Sunway Pyramid Taps On Squid Game Buzz To Get Shoppers To Follow SOPs

Sunway Pyramid uses Squid Game soldiers to “enforce” SOPs

Those who keep track of Netflix’s latest releases have probably heard about Squid Game. Their latest Korean drama series has been turning heads online for its plot, as it revolves around characters competing to survive and cheat death by playing twisted, sadistic versions of children’s games for money.

A big part of the story includes faceless, nameless soldiers in pink suits who run the games. Their ubiquitous suits and elementary shapes on their masks have been trending online with the show – so much so that a mall in Malaysia decided to use the images of the Squid Game soldiers to “scare” shoppers into social distancing.

Mall references Squid Game for Covid-19 measures

On 23rd September 2021, popular mall in Selangor, Sunway Pyramid, shared a cheeky image of pink-suit soldiers from Squid Game making an unlikely “appearance” at their entrance on their verified Facebook account.

In the post, the mall asked their followers if they were “ready to play”. But straying far from the show’s plot, they said their game would be far simpler in comparison, as it only requires shoppers to “stay 1m apart from every other shopper and live on” – basically physical distancing measures to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

The mall’s lion mascot wearing the pink uniform holding a sign saying “Keep Physical Distancing” was edited into the photo along with the soldiers.

Sunway Pyramid mall Squid Game - soldiers
Image credit: Sunway Pyramid

While the photo is clearly photoshopped, it has elicited the attention of netizens online, having received over 3,200 reactions, close to 500 comments, and 1,000 shares on Facebook.

Even though the post’s caption included a line saying, “Follow the rules, Lion is watching… 🔴🔺🟥,” it’s unlikely shoppers will see the pink soldiers when they visit the mall, as it recently introduced normal-looking ‘Social Distancing Officers’ in polo tees and jeans at their premises to do crowd control and remind shoppers to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Sunway Pyramid mall Squid Game - officers
Image credit: Sunway Pyramid

Netizens scared, but amused at reference

The reference to the hit Korean series by the mall had netizens flocking to the comment section, with many amused with what rules it would entail if the “game” were real.

One netizen asked, “Got money if [I] stay one-metre, admin?”, to which the mall responded, “No money, but at least you won’t lose money for getting saman if you follow SOP. You can get a kiss from lion.”

Sunway Pyramid mall Squid Game - comment
Image credit: Facebook

Many also joked that they were now scared to visit their mall, including a netizen who commented, “Hahaha, this is so cool! But it makes me scared to enter Sunway Pyramid shopping mall cause I might kena tembak (get shot) if I fail to follow SOP.”

Sunway Pyramid mall Squid Game - comment
Image credit: Facebook

Others were just curious about the games’ rules, with several asking if they needed to be in debt to qualify to enter the mall, and if they’ll stand a chance to win KRW45.6 billion – the prize money in the show – if they followed SOPs.

Sunway Pyramid references Squid Game for SOP enforcement

Covid-19 safety measures are here to remain as the pandemic has yet to let up in our country and beyond. And with the buzz surrounding Netflix’s Squid Game, Sunway Pyramid’s latest Facebook post imaginatively using the show’s pink-suit soldiers to drill in the importance of SOPs is a great way to remind people to follow the guidelines.