyable watch. The games themselves are suspensful and keep your eyes glued to the screen; the characters are well-done and three-dimensional. Personally I didn't see too much philosophy and discourse on the social gap that the games address (on-screen), but like another review I've read online say, you can engage in this show in whatever level you're comfortable with, whether as a superficial battle-to-the-death or a more in-depth analysis on the social state of society.

PROS
❀ Action was well done, cinematography was on point, and in general the production was top notch | I think this is the highlight of what makes or breaks a familiar storyline that hinges on emotion and action. The camera work allows the characters' faces (and subsequently, emotions) to shine, and the sets and costumes are attention-grabbing. I'm especially a fan of the green tracksuits vs. pink solider outfits, as well as the stairs that model Escher's relativity.
❀ Cool easter eggs that keep you guessing | I love that the writer/director (I believe the same person) added little hints throughout the episodes that watchers can latch onto. It keeps us engaged despite using predictable plotlines as we keep watching to find out if those hints we found had a basis. (The feeling of victory when you had the correct guesses>>>)
❀ Characters... wow | I think the acting took the cake in this drama. I like that we see both familiar faces (like the cameo from the crowd popular Gong Yoo as well as Lee Jung Jae as the MC), as well as rising stars (Jung Ho Yeon that became a fan favorite as well as Anupam Tripathi - a win for South Asian casting in S. Korea). It felt like each player gave it their all and you really end up cheering for them. Personally I liked every player - even the underhanded ones like No. 101 and 218. Each of them are on the spectrum of morally gray whether it's their background, personality, or both that galvanized them to join the squid games. I also enjoyed No. 456's journey from ep 1 to 9; he does have a little of that protagonist glow/armor going on towards the latter episodes (as well as the mentality of a shounen anime MC), but I like that it gives a bit of light to an otherwise rather morose and dark show. The hopeful note the show ends on (as well as the hint of another season) can only be met by such a character.
❀ Music that fits the scenes SO well | I'm in love with the soundtrack. Even as I'm typing this, I'm listening to dubstep remixes of the Pink Soldier theme. The OSTs are paired perfectly with the eerie roboticism of the workers, secret motives of the players, and mysterious powers of the frontman. This ties in, again, with the excellent production and attention to details that the cast and production team focused on.
❀ Tight writing that doesn't drag despite being more character-focused | I think the writer did an excellent job in keeping Squid Game concise yet emotional. We go through character backgrounds, but those scenes are a help rather than a hindrance to the story as we begin to empathize with them. For characters that got less screen time (ex: the player with the nose ring), their acting/actions were more than enough to make them grow on you. Anything more would have lessened my engagement.

CONS
✕ The plot is a lil been there, done that | When it comes to human psychology and the huge wealth gap, the show doesn't offer too much to the conversation. (Interesting exception: pointing out the injustices of foreign workers in S. Korea, which is a topic I've never seen in media before.) Otherwise, like I mentioned in the title of this review, the messages aren't shocking or revolutionary. No. 456 goes down a familiar path that well-liked MCs have gone through before while sustaining his humanity and a (generally) positive outlook on society.

OVERALL
Not going to lie, I was sweating buckets while watching some of the episodes. Squid Games is suspensful, well-produced, and features a diverse cast of characters that'll grip you from start to finish. One of the best parts is that season 1 is relatively short (9 1-hour episodes) and once you start, you won't want to stop. (It took me 2 weeks to even start after prodding from friends and family, and after the games started I was all in.) Recommended for a thrilling watch with a little gore, a lot of death, and the characters that really make the show shine.

(Note: My rewatch value is set to 5.0 always as a default as I'm not the type to rewatch dramas EVER. Thus, I do not take it into account when calculating overall score.)

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Thought it would be my type but turns out it wasn't

Maybe I'll get back to it one day? But for now... nah. I'm good.
[Be careful of spoilers below]

PROS
❀ The first episodes definitely drew me in... | I was looking for a romantic cdrama that wasn't pure fluff, and Fairyland Lovers caught my eye. I'm a big fan of stories within stories, which this show has. Inside the overarching plotline between the main leads, we also have sub-stories of spirits that the spirit doctor heals. This lends it an anthology-like feeling, which I'm really into. While I only watched up to the stories of the first two spirits, they had bittersweet backgrounds and nicely done resolutions.
❀ Acting and OST were pretty good | I have no complaints on this end. I haven't seen these actors before but I think they all did their jobs well. And yet, something just didn't click with me...

CONS
✕ This is the first cdrama I've seen where the ML has facial hair | And I'm not a fan. The actor looked great - really! Kind of a rugged energy, paired with the dashing, kdrama combo of long coat + turtleneck. But I'm not sure the facial hair was necessary, because you would think a being who's been alive for hundreds of years would want to look more... polished, I guess? Instead of the facial hair making him look 'immortal,' it just made him look older. Which, again, is fine! BUT in contrast to the FL?? Well.
Visually, the main leads' wardrobe and mannerisms make this drama look like an age gap romance between a schoolgirl and a businessman. (I guess technically it is, since the ML is older.)
✕ But the FL wasn't a schoolgirl? | She wasn't! However, she sure acted like one. In the beginning, I was impressed by her emboldened attitude. She was brash and mouthed off about being the 26th descendant of some martial arts technique or whatnot. Fun! All too quickly, she loses some of that luster and shine. Every other episode, she gets saved by the ML (is there a need??? Once or twice is alright, but I can only stand oh-so-many 'fall into ML's arms scenes. PLS . Even the second couple gets such a scene.) Her outfits consist of exceptionally baggy clothes and overalls. Pair that with unkempt hair that's sometimes in braids, and the FL gave off VERY young vibes. She acts like how she dresses, too. I remember getting irritated when I saw her beg the ML to help heal the spirit in the second sub-story. And as someone who has a pretty low tolerance for imbalanced relationships, it irked me to see the ML basically renovate/re-model her entire living space and buy her dad's IOUs. I commend her for trying to live off of being an actress/artist, but her hard work gets tossed away once the super rich ML waltzes in. OH and the fighting - why does the FL get a couple of kicking scenes (lots of waving her hands around and appearing intimidating rather than instigating action) while the male leads get kung-fu fight scenes? It hurt me to see a FL start off so strong and quickly veer off the originally written path so quickly into the drama.
✕ Yeah so I read recaps of the later episodes and it basically becomes a makjang | Spare me from the multiple personalities, amnesia plots, kidnapping plots, "let me leave you for your own sake" scenes, and more. ✕
✕ Misunderstanding level: 0/10 | Where I stopped (ep 7/35), no misunderstandings happened. The ML just figured out the FL was his past lover.

OVERALL
This drama wasn't what I expected at all, and not in a positive way. Maybe if they toned it back with the main plotline and instead focused on creating more detailed and complex sub-stories, I would have enjoyed it more. (And if the FL was a little more mature/acted her age, I would have continued watching.) As it stands, I'm left scratching my head because this show tried to do so much: have a love that spans through time, while following another couple, while saving the world, while having smaller stories about spirits, etc. I think I'm leaving this a 3/5 because it has potential, but at the end of the day this story is just not my type despite a promising beginning.

(Note: My rewatch value is set to 5.0 always as a default as I'm not the type to rewatch dramas EVER. Thus, I do not take it into account when calculating overall score.)

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