Done binge-watching the second season of the global phenomenon that is 'Squid Game'? Now steel yourself for the "real story" of 'Squid Game' that is said to be the inspiration for top Netflix show.


'Brothers Home' is the chilling tale of an internment camp in South Korea notorious for its human rights abuses in the late 20th century. Brothers' Home eventually came to be known as the "Auschwitz of Korea". This is being touted as the "real story" of Squid Game. But what is the reality? 


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From Orphanage To Torture House — South Korea's Brothers' Home


Brothers' Home operated from 1976 to 1987 in Busan, South Korea, mostly under the regime of former Army General Chun Doo-hwan, who served as the nation's fifth President.


A war-devastated Korea was starting to limp and urgent welfare policies were the need of the hour. Among them was the housing of orphans. For this, around 36 orphanages and welfare centres were opened. However, the government soon sought to "cleanse" South Korea of anything that would seem to tarnish the image of the nation, and this included the homeless.


Established as an orphanage, Brothers' Home quickly transformed into a facility aimed at "purifying" the streets by detaining homeless people, street children, and those deemed "unfit for the society". This initiative was part of a broader governmental strategy to clean up urban areas ahead of big events like the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Olympics.


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When Govt Order Turned Orphanages Into Concentration Camps


A BBC report with survivors' accounts details how a "social purification campaign" was started under the orders of President Chun Doo-Hwan, who effected a coup and seized power. In a hand-written letter to then-Prime Minister Nam Duck-woo, he ordered a crackdown on begging and to take "protective measures against vagrants".


Soon, the orphanages and welfare centres were turned into concentration camps and the homeless and the poor were herded inside. The most infamous was the Brothers' Home in Busan.


The camp became infamous for its brutal conditions. Reports from the era reveal harrowing accounts of unpaid labour, torture, rape, and human trafficking within its walls. An investigation in 1987 indicated that only about 10% of those detained were actually homeless; many were simply swept up in a campaign against poverty and dissent.


The BBC report stated that the welfare centres were actually private facilities, which received money from the government in proportion to the number of inmates. The police, on the other hand, received handsome rewards for "purifying" the streets.


As a result, the poor, the homeless, and the orphans suffered the most. While on papers, the inmates were shown to have been released after a year of rehabilitation and training, in reality, they would not be able to see their families for several years.


Condition Inside Brothers' Home


The survivors narrated the tales of endless torture and rape at the "welfare centres". The BBC report cited above has one Brothers' Home survivor narrating how his genitals were burnt with a lighter and forced to sleep naked on the floor after being drenched with freezing water.


He would then be roughly woken up by the soldiers of the camps and raped every night. He was barely 13 then. The story was reportedly the same every day. The inmates would be used for slave labour at farms, construction sites, and factories. People who tried to escape would be thrashed to death.


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Did Brothers' Home Inspire Squid Game?


While "Squid Game" is primarily a work of fiction created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, its themes resonate deeply with the experiences faced by those at Brothers Home. The series depicts desperate individuals competing in deadly children's games for a chance to win a life-changing cash prize, reflecting the dire socio-economic conditions that can drive people to extreme measures. The characters in "Squid Game", much like those at Brothers' Home, are often portrayed as victims of systemic failures — caught in a web of debt and despair.


However, Hwang has never explicitly cited Brothers' Home as an inspiration. In an interview to news agency AFP, he said the backstory of protagonist Gi-hun was "inspired by the violent Ssangyong strikes in 2009", when nearly 3,000 people lost their jobs.


The stark contrast between Squid Games and Brothers' Home is the "freedom of choice" where each character is drawn into the games by his or her "choice". Moreover, the characters in Squid Game had hope and would fight for a reward. Brothers' Home had no such option.


There were no "games" in Brothers' Home. Squid Game and Brothers' Home share two common threads — brutality and Korea.


Now, the narrative being dished out online, and even on some media websites, is that Brothers' Home is the "real story" of Squid Game. "Influencers", some with lakhs of followers, are now claiming that Squid Game is based on real events and is a "true story". YouTubers Dave Disci, Kim Eun-mi, and Furkan Aibani are among those who believe the same.


To compound matters, AI-generated videos of dilapidated pink buildings with playhouses (resembling the sets of Squid Game) are doing the rounds of social media. The "influencers" are sharing these photos as proof of Brothers' Home's existence.