You know the one. That specific, slightly cursed energy of the Front Man or the pink guards looking like they’re absolutely losing it in the VIP lounge. Or maybe it’s the high-stakes tension of the Tug of War scene flipped into a celebration of a Friday afternoon. When we talk about squid game meme cheering, we’re not just talking about a show that broke Netflix. We are talking about a cultural shorthand for winning against impossible odds—or just ironically celebrating a very minor victory in a way that feels way too intense.
Memes are fast. They’re brutal. Honestly, most of them die in forty-eight hours, but the "cheering" templates from Hwang Dong-hyuk’s survival drama have some serious legs. It’s because the show is built on the most extreme emotional shifts possible. One second, you’re watching a character lose their soul for a marble; the next, the "VIPs" are clinking gold-plated glasses. That contrast? It’s pure internet gold.
People use these memes to describe everything from a crypto pump to finally hitting the "submit" button on a college application. It’s weirdly relatable.
The Anatomy of Squid Game Meme Cheering
Let’s be real for a second. The reason a squid game meme cheering format works better than, say, a random sports clip, is the high-stakes aesthetic. The show is bright. It’s neon. It’s colorful. But the subject matter is dark. When you take a scene of the elite VIPs—those guys in the animal masks—cheering for a player’s "success," you’re tapping into a very specific kind of dark humor.
Usually, the "cheering" memes fall into two buckets.
👉 See also: Head On Movie 1998: Why Ana Kokkinos’ Greek-Australian Odyssey Still Hits So Hard
First, you’ve got the VIPs. These are the gold-masked figures watching the carnage through binoculars. In the meme world, these guys represent the "inner circle" or just us watching something chaotic unfold from the safety of our bedrooms. If a TikToker catches a massive win, the comments are flooded with the VIP cheering gifs. It’s a way of saying, "I’m watching you succeed, and it is entertaining as hell."
Then there’s the Player 001 effect. Remember Oh Il-nam? The old man? There is that one specific shot of him with his arms up, looking genuinely thrilled during the deadly games. It’s become the universal symbol for "I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m happy to be here."
Why the VIP Masks Changed Everything
In the world of viral content, visual clarity is king. You don’t need to see a face to know someone is cheering. The masks in Squid Game—the owl, the lion, the bear—are so distinct that they pop on a tiny smartphone screen. That’s crucial. Most people are scrolling at a million miles an hour. If a meme doesn't catch the eye in 0.5 seconds, it’s dead.
Think about the "Red Light, Green Light" girl. She isn't cheering, obviously, but the reaction to her—the players who manage to cross the line—created a sub-genre of "survivor" memes. It’s a relief-based cheer. It’s that "I can’t believe I survived that meeting" energy.
The Global Reach of the "Victory" Edit
When Season 1 dropped in 2021, the world was in a weird place. We were all stuck inside, feeling like we were in our own version of a weird social experiment. This fueled the squid game meme cheering fire. It wasn't just a Korean phenomenon; it was a global language.
You saw it in the gaming community first. Roblox and Minecraft creators basically rebuilt the entire show within days. Whenever a player won a round of "Glass Bridge," the chat would explode with cheering emotes and references. It became a way to gamify the meme itself.
Honestly, the sheer volume of content was staggering. According to YouTube’s own data from that peak period, Squid Game related content (including parodies and meme edits) racked up over 17 billion views in just eight weeks. That’s more than some major franchises manage in a decade.
Real Examples of the Meme in the Wild
- The Corporate Pivot: You’ve seen the LinkedIn posts. A recruiter posts about a "huge win" and attaches a gif of the players hugging after the Tug of War. It’s slightly cringe, sure, but it shows how the squid game meme cheering aesthetic moved from "edgy internet humor" to "mainstream business speak."
- Sports Twitter: This is where it gets aggressive. If a massive underdog wins a game, fans will edit the winning team’s jerseys onto the green tracksuits. It’s the ultimate "we came from nothing" vibe.
- The Ironic Cheer: This is my personal favorite. Using the cheering VIPs to celebrate something absolutely mundane, like finally finding a matching pair of socks.
It’s About the Tension
Squid Game works because it is stressful. Pure, unadulterated stress.
The memes act as a pressure valve. When we use a squid game meme cheering template, we’re acknowledging that life feels like a high-stakes game. We’re all just trying not to get "eliminated" by our bills, our bosses, or our own bad decisions.
Actually, if you look at the psychological side of meme culture, "cheering" memes often serve as a form of "collective coping." We’re laughing at the absurdity of the situation. The show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, spent ten years trying to get this story made. He lost teeth from the stress of filming. There’s something poetic about his story of struggle becoming the template for how the world celebrates small wins.
Variations You Should Know
- The Gi-hun Smile: Lee Jung-jae’s character has that iconic, slightly awkward photo-booth smile. People use this as a "cheer" when they’re winning but also dying inside.
- The Pink Guard Dance: A lot of these aren't even from the show—they’re fan-made animations or people in cosplay doing TikTok dances. These are the "pure joy" version of the meme.
- The Money Ball: The giant piggy bank filling up with cash. This is the ultimate "cheer" for anyone who just got paid.
The Impact on Season 2 and Beyond
As we move toward the next installment of the series, the squid game meme cheering cycle is starting all over again. The marketing team at Netflix knows this. They aren't just releasing trailers; they’re releasing "memeable" moments. They want us to take these clips and run with them.
The new teaser trailers already have frames specifically designed for reaction shots. You can see the intentionality. The colors are even more vibrant, the masks are more intricate. They’re feeding the machine.
But will it work?
Most likely. The internet has a short memory, but it loves a familiar face. Or a familiar mask. The "cheering" aspect of the show's culture is baked into its DNA now. It’s not just a TV show; it’s a toolkit for digital expression.
Don't Get It Twisted
It's easy to think this is just "stupid internet stuff." But memes are a multi-billion dollar driver of engagement. When a brand uses a squid game meme cheering gif, they are trying to signal that they are "in on the joke."
👉 See also: Who Plays Dipper in Gravity Falls? The Voice Behind the Mystery
Sometimes it works. Sometimes it’s a "fellow kids" disaster.
The most successful versions are always the ones that stay true to the show's core theme: the absurdity of modern life. If the meme feels too polished, it loses its edge. It needs to feel a little bit chaotic. A little bit desperate.
How to Use These Memes Without Being Cringe
If you’re planning on dropping a squid game meme cheering reference in your own content or group chat, there are a few unwritten rules.
First, context is everything. Don't use the "death" scenes for a celebration unless you're leaning into very dark humor. Stick to the VIPs or the post-game relief shots.
Second, timing. A meme is a "moment." If you’re posting a Squid Game meme three years too late without an ironic twist, you’re going to look like a bot. Luckily, with the new seasons and spin-offs like The Challenge, the relevance has been refreshed.
Third, keep it visual. The best squid game meme cheering content relies on the high-contrast aesthetic of the show. High-quality gifs or well-edited stills are better than grainy screenshots.
Practical Steps for Your Next Post
- Find the high-res versions: Don't use a blurry gif from 2021. Check sites like Giphy or Tenor for the "remastered" versions of the classic cheering scenes.
- Match the energy: If you’re celebrating a small win, use the "Old Man" (Player 001). If it’s a big, slightly evil win, use the VIPs.
- Add your own text: The most viral memes are the ones where people overlay their own specific struggle. "Me cheering after I successfully avoided a phone call that could have been an email."
The legacy of the show isn't just in the awards it won or the subscriber numbers. It’s in the way we’ve co-opted its imagery to talk to each other. Whether it's a "cheer" of relief or a "cheer" of genuine excitement, these images have become a permanent part of the digital lexicon. We’re all just players in the game, waiting for the next round to start, hoping we’re the ones left standing when the piggy bank opens.
Keep an eye on the official Netflix social channels as new episodes drop; they often release "clean" clips specifically for meme creators to use, which is a goldmine for anyone looking to stay ahead of the next viral wave. Follow the "Squid Game: The Challenge" community as well, as reality TV contestants provide much more "human" and relatable cheering reactions than the scripted characters ever could.