‘Squid Game,’ starring Lee Jung-Jae, will be released on Netflix in September

“Squid Game,” a Netflix original series starring Lee Jung-Jae and centered on a mysterious survival game, will release on Sept. 17.

The title is based on a children’s game in which players draw various geometric forms on the ground and compete until one final winner is determined.

On Wednesday, Netflix confirmed the release date of the Korean original series, noting that it will be available in 190 countries from that day.

The series tells the narrative of 456 cash-strapped people who fight to the death in a secret game until there is only one survivor, directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, whose past works include “The Fortress,” “Miss Granny,” and “Silenced.” The reward money for the last survivor is 45.6 billion won ($39.4 million).

Along with a trailer for the upcoming drama, Netflix also released an unnerving poster that puts a sinister spin on the Korean children’s pastime known as “squid game.” The wording on the ad teases, “45.6 billion [win], the youthful innocence of grown-ups will be broken,” as one of the game’s faceless workers drags a bloodied body towards a coffin decorated like a gift box.

Meanwhile, the new teaser gives us a terrifying look at the drama’s survival game. Losing the game means losing your life, and only the last survivor will receive the 45.6 billion earned prize.

Lee, who is renowned for films like “The Thieves” (2012) and “Assassination” (2015), plays Gi-hun, a desperate guy who joins the survival game after being sacked from his job.

Park Hae-soo, well known for his roles in the tvN drama “Prison Playbook” and the Netflix film “Time to Hunt” (2020), plays Gi-hun’s friend Sang-woo, who enters the game since he sees no future at his current job.

In a statement, the production team said, “It will be fascinating to watch the stories of the varied personalities, as well as how they engage in the game, and their reasons.”