Squid Game: Here's why you might have been watching hit Netflix show 'wrong' - and what is the 'best' way to experience it

SQUID Game is the series that is currently on everyone’s lips, but what if you have watched it ‘wrong’?
This handout image Courtesy of Netflix shows a scene of South Korea's "Squid Game". Picture: YOUNGKYU PARK/Netflix/AFP via Getty ImagesThis handout image Courtesy of Netflix shows a scene of South Korea's "Squid Game". Picture: YOUNGKYU PARK/Netflix/AFP via Getty Images
This handout image Courtesy of Netflix shows a scene of South Korea's "Squid Game". Picture: YOUNGKYU PARK/Netflix/AFP via Getty Images

The Korean thriller has stormed the Netflix worldwide charts, remaining the number one most watched show in the UK as of October 6, and is said to be on track to overtake Bridgerton as the streaming service’s most watch series ever.

If you have decided to give the series a go, you may have been watching an ‘inferior’ version of the show.

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Here is everything you need to know about how to correctly watch Squid Game:

What is Squid Game?

Squid Game is a Korean drama series – which follows a group of people who play a deadly series of games, inspired by those played on the playground during school days, in the hope of winning a large sum of money.

What are closed caption subtitles?

Closed caption subtitles are for those who are hard of hearing.

They include audio descriptions and sound effects as well as speech.

Closed caption subtitles are often automatically generated.

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These subtitles are often referred to as English [CC] subtitles.

What is ‘wrong’ with Closed Captions?

If you opt for watching Squid Game in the original Korean, instead of the dubbed version, Netflix defaults to the Closed Caption version – instead of the English subtitles option.

But unfortunately the English[CC] version could be an ‘inferior’ version of the show.

According to Youngmi Mayer on TikTok the closed caption subtitles are ‘very bad’.

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This is because many of the nuances within the script appear differently in the CC subs – as opposed to the English subtitles.

The show has been criticised for a specific scene featuring Han Mi-Nyeo (played by Kim Joo-Ryoung), whose dialogue has been changed due to the translation.

The character is quoted in Netflix's closed caption subtitles as saying ‘I'm not a genius, but I can work it out’ when in fact, the correct translation is ‘I am very smart – I just never got a chance to study’.

If you watch the show with English subtitles not English[CC] you will have seen the ‘correct’ line.

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The difference between English and English[CC] subtitles are due to the closed caption subtitles being based on the dubbed version of the series.

Whereas the English subtitles are a direct translation from the original Korean script.

How can I change the setting?

Viewers can change their translation settings from English [CC] to “English” in the menu on the bottom bar of the screen.

In reference to the quote from Han Mi-Nyeo, the translation with regular English subtitles now reads “I never bothered to study, but I am unbelievably smart” which is a much more accurate translation of the original text.

Where can I watch Squid Game?

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For those who have not yet watched the series of Squid Game, you can watch the full series now on streaming service, Netflix.

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