426946

A Children’s Game /A Dystopian Nightmare: A Psychoanalytic and Hermeneutic Study of the Doll of Doom in the Moral Landscape of the Netflix Series Squid Game

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Last updated: 11 May 2025

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Abstract

present study provides a nuanced analysis of Young-hee, the enigmatic animatronic doll, featured within the Netflix South Korean dystopian survival thriller, Squid Game. Young-hee's initial childlike appearance – starkly juxtaposed with her subsequent lethal role – creates a profound psychological impact. Her shocking betrayal of the contestants' expectations and trust induces fear and anxiety among the contestants, adds complexity to their experiences and decisions, and highlights the unforgiving nature of the competition. Capturing the various dimensions of her character – from her cultural resonance and aesthetic significance to her psychological impact and narrative function, the study highlights how this figure serves as a potent dissonant symbol, evoking innocence on the one hand, and terror on the other hand. For this purpose, the study draws on the psychoanalytic approach to understand how Young-hee's duality and the fear she induces relate to notions of the Uncanny and the Return of the Repressed and explore the mental and emotional toll of the game on both the contestants and audience. The study also draws on the hermeneutic approach to deconstruct the visual and cultural symbols embedded within Young-hee and provide insights into the contribution of these elements to the narrative and thematic depth of the series. The study finally reaches the conclusion that Young-hee is a multidimensional figure whose significance extends beyond her immediate actions. It offers a rich tapestry of meanings, reflecting the series' visual outlook, thematic depth, and emotional resonance and commenting on the precarious cultural, psychological, ethical, and existential dimensions of South Korea.

DOI

10.21608/opde.2025.426946

Keywords

dystopia, Psychoanalytic Approach, Hermeneutic Approach, Squid Game, Young-hee, Survival, Duality, uncanny

Authors

First Name

Neval Nabil Mahmoud

Last Name

Abdullah

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Affiliation

Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature - Department of Humanities - College of Language & Communication - Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport - Heliopolis-Cairo-Egypt

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Volume

89

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

55624

Issue Date

2025-01-01

Receive Date

2025-05-10

Publish Date

2025-01-01

Page Start

31

Page End

64

Print ISSN

1110-2721

Online ISSN

2735-3591

Link

https://opde.journals.ekb.eg/article_426946.html

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http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=426946

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2

Type

Original Article

Type Code

1,140

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

CDELT Occasional Papers in the Development of English Education

Publication Link

https://opde.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

A Children’s Game /A Dystopian Nightmare: A Psychoanalytic and Hermeneutic Study of the Doll of Doom in the Moral Landscape of the Netflix Series Squid Game

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Article

Created At

11 May 2025