'Cute and murderous': How the iconic killer doll in 'Squid Game' came to life
Seoul, South Korea –
While the second season of "Squid Game" has new plot twists, one element of the Netflix mega-hit series where contestants down on their luck risk their lives to play children's games for the chance of winning cash prizes, has remained constant.
That is Young-hee, an innocent-looking robotic doll who has a deadly role to find contestants to gun down playing the game "Red Light, Green Light" if she spots them moving. The doll, who is clad in a simple orange dress and a hair clip, has become a viral meme on social media and the centerpiece of the streaming giant's promotional campaign.
Chae Kyoung-sun, the production designer for "Squid Game," says the doll's appearance is partly inspired by her own daughter.
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Metropolis Japan
a day ago
- Metropolis Japan
June 6
March 20 ~ April 18 It's a breezy week. It may also bring a sigh of relief. Venus transits to feather your nest as she attracts income. The upside is the money; the downside is being able to spend it (uh-oh, where did it go?). Mercury and Jupiter transit to put considerable energy into your home and neighborhood. The Full Moon brings optimism and thoughts of far-away places. April 19 ~ May 19 Watch for the kind of warmth and beauty that makes your heart melt. Venus transits to your sign. It may be you who shares the extra glow. Mercury and Jupiter both make inroads as they expand connections. It's part of the big picture to map out your ideas. This goes double if you're trying to escape normal limitations. The Full Moon is enthusiastic for you. May 20 ~ June 20 The Sun in your sign continues to light up your days. If you were born this week, Happy Birthday! Venus transits to bring more beauty to your dreams. Why not enjoy yummy thoughts? Mercury, your ruling planet, and Jupiter both leave Gemini. They focus their energy on discovering what may expand finances. The Full Moon glows and reflects upon a relationship. June 21 ~ July 21 There's a lot coming in for you, and it's right around the corner. The first taste of it is this week, when Venus sidles into your friendship sector. Yes, it's just like it sounds. It may be time spent with a friend who gifts you, picks up the tab, or it could become more. Mercury and Jupiter both transit to your sign. The Full Moon is effervescent with more appeal than you might think. July 22 ~ August 22 People like working with Leos. You have a touch of glamour you were born with. It comes with the Sun governing your sign, since you radiate a glow others feel. With this in mind, Venus moves into your career sector. There may be moments when you see this in real time. Mercury and Jupiter add to your style. The Full Moon offers fun. Go to parties and have your own. August 23 ~ September 21 It's the beginning of a comfortable week. A touch of adventure may find you. Venus transits to make travel and legal matters more harmonious. You could receive the velvet glove treatment (though it may cost). Mercury and Jupiter bring friends and social interactions to another level. The Full Moon reflects enthusiasm for what you do at home. September 22 ~ October 22 This is a week you may consider a plus. Ruler Venus moves to your solar eighth house of inheritance and luxury in close relationships. It's a cozy comfy affair. She doesn't tend to camp out for long, but for now, beauty wafts in every time you open the door. Mercury and Jupiter firm up a career consideration. The Full Moon is waiting to hear what you think. October 23 ~ November 21 There may be no map for creating the path you are on. Developing this week's template could offer a schedule you can live with. Your inroads are worth discussing, if not documenting. Venus transits to make relationships luxurious. Mercury and Jupiter move to focus on family and travel. Breathe it in, even if it's a bit clingy. The Full Moon gets excited about your income. November 22 ~ December 20 As you enjoy the bliss of catching your breath, this week reveals much. Venus wafts her way towards material comforts. Sagittarians qualify as 'get it done and set me free' types, though you also appreciate a steady foundation. Mercury and ruler Jupiter move into your solar sector of other people's money. The Full Moon in Sagittarians insists you revel in your ability to have fun. December 21 ~ January 18 Friends gather around, even those you weren't expecting. Energy comes as a gift with those who care about you. Venus makes a move, bringing layers of fun and events sprinkled with laughter. She may include romantic moments to enjoy. Mercury and Jupiter transit to switch up and assist an important relationship. The Full Moon brings dreams of wide open spaces. January 19 ~ February 17 Need a place for your constant innovation to roam? Your spirit of pure invention is likely to stay with you, wherever you may be. Dark Moon Lilith, Vesta, and Juno in your career sector make sure you are sought after. Venus transits to soothe home life. Mercury and Jupiter move to make work seem like family. The Full Moon is pure fun with friends who love being with you. February 18 ~ March 19 You may find yourself in a sea of mysticism. Wherever you go or can be found, you have so much to offer. Venus makes a move to bring invitations with gentle conversation. If offered, you may want to accept. Mercury and Jupiter transit to free you for laughter. Someone may have a soft spot for you. The Full Moon reflects your optimism and visionary gifts in your career.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Japan Today
Broadway has found its Gen Z audience — by telling Gen Z stories
This image shows Rachel Zegler as Juliet, right, and Kit Connor as Romeo, during a performance of "Romeo + Juliet" in New York. By ELISE RYAN Kimberly Belflower knew 'John Proctor is the Villain' needed its final cathartic scene to work — and, for that, it needed Lorde's 'Green Light.' 'I literally told my agent, 'I would rather the play just not get done if it can't use that song,'' the playwright laughed. She wrote Lorde a letter, explaining what the song meant, and got her green light. Starring Sadie Sink, the staggering play about high schoolers studying 'The Crucible' as the #MeToo movement arrives in their small Georgia town, earned seven Tony nominations, including best new play — the most of any this season. It's among a group of Broadway shows that have centered the stories of young people and attracted audiences to match. Sam Gold's Brooklyn-rave take on 'Romeo + Juliet,' nominated for best revival of a play and led by Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler with music from Jack Antonoff, drew the youngest ticket-buying audience recorded on Broadway, producers reported, with 14% of ticket purchasers aged 18-24, compared to the industry average of 3%. The shows share some DNA: pop music (specifically the stylings of Antonoff, who also produced 'Green Light'), Hollywood stars with established fanbases and stories that reflect the complexity of young adulthood. 'It was very clear that young people found our show because it was doing what theater's supposed to do,' Gold said. 'Be a mirror.' The themes 'John Proctor' investigates aren't danced around (until they literally are). The girls are quick to discuss #MeToo's impact, intersectional feminism and sexual autonomy. Their conversations, true to teenage girlhood, are laced with comedy and pop culture references — Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, 'Twilight,' and, of course, Lorde. Fina Strazza, 19, portrays Beth, a leader who is whip-smart and well-intentioned — but whose friendships and belief system are shaken by the play's revelations. 'You have so much empathy and are so invested in her, but she still has these mishaps and slip-ups that young people often have,' said Strazza, nominated for best featured actor in a play. Some audience members have given her letters detailing how Beth helped them forgive themselves for how they handled similar experiences. The script is written in prose, with frequent line breaks and infrequent capital letters. Director Danya Taymor, nominated for best direction of a play a year after winning a Tony for another teenage canon classic, 'The Outsiders, ' was drawn to that rhythm — and how Belflower's depiction of adolescence captured its intensity, just as S.E. Hinton had. 'There's something about the teenage years that is so raw,' Taymor said. 'None of us can escape it.' During his Tony-winning production of 'An Enemy of the People,' Gold found himself having conversations with young actors and theatergoers about climate change, politics and how 'theater was something that people their age and younger really need in a different way, as the world is becoming so addicted to technology,' he said. That conjured 'Romeo and Juliet.' The original text 'has it all in terms of what it means to inherit the future that people older than you have created,' Gold said. Building the world of this show, with an ensemble under 30, was not unlike building 'An Enemy of the People,' set in 19th century Norway, Gold said: 'I think the difference is that the world that I made for this show is something that a very hungry audience had not gotten to see.' Fans, Gold correctly predicted, were ravenous. Demand ahead of the first preview prompted a preemptive extension. Word (and bootleg video) of Connor doing a pullup to kiss Zegler made the rounds. 'Man of the House,' an Antonoff-produced ballad sung by Zegler mid-show, was released as a single. With the show premiering just before the U.S. presidential election, Voters of Tomorrow even registered new voters in the lobby. Audiences proved willing to pay: Average ticket prices hovered around $150. Cheaper rush and lottery tickets drew lines hours before the box office opened. Every week but one sold out. 'The show was initially really well sold because we had a cast that appealed to a really specific audience,' said producer Greg Nobile of Seaview Productions. 'We continued to see the houses sell out because these audiences came, and they were all over online talking about the ways in which they actually felt seen.' Thomas Laub, 28, and Alyah Chanelle Scott, 27, started Runyonland Productions for that very reason. 'We both felt a lot of frustration with the industry, and the ways that we were boxed out of it as students in Michigan who were able to come to New York sparingly,' Laub said. Runyonland was launched in 2018 with the premise that highlighting new, bold voices would bring change. This spring, Scott, known for playing Whitney in HBO's 'Sex Lives of College Girls,' acted off-Broadway in Natalie Margolin's 'All Nighter.' 'I was standing onstage and looking out and seeing the college kids that I was playing,' Scott said. 'I was like, 'I respect you so much. I want to do you proud. I want to show you a story that represents you in a way that doesn't belittle or demean you, but uplifts you.'' Producing 'John Proctor,' Scott said, gave Runyonland the opportunity to target that audience on a Broadway scale. Belflower developed the show with students as part of a The Farm College Collaboration Project. It's been licensed over 100 times for high school and college productions. The Broadway production's social and influencer marketing is run by 20-somethings, too. Previews attracted fans with a $29 ticket lottery. While average prices jumped to over $100 last week (still below the Broadway-wide average), $40 rush, lottery and standing room tickets have sold out most nights, pushing capacity over 100%. The success is validating Runyonland's mission, Laub said. 'Alyah doesn't believe me that I cry every time at the end,' Laub said. Scott laughs. 'I just want to assure you, on the record, that I do indeed cry every time.' The final scene of 'John Proctor' is a reclamation fueled by rage and 'Green Light.' Capturing that electricity has been key to the show's marketing. 'The pullup (in 'Romeo + Juliet') is so impactful because it's so real. It's like so exactly what a teenage boy would do,' Taymor said. 'I think when you see the girls in 'John Proctor' screaming ... it hits you in a visceral way.' That screaming made the Playbill cover. 'In my opinion, the look and feel of that campaign feels different from a traditional theatrical campaign, and it feels a lot closer to a film campaign,' Laub said. The show's team indeed considered the zeitgeist-infiltrating work of their sister industries, specifically studios like Neon and A24. In May, 'John Proctor is the Villain' finished its second 'spirit week' with a school spirit day. Earlier events included an ice cream social — actors served Van Leeuwen — a silent disco and a banned book giveaway. For those not in their own school's colors, the merch stand offered T-shirts, including one printed with the Walt Whitman-channeling line said by Sink's Shelby: 'I contain frickin' multitudes.' Julia Lawrence, 26, designed the shirt after the show's team saw her TikTok video reimagining their traditional merch into something more like a concert tee. 'It's just so incredible to bring Gen Z into the theater that way, especially at a time when theater has never been more important,' Lawrence said. 'In a world that's overpowered by screens, live art can be such a powerful way to find understanding.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SoraNews24
5 days ago
- SoraNews24
Live-action Netflix One Piece Chopper shows face for first time – What do fans in Japan think?
Tony Tony Chopper moves and speaks in introduction video. Against all odds, or at least a whole lot of them, the first season of Netflix's live-action One Piece was a success. Considering how many Western-produced adaptations of anime/manga are announced but never actually get made, it wouldn't have been a shock if Netflix's One Piece had died on the pre-production vine, nor would it have been a big surprise if the unabashedly bizarre charm of the One Piece world and characters simply didn't translate into live-action, but so far the Netflix series has been meet with a largely positive response from both preexisting fans and newcomers to the franchise. Of course, the live-action One Piece's job is only going to get tougher from here on out, as the scale of the story and creativity of its visual weirdness get continually ratcheted up as the story goes on. For Season 2, the biggest test for the Netflix One Piece is going to be how it handles the introduction of Tony Tony Chopper, who's not only the doctor for the Straw Hat Pirate protagonists, but also an anthropomorphic reindeer. Netflix gave us a tiny sneak peek at their version of Chopper back in September, and now they've released a full character introduction video, in which the little guy finally reveals his face and voice. Emerging from his half-hiding spot behind a stone pillar, Chopper shyly introduces himself. With his voice provided by voice actress Mikaela Hoover, he's at turns shy, blustery, and overcome with boyish glee, even doing a little dance after he gets over his self-conscious embarrassment. The CG is impressive, with the light playing convincingly off of Chopper's individuals strands of fur, and the tufts swaying enough to be believable when he moves but not so much as to be distracting. If there's a complaint to be made, it could be that Chopper's teeth are a little disturbing. This is something that happens pretty commonly when trying to bring cartoonishly designed characters into a photo-realistic aesthetic. Something similar happened with the first images for the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie, so maybe Netflix will be retooling Chopper's teeth before Season 2 starts streaming. All in all, though, Chopper's live-action look is being received rather well by fans in Japan, judging from YouTube comments for the reveal video, which have included: 'When I saw the thumbnail, I thought 'That's freaky,' but it's amazing how much cuter he seems after seeing him move and hearing him talk.' 'I figured it was going to be hard to pull Chopper off in live-action, and looking at still images I still feel that way, but the way he moves and talks brings him closer to the anime version's cuteness level.' 'They're going for a more realistic look than I expected, but they've recreated his adorable atmosphere.' 'Gonna have to mentally prepare myself to see them dive into the sad backstory for Chopper when he looks this cute.' 'The artists are incredible. Even with the realistic design, they've instilled so much cuteness into the character with his movements and facial gestures.' 'It'd be an exaggeration to say he's as cute as the anime and manga versions, but I love how they're keeping his mannerisms true to the original work. Looking forward to this.' It's worth noting that we still haven't seen Netflix's Chopper on-screen with human actors, and trying to combine CG and live-action elements in the same shot is often where visual effects stumble. So far, though, Chopper seems to be on a good course for Netflix's One Piece Season 2 premiere, which is slated for some time in 2026. Source, images: YouTube/Netflix Japan ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
