If you spend a lot of time online or consider yourself a Netflix enthusiast, you are probably familiar with the hit Korean series “Squid Game.” You may have also seen a person equipped with a pink onesie and a black mask roaming the halls of Price-Gilbert where they challenged students to a Korean game of Ddakji and slapped them if they lost, a hallmark of “Squid Game’s” season one. Organized by Tahasan Hasan, second-year BA, Tech’s version of the hit Netflix show started as a simple idea but quickly turned into a viral sensation, drawing widespread attention from students and social media alike.
Hasan’s inspiration for the event struck in an unlikely place — the shower. Reflecting on the bustling foot traffic of the Wednesday Marketplace, where thousands of students pass through without special permits, he envisioned an opportunity. Initially, Hasan was searching for a creative way to make money, having previously sold socks and hoodies at the marketplace. However, after watching “Squid Game,” an idea took root.
“What’s gonna be my next big thing?” Hasan said. “But then I thought, what if I actually held a competition? What if I charged people to enter and made a prize pool?”
His initial vision was small — a local contest for North Avenue Residence Hall residents — but it quickly expanded. The prospect of bringing a large-scale game to the entire campus was too exciting to pass, so the first competition was born.
The biggest hurdle Hasan faced was not organizing the games themselves but marketing them effectively. “If you just say, ‘Hey, I’m holding a Squid Game on campus,’ people aren’t going to get it,” he explained. “Your marketing has to be good.”
Hasan took to Tech Green’s walkway dressed in a signature pink “Squid Game” worker’s costume, challenging students to a mini-game of Dakji, where players take turns attempting to flip pieces of folded paper on the ground by throwing another piece of paper at it.
The concept was simple: beat Hasan in the game, win $1, lose, and walk away with nothing. The strategy paid off — videos of the recruitment process went viral, with an Instagram post garnering over 4 million views overnight.
“I never expected it to blow up like that,” Hasan admitted. “It was surreal seeing people across the country talking about what was happening at Tech.”
Beyond marketing, logistical organization was key. Hasan collected sign-ups via Google Forms and used Excel — his self-described “bread and butter” — to organize teams, time slots, and matchups. Eventually, Hasan could hold a bigger version of the games with a $20 entry and a $250 prize.
Hasan noted how many people see Tech as just a computer science-heavy school, but his “Squid Game” event provided a fun counterpoint to that stereotype.
“The caption on one of the viral videos was ‘Squid Games at Georgia Tech, but it’s 456 CS majors competing for one internship,’” Hasan said. “It’s funny because that’s a stereotype we have, but it also shows how we can play into it positively. People see Tech students as more than just programmers — we have fun, too.”
Hasan’s event is a testament to how student-led initiatives can unexpectedly shape campus culture. Events like these provide much-needed breaks from academic stress while fostering a sense of community and engagement.
“Tech is a STEM school, so we don’t always get as many artistic or creative outlets,” Hasan said. “This was a way for students to engage with something fun and unique.”
The overwhelmingly positive reception has Hasan considering how to expand and refine the event in the future. “I’d love to enhance the production value, maybe add lighting or better organization,” he said. “But more than anything, I want to ensure it stays fun and accessible for students.”
What started as a simple entrepreneurial idea has become something much bigger — a cultural moment. Whether it remains a standalone success or becomes a lasting tradition, the Squid Game competition has undoubtedly left its mark on campus.