At least three schools in New York have issued a ban on "Squid Game" costumes for the student's Halloween celebrations. Parents received letters from the school officials who informed them that the show's popular costumes would not meet the standards and guidelines.
In a report from the Syracuse, Central New York school principals from Fayetteville Elementary, Enders Road, and Mott Road expressed concern that the "Squid Game" costumes would send out a violent message to the kids, given the nature of the show's story. Since September, the Korean series, which has been streaming on Netflix, features violent and bloody scenes involving strapped-for-cash contestants of a deadly game.
Superintendent Craig Tice also told Syracuse that the elementary schools' children had been seen playing different versions of the games they saw on the popular series. Tice warned parents that the children have been mimicking some of the violent aspects of "Squid Game," so moms and dads should discuss and reinforce appropriate behaviors with sons and daughters.
Some parents said they support the ban on the said costumes. The principals also reiterated that they could not accept other Halloween costumes with swords, lightsabers, and guns.
'Squid Game' Costumes Top Internet Searches
It comes as CNN reported that online searches for "Squid Game" costumes had outnumbered every popular film and TV character costumes for his year's Halloween. A study from Design Bundles showed that partygoers have also searched for outfits like Joker, Spider-Man, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Harry Potter, Pennywise, and Wonder Woman.
Instagram searches also show thousands of people showing off their inspired costumes based on the Netflix drama. Two trendy looks include the retro teal and white tracksuit that the main characters wore throughout the show. The guards' dark pink one-piece suit with a black mask was the second most preferred costume.
According to Sky News, the demand triggered a boom in the garment industry in South Korea after over a year of low sales due to the pandemic. A garment factory owner in the Seongbuk district said they have been "scrambling to stitch" and finish over 6,000 tracksuits for adults and kids. The businessman is hoping that the increase in orders will be sustained even after Halloween.
Parents Warned Over Violent Content
Meanwhile, safeguard councils in the U.K., Australia, and Canada have warned parents about letting their kids watch "Squid Games." In Dulwich Hill in Sydney's inner west, principal Linda Wickham said they had six-year-old students playing versions of Red Light and Green Light at the playground. A spokesperson from the NSW Education Department also said that principals must contact the parents if the kids are following the harmful trend.
In London, some schools also wrote to parents about the dangers of letting young children watch the Netflix show. In Belgium, the students were warned that they would be punished if they play "Squid Games" during recess. School boards in Quebec, Canada, have also conducted a dialogue with parents after some of the younger kids expressed fear of returning to school because the older kids were playing the violent game.
