Who hasn’t watched Netflix’s craziest life-or-death show, Squid Game? Crazy question, we know, because everyone has! We all got anxious as we watched the characters literally fight for their lives until they were down to the last man standing.
Squid Game is more than just an entertaining series—it was a bold take on capitalism and classism, and that is what made the show unique. So, why don’t we imagine what an Egyptian version of Squid Game would look like if someone other than Ahmed Mekky parodied it?
Player 456: Seong Gi-hun (Bassem Samra)
Seong Gi-hun, the main character, is a divorced chauffeur with a gambling problem. Throughout the show, he’s selfish but tries hard to provide for his daughter financially while sharing a home with his ailing mother. Gi-hun plays the game to pay off his numerous debts and gain financial stability in order to get custody of his daughter.
If you watched the show, you already know he is a bit of a thug, though he has a big heart. Obviously, we all know who is best at portraying such characters. Yes, it’s the one and only Bassem Samra!
Via Tyla & Enty Bedia
Player 218: Cho Sang-woo (Eyad Nassar)
Cho Sang-woo is a former security company’s investment executive and, as everyone in the show loves reminding us, a Seoul National University graduate. Way back in the day, Sang-woo went to school with Gi-hun, which causes a lot of problems and tension between them in the game.
Before joining, this character was being searched for by the police because of the massive debt he was in due to bad investments. No matter how much we think about it, we can’t think of anyone better than Eyad Nassar to play this sneaky witty character.
Via Slash Film & Enigma Magazine
Player 067: Kang Sae-byeok (Dina El-Sherbiny)
Kang Sae-byeok defected from North Korea. Initially, she joins the game to pay a broker who can help her parents cross the border safely and purchase a home for her newly-reunited family. We all loved this character and sympathised with her during her brutal journey. And because of that love for her, we can’t stop thinking about how Dina El-Sherbiny is the only one who can play her well.
Via Cairo 360 & Pop Sugar
Player 001: Oh Il-nam (Yehia El Fakharany)
Oh Il-nam is an old man slowly dying from a brain tumour. But, strangely, he wanted to play the deadly game instead of waiting for death in the comfort of his home.
If you watched the show, you’ll know that he is more than just a player in the game, as he has a depth to his character that can only be brought to life by the masterful actor. So, naturally, we could think of no one better than Yehia El Fakharany for this role!
Via Awqatk & Slash Film
Player 212: Han Mi-nyeo (Nahid El-Seba’y)
Hany Mi-nyeo is a shrill and cunning woman. Her motivation for playing the game remains a mystery, but she bragged about being charged with fraud five times, which indicated that she is a skilled con artist. This female villain also regularly manipulated the players to stay on their good side. With our recasting, we think no one will do this character justice more than Nahed El-Sebaie, who excels at playing manipulative characters who can control everyone around her.
