South Korean "Squid Game" Set To Become Netflix's Most Popular Show

“Squid Game”, a new Korean Netflix show, written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, has been storming the headlines and taking over social media as its popularity skyrocketed in all countries, reaching the number one spot on almost all Netflix regions.

The Korean-language series follows a group of people who compete in a mystery tournament in which they play lethal childhood games for cash. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said: “Squid Game will definitely be our biggest non-English language show in the world, for sure, and there’s a very good chance it’s going to be our biggest show ever.”

On Thursday, Netflix Inc. shares hit a new high, and Wall Street believes a constant supply of blockbuster series will keep subscribers coming.

The return or launch of well-known titles, such as new seasons of "The Witcher" and the sitcom "Seinfeld," has driven recent market increases. The newest boost, according to Bloomberg Intelligence, has come from the South Korean action-drama series "Squid Game," whose huge popularity looks to be an early sign of stronger user patterns.

Squid Game is significant not just because it is a huge, popular new Netflix show, but also because it is a big, popular Korean show. That's important because Squid Game appears to be helping to drive subscriber growth in the Asia-Pacific region, which is something the company has been attempting for some time. As a result, there are a lot of Korean series (and other Asian shows) on the service now, though none have yet reached the same level of popularity as Squid Game.

Netflix and its investors want to see Netflix's ability to produce both unique and viral hits is why Netflix's top three shows could be Squid Game (Korean), Bridgerton (English), and Lupin (French). As Netflix seeks to expand its global impact, I predict a lot more persistent investment in foreign-language programs, which you don't see nearly as much of from competitors like HBO Max, Disney Plus, Hulu, or Amazon Prime, which are largely focused on English-language shows.

Bibliography

Squid Game: Season 1 [Photograph] (2021). Rotten Tomatoes. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/squid_game/s01

Squid Game set to become Netflix’s biggest show ever | Culture | Independent TV. (2021). The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/culture/squid-game-netflix-korea-streaming-v63211b1d

Tassi, P. (2021, October 1). “Squid Game” Is So Popular It’s Driving Netflix Stock To New Highs. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2021/10/01/squid-game-is-so-popular-its-driving-netflix-stock-to-new-highs/?sh=30e8dba5e266

Vlastelica, R. (2021, September 30). Netflix Hits Record as “Squid Game” Extends Content-Fueled Rally. Bloomberg.com; Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-30/netflix-hits-record-as-squid-game-extends-content-fueled-rally