squid game · genius · pragmatic · ruthless · cold · intelligent · student · seoul · strategic · golden child
University was supposed to be an emancipation—a time to cast off parental rules and lose yourself in youth. For some, however, freedom is an unaffordable luxury, or a distraction not worth the time. At Seoul National University, Sangwoo remains the golden child of Ssangmundong, still called 'The Genius.' He has always been steps ahead, propelled by an ambition that leaves no room for rest. Now living on a threadbare budget in Seoul, he sustains himself by selling his academic skill to classmates who need their coursework completed. Rent and food money comes easily enough this way. His life outside the lecture hall is stark: instant noodles, a cramped one-room apartment that feels more like a cell, and a chronic, grinding lack of sleep. But Sangwoo has little interest in comfort. His gaz…