'Squid Game' parade at Seoul’s city center sparks concerns over children’s exposure to adult content

A "Squid Game"-themed parade takes place at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Saturday, a day after the globally popular series released its final season. Yonhap

A large-scale “Squid Game”-themed parade held at Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday evening has sparked debate among parents and educators over the appropriateness of exposing children to content inspired by the adult-rated Netflix series.

Baek, a 34-year-old Seoul resident, was strolling through the square with her husband, 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter when she was surprised to encounter the event.

The parade, organized to celebrate the release of the final season of Squid Game on Friday, resulted in traffic controls and drew thousands of fans.

“I just can’t understand it,” Baek said. “The show is rated for adults. Should something like this really be held in an open square, not a restricted venue? Adults shouldn’t expose children and teens to content meant for mature audiences. Is money and popularity all that matters? This kind of marketing makes me uncomfortable.”

She added that “Squid Game”-branded snacks and children’s merchandise are now common in stores, further blurring the lines between adult and child-appropriate content.

Jung, a 28-year-old kindergarten teacher who happened to pass by after visiting a nearby bookstore, echoed similar concerns.

“It was really unpleasant. The show is R-rated, but now there is a parade in one of the city’s most public places. What’s the point of age restrictions if this is allowed?” Jung said.

She noted that children at her kindergarten sometimes imitate scenes from the show, such as pretending to shoot each other while playing the “Red Light, Green Light” game.

Kim, 36, was also taken aback by the number of families present.

“I know the series is famous, but do we really need a parade in Gwanghwamun? There shouldn’t even be a debate about exposing kids to this kind of violent content,” he said.

The event was part of 2025 K-Content Seoul Tourism Week, co-hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Netflix.

The parade began at 7:30 p.m. at the Gwanghwamun intersection, proceeding along Sejong-daero to Seoul Plaza. Participants dressed as the show’s iconic characters, in green tracksuits and pink guard uniforms, marched through the city center. A giant replica of the Young-hee robot doll from the series made an appearance, briefly halting traffic.

Parade participants dressed as pink guards from the Netflix original show "Squid Game" march through Seoul's city center, Saturday. In the show, these uniformed guards, faces hidden by black masks, enforce game rules and violently eliminate contestants. Yonhap

Police estimated that around 5,000 people attended the parade, which was also streamed live on Netflix’s YouTube channel.

Later in the evening, a fan event featuring director Hwang Dong-hyuk and cast members including Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun took place at Seoul Plaza.

While the parade did not feature graphic scenes from the show, experts warn of the risks of exposing children to adult-themed content.

“Many studies show that minors who have experienced violent content on media at an early age show a higher level of aggression and insensitivity to actual violence. It is extremely important for their guardians, therefore, to control what they watch and learn. For children in the early stages of development, it is natural to be curious and imitate what they see and learn,” said Kwak Keum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University.

The show’s core themes — competition, money and survival — could distort children’s understanding of play and social values, another expert added.

“In the case of ‘Squid Game,’ it’s not only the explicit or violent scenes that can be problematic for children, but also the very definition of play itself. Children develop social skills through play, but if they come to accept, out of curiosity or interest, the idea that play can involve killing people, that one can die as a result of a game, or that the purpose of play is competition and money, it can distort their understanding of the value of life, money and teamwork within a community,” Bae Seung-min, a psychiatrist at Gachon University Gil Medical Center, wrote on Medical News.

“Unlike adults, who can recognize and distinguish between imagination and reality, young children are often unable to make such distinctions as clearly as adults think they can. Therefore, content that is dramatically exaggerated can be dangerous for them,” Bae wrote.