• Netizens Raise Plagiarism Concerns Again Over "Squid Game" Alleged Similarity To "Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler"

    Controversy over plagiarism of the Netflix drama 'Squid Game' (left) and the movie 'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' is being raised again, and debates continue. home page capture

    The plagiarism controversy surrounding the Netflix drama 'Squid Game' has been raised again.

    On August 1st, a related online community claimed that 'Squid Game' plagiarized the Japanese movie 'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' ', resulting in hundreds of comments and heated debate among netizens.

    In fact, since the release of 'Squid Game', similarities with 'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' have been constantly raised. The same point of view has been raised this time as the stories of these two works overlap to a large extent.

    'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' is a movie of the same name based on a cartoon and was released in October 2009. This work, which was released as 'Kaiji' in Korea, achieved a box office record with a box office income of 2.25 billion yen in Japan.

    The main character, Kaiji, who lives idle, is in debt and receives a proposal for a 'murder game' to survive by gathering the losers in his life.

    'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' was made into a movie after being a box office hit in Japan. The story follows the format of a Japanese death game. home page capture

    With this storyline, suspicions are being raised that 'Squid Game' plagiarized 'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' . A video that briefly summarizes and introduces 'Kaiji's 'gambling apocalypse' was shared on media such as YouTube, supporting this controversy.

    Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who directed the actual 'Squid Game', once said that he had been inspired by 'Squid Game' as he came across 'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' as the original cartoon. He pointed out the success of 'Squid Game', saying, "I was able to immerse myself in the emotions of the characters in the game because anyone, regardless of age or gender, could easily understand the game. The difference is that 'Squid Game' is simple, and viewers focus on people rather than games."

    However, the industry's perspective on these two works is different. Although a Japanese-style death match game was used as the main story line, this is because the form of the game and the characters' personalities are completely different. The same controversy has been raised as videos introducing simple stories are shared and compared to 'Squid Game'.

    Writer Osamu Suzuki, who wrote the screenplay for 'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler', wrote an article for the Asahi Shimbun in September of last year, ending this controversy himself. He said, "If you look at the plot of ('Squid Game'), you might think 'gambling apocalypse look Kaiji' or 'as God says'.

    He also commented, “Even though it was a ‘death game’ drama, it ended neatly.

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  • Former S.E.S Shoo brings her twin daughters to a night market and reveals emotional story: “I once sold clothes just to get by”

    Former S.E.S member Shoo (Yoo Soo Young) warmed hearts as she shared a touching moment with her twin daughters—taking them to the same wholesale market where she once worked during a difficult time in her life.

    On May 8, Shoo posted several photos on Instagram showing her spending time with her twin daughters, Ra Hee and Ra Yul, at the Dongdaemun wholesale market. In the caption, she wrote, “Did everyone enjoy the holiday? I feel like I made a memory I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.”

    The photos showed Shoo and her daughters smiling brightly while eating and shopping together. Her daughters, now visibly grown up, were even seen wearing similar shoes and clothes as their mom.

    Shoo opened up about a painful chapter in her past. “When I was struggling, I once sold clothes I got from Dongdaemun with the help of a friend,” she shared. “I used to go there from night to early morning, picking up fleece clothes, hairpins, and shoes, thinking, ‘My kids would love this if I brought them here.’”

    Now that her daughters are older, Shoo finally fulfilled that dream. “We laughed so much while shopping. We bought hairpins, socks, and clothes together,” she said. “They’ve grown so much—they can even wear the same things as me.”

    Reflecting on the experience, she added, “Memories of my past flashed before my eyes. I told them how I used to work late at night, carrying heavy bags and walking around for 10 hours straight.”

    Shoo emotionally concluded, “I was so happy to show my kids the nighttime world I once worked in.”

    Fans who remember Shoo’s twins from The Return of Superman were touched to see how much they’ve grown. Shoo, now a proud mom of three, continues to update fans through her TV appearances and social media, showing her strength as both a mother and former idol.

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