What Do The Squid Game Symbols Mean? The Circles, Triangles, And Squares, Explained

"Squid Game" is one of Netflix's most popular series of all time, with the show satisfying viewers' hunger for mystery, original storytelling, and good old-fashioned bloodletting. In the show, characters are forced to play barbaric children's games as they compete for a cash prize, all for the entertainment of rich people who view them as nothing more than pawns. "Squid Game" might get its title from innocent childhood traditions, but the content of the series is extremely adult, and if you can get past all of the brutality on display, Hwang Dong-hyuk's thriller offers plenty of food for thought. With that in mind, let's explore the meaning behind the circle, square, and triangle symbols that are displayed on the competition's employee's masks.

In short, the symbols highlight each staff member's role in the Squid Game. The circle-adorned masks are worn by the lowest level workers, all of whom are forbidden from speaking unless they're directly addressed by a superior. The triangular masks, meanwhile, are worn by the soldiers who have been put in place to ensure that no one gets up to any funny business or steps out of line. Finally, the square masks are reserved for employees in managerial positions.

That's the basic explanation of the symbols on each mask, but they also connect to the show's deeper meaning and socially conscious themes. After all, this is a series about class inequality, and the circle, square, and triangle images are used to convey some of these ideas.

Circles, squares, and triangles have a notable connection to the gaming world, as they are synonymous with PlayStation console control pads. This is interesting, as the "Squid Game" competition's poverty-stricken participants are similar to video game characters; they mainly exist to entertain and serve the powers that be. Such an obvious gaming reference reflects this idea, and it ties into the show's overarching themes regarding class inequality and the cutthroat nature of unchecked capitalism. 

The hierarchical nature of the symbols also highlight the fact that the competition's employees are pawns. Their real identities are hidden, with circles, squares, and triangles being the main things that define them. This represents the notion that the staffers are just cogs in a wheel, existing to serve their often unseen masters. They are also characters in a game, even if they work for the bad guys. 

But the symbols also have a more literal meaning, as they relate to the South Korean alphabet. The circle, triangle, and square represent the letters O, J, and M, respectively, which are the initials of "Ojingeo Geim." This translates to "Squid Game" in the show's native tongue, but it also reminds us that the workers, guards, and managers belong to an all-encompassing brand that controls them.

"Squid Game" is available to stream on Netflix.