Squid Game fans, event alert! Season 2 is finally available on Netflix, and it's bringing you yet more twisted challenges to try and hit the jackpot! And among them, the Korean game of Gonggi (or Gong-gi, 공기 in Korean). Presented in the episode entitled"Six legs", this collective challenge features players attempting to juggle colored symbols according to precise rules. This traditional game, still little known outside South Korea, is at the heart of a scene where player 388, played by Kang Dae-ho, shines with his skill.
Gonggi is often compared to jacks, although it differs in specific rules. Historically played with small stones, it has evolved to use colorful plastic symbols, like those shown in the series. The game is played over five rounds, with increasing levels of difficulty. In the first level, the stones are laid out on the ground, and the player throws one into the air while collecting the others before catching the falling one.
In subsequent levels, the player must throw two, then three stones, before reaching the fifth level where the five stones are first placed on the back of the hand, thrown into the air and then caught. The last stage is particularly tricky, requiring you to turn your hand over to catch the symbols in the air, an exercise requiring skill and precision. The player who is the most skilful at progressing through these stages wins the game.
Although popular in Korea, Gonggi remains little played elsewhere. Its inclusion in Season 2 of Squid Game could spark new interest in this traditional game. All that's left is for you to give it a try...
