The dystopian South Korean drama Squid Game has become Netflix’s most popular series, drawing 111 million fans since its debut less than four weeks ago, the streaming service announced on Tuesday.
Unprecedented global viral success imagines a macabre world in which marginalized people pit against each other in traditional children’s games. While the winner can earn millions in cash, the losing players are killed.
Spreading worldwide by word of mouth, especially through social media, Squid Game topped the Netflix charts in over 80 countries.
“Squid Game has officially reached 111 million fans, making it our biggest series launch! Netflix tweeted.
By comparison, Regency romp Bridgerton hit 82 million households in its early days, using Netflix’s internal metric which includes any account that has watched an episode for at least two minutes.
The success of Squid Game amplifies South Korea’s increasingly outsized influence on global popular culture, in the wake of K-pop group BTS and the Oscar-winning film Parasite.
It is also the latest success in Netflix’s offering to produce more international, non-English content. The streamer’s third most-watched first series, for example, is Lupine in French.
Netflix offers Squid Game in dubbed and subtitled versions in multiple languages, expanding its potential audience.
In February, the world’s most popular streaming platform announced plans to spend $ 500 million this year alone on series and movies produced in South Korea.
Squid Game has officially reached 111 million fans — making it our biggest series launch ever! pic.twitter.com/SW3FJ42Qsn
— Netflix (@netflix) October 12, 2021
