Halloween 2021: Front Man And The VIP Guests’ Mask Costumes From Squid Game Discussed (Spoilers Inside)

In our previous story, we discussed about the most popular series on Netflix, Squid Game. We talked about how layered and relevant the series is, which of course comes with a strong dose of surrealism. However, with Halloween just a couple of days ahead, our main focus was the costumes from the series, and we elaborated in length about the significance of the guards and doll costumes. In the story, we stated the importance of patterns on the masks of the guards and brought out different theories and discussions around the colour of the costumes that these guards wore. Similarly, we also highlighted the inspiration behind the giant doll, decoding her attire and what role this doll played in the series. Today, we are going to talk about two more costumes from the series - The Front Man's costume and the Masks of the VIP guests in the series.

The Front Man's Costume

The guards with square-shaped patterns on their masks were the supervisors and operated at a managerial level but there was someone above these guards, issuing them orders and asking them (these guards with square patterns) to coordinate with the rest of the staff and participants. This person above the soldiers was the Front Man. Dressed in an all-black costume, the Front Man stayed behind-the-scenes and observed the happenings from the top level. This mystifying character wore a different style of costume from the guards, creating a pronounced distinction. As it is, in this underground and secluded gaming facility, the colours of the costumes separated one section from another. For instance, the participants wore teal or green costumes in somewhat casual sense and the colour itself exuded a laidback vibe but the pink or red or the mixture of two hues in the guards' costumes was definitely not a subdued colour and they wore it in a more structured and uniformed style. Accentuated by black, the Front Man's costume was sharply tailored with not even a wrinkle, thereby reminding us of regimental dress sensibility.

Even, the dressing on these three levels denoted power structure, with the vulnerable ones or the common citizens in green, who unknowingly got exploited in pursuit of more wealth and making their ends meet; guards in pink or red ones, who ensured that law and order was being maintained or that services were being provided as per the directives but were at the same time equally vulnerable as the green ones, in case they made a mistake like exposing the system or themselves; the Front Man in a black military costume was intimidating but the hue of his costume also signified a neutral stand- the one who can reward or punish. There was someone above the Front Man too - the creator of this gaming challenge.

Coming back to the Front Man's costume, he was dressed in an overcoat and pants costume with a mask that was more sophisticated than the mask of the guards. His geometrical mask had a luxurious matte finish and the perfect symmetry in his mask could have also been a subtle metaphor to rigidity and lack of empathy. Somewhere, his mask must have made the fans of the show think about Darth Vader. Well, his mask certainly seemed inspired by Darth Vader, the iconic Star Wars character. So, if you think, you can pull off the costume look of the Front Man this Halloween, there should be no stopping you.

The Masks Of The VIP Guests

Squid Game with more than 111 million viewership, offered us brutal but interesting plots and the 7th episode of the show became one of the most widely-discussed episodes. This episode was from the perspective of the VIP guests. In this episode, the foreign guests were welcomed by the Front Man and this episode also hinted that there is someone above the Front Man. The Front Man was shown having a conversation with someone in a jewelled bunny mask, whose identity is not revealed but it was evident that the Front Man was a subordinate of this person in a rabbit mask.

Speaking about the set made for VIP front-row viewing, it was absolutely opulent, seemingly far-fetched and absurd - visually stunning though. Kudos to the Art Director of the show, Chae Kyoung-sun, who ensured that viewers are in awe and at the same time feel uncomfortable. The setting done for this particular viewing was atmospheric, with, if you noticed, red and blue as the floor lighting (the same hues of the envelope shown in the beginning of the series, when the protagonist is selected for the game). Apart from the lighting, palm trees, thick leafy bushes, yellow table lamps, animal-inspired and matte sofas adorned the set. The set also had tiger and leopard painted people, who were used for the purpose of entertainment and even degrading activities such as foot stools. So, in a way, this episode also highlighted the director's take on slavery and subjugation. This set-up was reminiscent of the Rothschild Surrealist Ball of 1972, which was graced by names including Audrey Hepburn, Salvador Dalí, and more. The set-up of this ball in 1972 had domestic help dressed as cats and there was a cat-butler too! Elements from that party included food getting served on a mannequin corpse lying on a bed of roses, the elaborate sculptures of floating shoes, and vehement use of furs. In lots of way, the VIP guest setting in Squid Game resembled the images from The Rothschild Surrealist Ball.

The 1972 party also became famous for the masks that the guests and the hosts wore. The masks such as the stag mask, bird-cage mask, a man with two faces mask, and the gramophone masks were among the most popular masks from the Surrealist Ball of 1972. If some masks from the 1972 ball were jewel-toned, the others incorporated fabrics and furs. And while, Squid Game was a lot about masks, the masks of the VIP guests were again distinctive and expensive much like the opulent masks of the Rothschild Surrealist Ball. Adding to that, keeping the VIP set-up in Squid Game and the jewel-studded masks in perspective, it seemed as if the Surrealist Ball of 1972 was used as a reference. So, if you are the one who wants to dress up simply but let the masks do the talking, you can take inspiration from Squid Game's VIP episode.

So, what style of costume from Squid Game would you like to ace on Halloween 2021? Let us know that in the comment section.

Pictures Source: Squid Game/Netflix