Netflix’s Squid Game is the global phenomenon that the streaming service recently declared is its biggest series launch of all time.
But the mature-rated show has found its way into the cultural zeitgeist, including social media trends, Halloween costumes, and even ugly Christmas sweaters.
So it’s only natural that even kids have become aware of the show, despite Squid Game not being appropriate for younger viewers due to its graphic violence. That has proven controversial to the point of schools in the U.K. reporting kids are recreating the games and inflicting physical punishment on the losers.
In the U.S., similar concerns about kids associating with the show are now happening, with a report from MovieWeb stating New York elementary schools are banning kids from wearing costumes from the show or replicating the games.
If you’re not familiar, the South Korean survival drama Squid Game centers around financially destitute people being recruited by a shadowy organization to a macabre competition. The 456 contestants are promised a life-changing sum of $38 million if they can win in a series of children’s games. But the catch is if they lose, they die.
At Mott Road Elementary School, for instance, the principal wrote a message saying the show “is inappropriate for recess play or discussion at school.” In addition, costumes from the show were also banned due to “the potential violent message aligned with the costume.”
The first season of Squid Game is available on Netflix now, but don’t let your kids watch it.
