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Living or Dying 90×60cm Acrylic on canvas
"Squid Game Respect" and the satire of Jang Bum-soon
Jinha Kim / Art Critic/ I an Jenkins_Translation
Jang’s solo exhibition is the product of his personal reflections on the TV drama "Squid Game”.
Indeed, choosing to devote an entire set of works to the series seems to indicate the deep
impression it must have made on him. “Squid Game”, which received worldwide acclaim for its
uniquely shocking satirical style, deals with the perverse nature of politics, the economy, society
and culture in the era of late capitalism and neoliberalism. Despite the disturbing nature of its
content, the series remains realistic in that it captures the bleakness of modern life through the
lens of a dystopian yet sincere imagination.
"Squid Game Respect" uses the plot of the series as source material. 'Respect' is a term often
invoked in modern pop culture. For example, in hip-hop and breakdancing, it is the opposite of
‘diss’, where teenagers and young adults boo their opponents when they are battling. ‘Respect’ is
expressed with a thumbs up when participants genuinely recognise and respect their opponent's
skills. In recent years, the thumbs up has also been used in everyday life as a general gesture to
