KL nail salon paints tiny ‘Squid Game’ designs

KL nail salon paints tiny ‘Squid Game’ designs

The Manique Nail Salon in KL has designed a set of nails for each of the Netflix smash's nine episodes.

Samples of Maniqure Nail Salon’s intricate ‘Squid Game’ designs. (Reuters pic)
KUALA LUMPUR:
A manicure salon here is selling painted and press-on nail designs based on “Squid Game”, the latest small business to cash in on the soaring popularity of the South Korean series.

The Maniqure Nail Salon on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur has designed a set of nails for each of the show’s nine episodes.

“Red Light, Green Light” features the killer giant animatronic doll from the first episode, while “Hell” includes a picture of the red-suited game officials and a pink-ribboned coffin.

“Is it difficult to draw? Yes, a little bit, because it’s all 100% hand painting, not printing,” said salon co-owner Lim Pei Xin. “Every fine line, we have to stop breathing.”

“Squid Game” earlier this week became Netflix’s biggest original series launch, notching up 111 million viewers in less than a month.

The dystopian drama, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won, has inspired countless memes, Halloween costumes and real-world recreations.

It has also sparked a debate within South Korea about toxic competitive societies, and prompted new interest in the country’s culture and language around the world.

Chin Kwan How, co-owner of the salon, said demand for the press-on version of the themed nails had come from international buyers via the business’ website, as well as locals.

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