| dc.description.abstract | The global phenomenon of Squid Game has captivated audiences worldwide, including Indonesia’s Generation Z, who are recognized as digital natives with high engagement in entertainment media. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing Squid Game’s appeal and examine their relationship to the formation of Generation Z viewers’ fantasy. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative analysis through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of questionnaire data with qualitative thematic content analysis based on Harris’s (2009) media effects framework. The minimum sample size, calculated using Cochran’s (1977) formula, was 384 respondents, selected through purposive sampling with the criteria of being aged 17–28, having watched Squid Game at least once, and residing in East Java, Central Java, or West Java. The PCA results identified six main appeal factors of Squid Game: dramatic involvement, cinematography, emotional involvement, reputation, entertainment, and storyline. The thematic analysis revealed four major fantasy themes: cognitive imaginative fantasy, moral empathic fantasy, action and social response fantasy, and emotional-physical fantasy. Integrating these findings shows that each appeal factor is directly linked to a specific fantasy theme, reflecting multidimensional engagement encompasses cognitive, emotional, social, and physiological aspects. These findings emphasize that Squid Game functions not only as a passive entertainment but also as a catalyst for imaginative experiences and social interaction among Generation Z audiences. | en_US |
