You know the one. It’s that surreal, slightly unsettling video of a group of people—usually dressed in those iconic pink jumpsuits or green tracksuits—performing a synchronized, high-energy cheer routine. It feels like a fever dream. One second you're watching a brutal survival drama about debt and desperation, and the next, your TikTok feed is full of people aggressively clapping and chanting in a way that feels way too upbeat for a show where people get eliminated by a giant robot doll. This is the squid game cheer meme, a piece of internet culture that perfectly captures how the world processes dark media through the lens of absurd humor.
It honestly shouldn't work. The show is grim. It’s a critique of late-stage capitalism where people literally die for a chance at a pig full of cash. Yet, the internet did what the internet does best: it took the aesthetic, stripped away the trauma, and turned it into a repetitive, catchy loop.
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Where the Squid Game Cheer Meme Actually Came From
People often get confused about where these videos originated. They weren't in the show. You didn't miss a secret scene where the guards took a break from incinerating bodies to practice their jazz hands. Most of the viral "cheer" content actually surfaced from promotional events, fan gatherings, and specifically, high-energy performances in Southeast Asia and Latin America.
For instance, a huge chunk of the footage that fueled the squid game cheer meme came from professional dance troupes or promotional teams hired to drum up hype during the show's initial explosion in late 2021. There’s one specific video that made the rounds featuring a group in the Philippines performing a complex, rhythmic routine that looked more like a collegiate cheer competition than a death game. It went viral because the juxtaposition is just... weird. You have these faceless guards—symbols of systemic oppression and violence—doing a "Gimme an S!" style routine. It’s jarring. It’s funny. It’s exactly what the TikTok algorithm craves.
Then there’s the sound. The audio used in these memes often isn't even from the show's soundtrack. Creators frequently overlayed high-BPM "Phonk" music or repurposed cheerleading chants that happened to match the rhythm of the dancing guards. It’s a remix of a remix.
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The Psychology of the Absurd
Why did we care? Honestly, the squid game cheer meme works because of "clashing contexts."
When you see a mascot or a character associated with something "heavy" doing something "light," it triggers a specific type of humor response. Think about those videos of Stormtroopers dancing to Michael Jackson. It’s the same vibe. By turning the terrifying enforcers of the Squid Game into cheerleaders, the audience reclaims some power over the scary imagery. It’s a coping mechanism, sure, but mostly it’s just because watching a guy in a fencing mask do a toe-touch is objectively hilarious.
Moreover, the meme tapped into the "main character energy" trend. People started filming their own versions in public places—malls, parks, school hallways. It became a challenge of coordination. If you and your friends could nail the synchronization of the squid game cheer meme, you were guaranteed views. It wasn't just about the show anymore; it was about the spectacle of the movement itself.
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How the Meme Evolved Into 2026
Even as we’ve moved past the initial shock of the first season, the meme has mutated. With the release of Squid Game: The Challenge (the reality show) and the anticipation for Season 2, the cheer hasn't died; it’s just become part of the digital wallpaper. We see it pop up every time a new "survival" style trend hits social media.
Interestingly, the meme actually forced Netflix’s marketing team to lean into the "fun" side of the brand. They realized that while the show is a tragedy, the brand is a playground. They started incorporating more performative elements into their pop-up experiences worldwide. They saw the fans making the squid game cheer meme and basically said, "Okay, if this is what you want, here are more guys in pink suits to film."
The Cultural Impact of Viral Dancing
- Visibility: It kept the show in the public consciousness during the long gaps between seasons.
- Global Reach: Because the meme is visual and rhythmic, it didn't need translation. A kid in Brazil and a creator in South Korea could participate in the same trend without saying a word.
- Commercialization: It turned "The Guards" into a recognizable costume for reasons beyond just cosplay—it became a dance outfit.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Trend
A lot of "cultural critics" tried to claim that the squid game cheer meme was a sign that people didn't understand the show's message. They argued that by dancing in the suits, we were trivializing the "critique of capitalism."
That's kinda missing the point.
The internet has always been a place where the line between "serious" and "silly" is nonexistent. People can recognize that Squid Game is a harrowing story about poverty while also recognizing that the guards' outfits look cool and the choreography is satisfying to watch. It’s not a lack of understanding; it’s a different form of engagement. In fact, many people found the show through the meme. They saw the dancing, wondered what the pink suits were about, and ended up binge-watching nine hours of intense Korean drama.
Navigating the Legacy of the Meme
If you're looking to find the best examples of this today, you have to dig through the "Squid Game Dance" hashtags on platforms like Douyin or TikTok. You'll find that the most popular ones aren't even the originals anymore. They are the parodies. People dressing up their pets in green tracksuits, or 3D animations of the "Red Light, Green Light" doll doing the Renegade.
The squid game cheer meme eventually paved the way for other show-based dance trends, like the Wednesday dance. It set the blueprint: take a specific aesthetic from a hit show, find a rhythmic movement, and let the internet iterate until the original context is almost entirely forgotten.
Actionable Takeaways for Content Creators
If you're trying to capture this kind of lightning in a bottle for your own content or brand, remember these three things:
- Contrast is King: Take something serious and make it silly. The bigger the gap between the source material and the action, the better.
- Audio is 70% of the Battle: The "cheer" part of the meme relies on a steady, infectious beat. If the sound doesn't make people want to tap their foot, the visual won't matter.
- Synchronization Matters: There is something deeply satisfying to the human brain about seeing a group of people move in perfect unison, especially when they are wearing identical uniforms.
The squid game cheer meme isn't just a relic of 2021; it’s a masterclass in how modern audiences consume and reshape entertainment. It shows that no matter how dark a story is, the internet will always find a way to make it dance.
To stay ahead of the next wave of these trends, keep an eye on how fans react to the upcoming Season 2. The costumes will likely change, but the impulse to turn those new designs into a viral dance routine will be immediate. Watch for the first promotional "guerrilla" marketing events in Seoul—that's usually where the next high-quality footage for these memes is born.