Key Facts
- Hangul: 오징어 게임; Revised Romanization: ojingeo geim
- Part of speech: proper noun
- Origin: mixed
- Register: Proper noun; title of the 2021 Netflix drama, named after a children's game.
Squid Game in Korean: What Does 오징어 게임 Mean?
오징어 게임 is "Squid Game", a proper noun. It is the title of the 2021 Netflix drama, and it is also the name of an older children's game, so one title can point to the show or to the playground game.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Two words: o-jing-eo and ge-im. The title keeps a space between them, and the second word is the loanword for "game".
Example Sentences with 오징어 게임
저는 오징어 게임을 봤어요.
jeoneun ojingeo geimeul bwasseoyo.
I watched Squid Game.
봤어요 is the past of "watch". 저는 is the topic, and the object marker 을 follows 오징어 게임.
오징어 게임은 유명한 드라마예요.
ojingeo geimeun yumyeonhan deuramayeyo.
Squid Game is a famous drama.
유명한 means "famous", and 드라마예요 says "it is a drama". This sentence defines the title for someone new.
어릴 때 오징어 게임을 했어요.
eoril ttae ojingeo geimeul haesseoyo.
I played squid game when I was little.
어릴 때 means "when I was little", and 했어요 is "did". Here the phrase means the street game, not the show.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The three phrases are 오징어 게임 시즌 2, 오징어 게임을 하다 and 오징어 게임 드라마. The second one means to play the game, so the verb is 하다.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 오징어 게임 시즌 2 | Squid Game season 2 |
| 오징어 게임을 하다 | play squid game |
| 오징어 게임 드라마 | Squid Game drama |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: assuming 오징어 게임 only means the Netflix show.
Correct: it is also a real children's street game that existed long before the show, so 오징어 게임을 했어요 means you played the game, not that you watched the series.
오징어 게임 Compared with Similar Words
오징어 means squid, the animal, and 게임 means game. The title joins them as two words. The word 오징어 alone never names the show.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 오징어 게임 | Squid Game | This page's word |
| 오징어 | squid | The sea animal on its own; it never names the show |
| 게임 | game | Any game, including video games |
Where Does the Word Come From?
The title is a mixed compound: 오징어, the everyday Korean word for squid, plus 게임, a loanword from English "game".
Cultural Note
The show's title comes from a traditional Korean children's game played on a court drawn on the ground in the shape of a squid.
Talking about the Show without Spoilers
Two colleagues are deciding whether they can discuss the story over lunch. They use polite 요 endings because they are friendly but still speaking politely.
Mina
오징어 게임 봤어요?
Ojingeo geim bwasseoyo?
Have you watched Squid Game?
Jun
네, 그런데 아직 다 못 봤어요.
Ne, geureonde ajik da mot bwasseoyo.
Yes, but I haven’t finished it yet.
Mina
그럼 스포일러는 안 할게요.
Geureom seupoilleoneun an halgeyo.
Then I won’t give any spoilers.
Jun
고마워요. 오늘 나머지를 볼 거예요.
Gomawoyo. Oneul nameojireul bol geoyeyo.
Thanks. I’ll watch the rest today.
아직 means “yet”, and 다 means “all”. Together with 못 봤어요, they say the viewing is unfinished. The first question leaves out 을 after the title, which is natural in conversation. The full object form remains 오징어 게임을. 스포일러 is the Korean loanword for a spoiler; the promise 안 할게요 means the speaker will refrain from giving one.
Which Verb Tells You What Someone Means?
오징어 게임을 보다 means to watch the series, while 오징어 게임을 하다 means to play the game. The title stays the same; the action tells you which activity is happening. In a conversation about childhood, 했어요 naturally points toward playing. In a conversation about episodes, 봤어요 points toward watching.
A useful follow-up is 몇 화까지 봤어요? — “Up to which episode have you watched?” 화 counts episodes, so this question asks how far someone has progressed. 시즌 identifies a season instead. Seeing 시즌 2 after the title does not mean episode two. For an episode label, look for 화 rather than 시즌.
The title itself is neutral. A polite question ends in 봤어요?, while close friends may use 봤어? The shorter ending changes the relationship between speakers; it does not change the show's name. Keep the space between 오징어 and 게임 when writing the title in a message.
Where Will You See 오징어 게임?
In a streaming catalogue or an entertainment headline, 오징어 게임 is a title. Words such as 배우 (actor), 등장인물 (character), and 예고편 (trailer) tell you that the surrounding text concerns the production or its story. An interview with a 배우 concerns a real performer; a description of a 등장인물 concerns a fictional person.
In a discussion of playground activities, the same phrase names the children's game. The squid in the name refers to the shape of the playing area. You do not need to translate 오징어 as a metaphor or search for a hidden meaning to understand the title.
For ordinary discussion, pairing the title with a precise noun helps: an episode, a character, or a trailer. That lets you ask a small question without needing to retell the plot. It also makes it easier to avoid sharing story details with someone who has only just started watching.
Words to Use Alongside 오징어 게임
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 드라마 | TV drama | Names the kind of programme. |
| 배우 | actor | The real person performing a role. |
| 등장인물 | character | The person within the story. |
| 예고편 | trailer | A preview rather than a full episode. |
The Squid Game vocabulary lesson groups the title with words used to discuss the series.
Quick Self-Test
- Which verb means watching the series: 보다 or 하다?
- Does 시즌 2 mean episode two?
- What does 아직 다 못 봤어요 tell your listener?
Show answers
- 보다. 하다 refers to playing the game.
- No. It means season two; 화 is used for episodes.
- You have not finished watching, so plot details may be spoilers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "Squid Game" in Korean?
Say 오징어 게임 (ojingeo geim).
Is it only a TV show?
No. It is also a real children's street game.
How do you say "play squid game"?
Say 오징어 게임을 하다.
How do you say "season 2"?
Say 오징어 게임 시즌 2.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the Squid Game words page groups 오징어 게임 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 오징어 게임 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare with the page for squid.
- Compare with the page for game.