I would like to explain kkakdugi (the weakest link) in the 7th episode of the squid game.
On Netflix, kkakdugi was translated into ‘the weakest link’, but I don’t think it’s a bad translation.
What is kkakdugi in Korean children’s play culture?
I talked about it when I explained gganbu.
At this time, children gathered in a local alley and played together.
When I was young, I went out to the local alley as soon as I got back from school and played with my local friends until sunset.
There are many games, and there were times when we had to divide the teams and times when everyone played together.
It can be said that the play was decided according to the number and members of the children gathering that day.
However, if we have a friend with a leg or arm injury or a young friend with a slight age difference, it becomes really difficult to decide on a play.
In this case, we choose that friend as kkakdugi and play games together.
In other words, kkakdugi did not contribute much to play, but it was a means of enjoying play together without excluding it.
In the squid game, it can be said that kkakdugi was used in a slightly different sense.
If the number of people doesn’t match when forming a team, we usually wait for another friend to join.
We didn’t choose kkakdugi and exclude it from the game like the squid game.
kkakdugi was a way to play together, not to exclude.
Why was it called kkakdugi?
I don’t know the exact reason.
However, kkakdugi is a type of Korean kimchi and is made by cutting radish.
When cutting radish, the end has a not-pretty shape, and even if it is not pretty, it is used as an ingredient.
I think that’s why I called it kkakdugi.
