The Korean series “Round 6” from Netflix is one of the most important cultural phenomena of 2021. And it has a lot of economy in it. This text has small spoilers, especially regarding the first two episodes. But I don’t deliver much more than the trailers available on the platform or on the internet.
“Round 6” describes a game in which participants can win big money, something equivalent to R$200 million. But your chances are relatively low given that there are more than 200 people involved. It also happens that whoever loses the game also loses their own life.
At the beginning of the game, people weren’t sure about the costs. But they have the opportunity to get back into competition after this is revealed. And most accept!
The series describes an extreme situation of something we do over and over every day: choices under uncertainty. The simple fact of leaving the house and crossing the street involves the risk of being run over. This situation also indicates that, for ourselves, the value of our life is not infinite. If it were, we would not allow any risk to it, to preserve it at any cost. Basically no one would cross the street.
Okay, it’s one thing to cross the street, something that involves very low risk. Another is to enter a game knowing that it involves a high probability of death. The vast majority of people would not accept this bet. After all, our lives are of substantial value to ourselves, though not infinite.
What distinguishes the participants’ choice of “Round 6” from ordinary decisions is that, for themselves, the value of their lives is very low.
They are heavily indebted, have problems with the police, justice, loan sharks, or even organized crime. In short, they lead miserable lives. The second episode of the series shows their lives outside the game, before returning of their own free will. Suggestively, the chapter name is “Hell”.
There are many other aspects of “Round 6” that have to do with economics, involving concepts such as technology transfer, incentives for cooperation and voting. I leave this discussion for another opportunity.
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I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
