Why ‘The Hunger Games’ Is More Horrifying Than ‘Squid Game’

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It’s been thrilling for fans of the death game genre recently, as “Squid Game” Season 2 dropped in December, and a new “Hunger Games” book is set for release in March. At first glance, it may seem that “Squid Game” presents a more dystopian world given its reflection of real-life issues and higher death toll. However, upon closer inspection, the game portrayed in “The Hunger Games” might actually be more harrowing to participate in.

To compare which fictional universe featuring deadly games is more terrifying, we pitted these two series against each other in a contest. The outcome shows that neither scenario would tempt us to participate, yet our analysis suggests that it’s far more disturbing to envision children participating in lethal games than them simply playing challenging children’s games.

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The Tributes in ‘The Hunger Games’ Are Children

The most striking difference between ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Squid Game’ that makes the former more disturbing is the age of the participants. Unlike ‘Squid Game’, which features adults, ‘The Hunger Games’ is populated by children aged 12 to 18. Seeing adults fight to the death is already distressing, but when youngsters are involved, it intensifies the horror.

Death of Innocence

In “The Hunger Games,” the loss of innocence stands out vividly, as it is closely tied to the deaths of children. These children grow up aware that they could be forced into the games, with slim chances of survival and no say in the decision.

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The Players in ‘The Hunger Games’ Are Forced to Play

In contrast to the contestants in “Squid Game”, the tributes in “The Hunger Games” didn’t get to decide if they wanted to participate. Once their names were drawn, there was no going back. Unlike in “Squid Game”, they had no opportunity to vote and end the games. Although many in “Squid Game” chose not to escape, we believe a larger number of participants in “The Hunger Games” would have opted out if given the chance.

Bread and Lottery

It might be reasonable to think that the participants in Squid Game had no other option but to play due to their financial needs. However, this perspective assumes a literal interpretation of their situation, implying they could have collectively decided to stop if they had voted for it.

It’s worth noting that some starving participants in a fictional scenario (similar to “The Hunger Games”) boosted their chances of being selected by trading more tickets with their name for tesserae. This could lead someone to suggest that they bear some responsibility for being chosen, much like the gamblers and crypto investors portrayed in “Squid Game.” However, this comparison is not entirely accurate, as it’s more appropriate to compare their situation to bread and a lottery, rather than apples and oranges.

In the episode titled similarly in “Squid Game,” the gravity of the contestants’ predicament was primarily self-inflicted, having resulted from their own decisions (made through a lottery). Conversely, in “The Hunger Games,” most characters found themselves in dire straits due to their unfortunate birth circumstances and were compelled to fight merely for survival (to secure bread).

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Issues in the Greater World

The TV show Squid Game resonates strongly due to its realistic explorations of issues like poverty, capitalism, and corruption. On the other hand, The Hunger Games intensifies these themes by depicting characters who are not only impoverished but also struggling with hunger, oppression, and ultimately, warfare. Moreover, they inhabit a world characterized by chilling technology and strange, genetically altered creatures. In this dystopia, the struggle for survival doesn’t end within the arena but extends to their everyday lives.

Both Bad Situations

To be completely honest, I find striking similarities between the lives of characters in “Squid Game” and “The Hunger Games”. While there are differences among them, they all endured hardships. For instance, Seong Gi-hun, due to his financial troubles, was at risk of being harmed by gangsters. Yet, if he hadn’t fallen into gambling, he probably could have scraped by, even if it meant relying on his ex-wife’s family or his mother for support.

In a stark parallel reminiscent of the tormented souls in “The Hunger Games,” I found myself drawn to Kang Sae-byeok, a character who fled oppression in North Korea and was compelled to seek funds for a daring rescue mission to save her mother. Despite her privileged status, she remained a victim of an unforgiving, ruthless regime that left even the wealthiest vulnerable.

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More Gruesome Deaths

In the series ‘Squid Game’, many characters met their end either by being shot or falling from great heights. Although these methods are undeniably grim, they generally result in swift demise (unless a shot missed its mark). On the other hand, the ‘Hunger Games’ featured gruesome spectacles of death as an integral part of its entertainment.

In various instances depicted in the series, characters like Cato, Glimmer, Marcus, and Mags met tragic ends that involved being eaten alive, stung repeatedly, crucified, burned by acid rain, mauled by beasts, and even practicing cannibalism. Additionally, the cornucopia was a scene of brutal conflict where tributes resorted to using whatever they could find to attack each other in a desperate bid for survival.

Punishment Is the Point

In essence, the chaos that erupted during Squid Game’s nighttime brawl might resemble the cornucopia scene in The Hunger Games. Yet, nothing quite matches the intense brutality experienced by Cato, Glimmer, and their peers in The Hunger Games. This may be due to the fact that while Squid Game was primarily designed for audience entertainment, The Hunger Games served a dual purpose: both entertaining and suppressing rebellion.

In my perspective, the intricate web of games portrayed in Oh Il-nam’s world mirrors certain aspects of life, but it pales in comparison to the stark reality that unfolds in “The Hunger Games.” This cinematic masterpiece unmasked itself as a brutal form of retribution from the very start, and the continuation of this ruthless spectacle only served to underscore its punitive nature.

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Huge Spectacle

In contrast to my experience with “The Hunger Games,” where an entire nation eagerly tunes in to the brutal competition unfolding on screen, “Squid Game” is watched only by a select few VIPs. Despite the higher death toll in “Squid Game,” it’s clear that far fewer individuals are directly supporting or rooting for its continuation. Unlike the twisted rich elite who enjoy “The Hunger Games,” thousands of viewers find themselves cheering on the contestants’ demise in the former, a spectacle that is eagerly anticipated rather than an obviously illegal activity that, if more people knew about it, would likely be swiftly shut down.

Panem et Circenses

In a simpler and more conversational manner, we could say: The term “Panem” signifies bread, and “Panem et Circenses” means ‘bread and entertainment.’ This is similar to ‘bread and lottery,’ where a government keeps its citizens content by providing food and amusement. But unlike the ‘bread and lottery’ system, which gives a choice to those who might be chosen for amusement, the ‘bread and circuses’ of Panem actually withholds bread from the districts while forcing them into horrific entertainment.

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Mutilated Bodies

Near the conclusion of the first Hunger Games film, Peeta and Katniss encounter creatures known as “mutts” – genetically altered, wolf-like beings. In the novel, to Katniss’s dismay, these mutts wear collars with a district number, and their physical attributes mirror those of tributes from the specified districts.

In the film, though not immediately obvious, the suggestion is that the Capitol transferred the tributes’ eyes into the mutts’ bodies. If these eyes were instead artificially designed to resemble the tributes’, rather than being literally taken from them, it still represents a violation of their dignity and serves as a chilling reminder for the surviving players.

Not Just in Death

Absolutely, both Squid Game and The Hunger Games inflicted severe bodily harm on their participants. In a comparison between the theft of eyes in Squid Game versus organ harvesting, it’s clear that Squid Game takes the lead in terms of brutality. However, when it comes to mutilation, The Hunger Games surpasses (or falls behind, depending on one’s perspective) as its winners were compelled to undergo unwanted and non-consensual body modification surgeries. It’s important to note that even after winning, the ordeal for these participants did not end in The Hunger Games.

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The Winners Never Win

At the conclusion of Squid Game Season 1, Gi-hun was strongly advised to board a plane and resume his life with his family. However, he opted not to do so and found himself back in the games. Although these games might have tormented him for the remainder of his life, he had the opportunity, under normal circumstances, to break free from them. This is in stark contrast to the victors of the Hunger Games, who were coerced into serving as mentors or even becoming prostitutes, to protect their families and loved ones from repercussions.

Back in the Games

In contrast to Gi-hun choosing to re-enter the games voluntarily, the victors of “The Hunger Games” were compelled to participate again during the Quarter Quell. This decree went against the essence or nature of the games, which suggested that once a person won, they would be spared from further competition. However, it was indeed logical given Haymitch’s statement that “In the games, no one truly wins; there are only survivors.” Here, his remark holds both a figurative and literal truth.

To put it simply, these two dystopian series are intriguing and mesmerizing, making them definitely worth viewing. However, when it comes to choosing which one we’d like to participate in, we’d go for Squid Game, as the odds seem a bit more favorable there.

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2025-01-12 07:32