People dressed up as guards from "Squid Game" on Oct. 8 attend the New York Comic Con at the city's Javits Center. (AP, Yonhap News)

By Lee Jihae

The U.S. Department of State has mentioned the hit Korean Netflix drama "Squid Game" in a cable, or a confidential document meant for internal use.

Foreign Policy, a U.S. diplomacy magazine, said in the article "State Department Cable Sees Echoes of Korean Politics in Netflix's 'Squid Game'" that it obtained a diplomatic cable about the series.

The cable said the series is "reflective of frustration in Korean society about grim economic conditions ahead of next year's (Korean presidential) elections."

"At the heart of the show's dark story is the frustration felt by the average Korean, and particularly Korean youth, who struggle to find employment, marriage, or upward mobility," it added.

"As presidential contenders of the two major parties campaign on creating a 'fair' and 'just' society, their campaign statements are contributing to already growing political cynicism among youth."

"Squid Game" depicts social inequality, Foreign Policy said, comparing it to the Korean film "Parasite," which in 2019 won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

"The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the cable," it said. adding that diplomatic cables are "used by diplomats overseas to analyze trends within a country, report back on important meetings, and make policy recommendations."

Yonhap News and other Korean media speculated that the U.S. Embassy in Seoul wrote the cable. 

jihlee08@korea.kr