Squid Game did not win North Korea's approval, so the country began penalizing people who would try watching the series.
Amid the success of Squid Game, North Korea expressed its disapproval of the show's release and dubbed it as a perfect way to show South Korean capitalist culture.
Arirang Meari, a pro-North Korea website, first gave a negative review of the series. As quoted by Deadline, the show reportedly depicts nothing but a "celebration for society where corruption and immoral scoundrels are commonplace."
"It is said that it makes people realize the sad reality of the beastly South Korean society in which human beings are driven into extreme competition and their humanity is being wiped out," Arirang Meari blasted.
The consequence of watching the series has been recently revealed and involved North Korean high school students and a man who has been sentenced to death.
ALSO READ: BTS Jungkook Turns People's Heads During Harry Styles Concert
Squid Game Has Curse In North Korea
As the country imposes strict rules its citizens need to follow, it shocked people when a report about several high school students' sentences for watching the series emerged.
Radio Free Asia (RFA) confirmed on Tuesday that North Korea penalized high school students for watching the series secretly. The 109th Joint Command of Staff reportedly caught the students from Chongjin City, North Hamgyong Province, after meeting a citizen -- also a high school student -- who imported the show through the USB.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: BLOCK B UKwon Sparks Wedding Buzzes Following Military Discharge
"The residents who import labour USB sticks with the Korean drama were shot to death and the student who purchased the USD was sentenced to life in prison while the other students who watched with him were sentenced to five years of labour reformation," a source revealed.
One student first watched the series before telling other students about it. After passing around the flash drives, the authorities finally caught them.
Following their sentencing, the school's principal, youth secretary, and teacher were fired from their positions.
Six of them have been sentenced to five years of hard labor, while the remaining student was sentenced to death.
North Korean Faces Death Sentence For Selling Squid Game Copies
The same news outlet disclosed that a man – one of the high school students who smuggled and sold copies of the Netflix series -- had been convicted with death. The student in question, who bought the USB stick, would reportedly receive his sentence by firing squad.
The arrest of the high school students marked the first time the government applied the Elimination of Reactionary Thought and Culture. The law approved a maximum penalty of death to minors who watch, keep, or distribute media released by capitalist countries, especially South Korea and the US.
ALSO READ: BTS Fans Trends Hilarious #BTS2ndAirportWin After K-pop Group Avoided Fans Through Private Exit
Check back for more stories, updates, and rumors about Squid Game here at EpicStream!
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
K-Wave