Unraveling the Viral "I've Played These Games Before" Meme from Squid Game
If you've been scrolling through TikTok recently, you might have come across the "I've played these games before" meme that has been causing a stir. This viral sensation traces its roots back to a pivotal moment in Season 2 of Netflix's hit South Korean series, Squid Game.
The meme revolves around a scene where the main character, Seong Gi-hun, portrayed by Lee Jung-jae, passionately declares, "I've played these games before!" in a bid to influence his fellow players. This particular line, especially in its English-dubbed version, quickly captured the attention of meme enthusiasts, particularly those in the gaming community.
The meme's inception coincided with the airing of Squid Game Season 2, Episode 3, titled "001," on December 26, 2024. Towards the climax of the episode, Gi-hun delivers the now-famous line with fervor.
@squidgamefanpage29 #squidgame #squidgamenetflix #squidgameedit #squidgames #squidgamesfanpage #squidgamekdrama #squidgamefyp #squidgames2 #squidgamenetflixseries ♬ original sound - Squid Game 2024
It didn't take long for TikTok user squidgamefanpage29 to repost the scene on the same day, amassing an impressive 346,500 views within a week. The phrase soon became a cornerstone for jokes centered around expertise and experience, often exaggerated for comedic effect.
Initially embraced by gamers, the meme found its home in poking fun at possessing "veteran status" in online gaming. Numerous videos paired Gi-hun's intense delivery with captions depicting individuals flaunting superior knowledge compared to their peers.
One of the early adopters of this meme was TikToker garfieldl0ver6, who shared a meme on December 27 that garnered over 1.1 million views. The clip humorously juxtaposed "456 noobs vs. 1 pro," as titled by the creator.
As the meme gained traction, it transcended its gaming origins to encompass a wider array of contexts. For instance, TikToker cjneedaname utilized the sound in a video with the caption, "when I'm watching an anime and have to let everyone know I read the manga first." This post resonated with viewers, accumulating over 591,000 views and 191,000 likes.
@eviethesilly IVE PLAYED THESE GAMES BEFORE 💔💔💥 #anime #manga #animetok #jujutsukaisen #jjk #dandadan #aot #mha #csm #chainsawman #jjkmanga ♬ original sound - ⚜️
Another creative iteration by content creator munburumu targeted "8th graders excited to start high school," amassing an impressive 1.8 million views and 398,000 likes.
