Let's Team up! Constructing Narrative Through Alliances in Squid Game

Title
Let's Team up! Constructing Narrative Through Alliances in Squid Game
Publication Date
2025-01-09
Author(s)
Brammer, Rebekah
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1531-6162
Email: rbramme2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rbramme2
Editor
Editor(s): Yeojin Kim, Dharshani Lakmali Jayasinghe, Hiba Aleem and Karen A Ritzenhoff
Type of document
Book Chapter
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Springer Nature
Place of publication
Switzerland
Edition
1
DOI
10.1007/978-3-031-72065-9_6
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/71821
Abstract

In reality TV series such as Survivor, alliances between contestants are utilized to construct dramatic narratives in order to maintain audience interest beyond the weekly winning of challenges. Similarly, within fictional Battle Royale-style stories, storylines involving alliances are an essential component of the narrative mix. However, the stakes are much higher, with the consequence of not only betrayal but death. Alliances involving real and faux friendships, sex and power-plays enrich the drama and allow audiences to engage and empathize with various characters, aware that they will inevitably mourn the loss of their “favorites,” just as fans of reality shows do. Over its episodic narrative and character arcs, Squid Game presents a number of such alliances. This chapter examines how these function within this dystopian series in comparison with the “entertainment value” model of Survivor and other reality TV series.

Link
Citation
Contemporary Asian Popular Culture Vol. 1, v.1, p. 129-148
ISBN
9783031720642
9783031720659
Start page
129
End page
148

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