The top spot on the Netflix top 10 has lately been dominated by Squid Game, a Korean series about cash-strapped contestants competing in a mysterious competition of children’s games to win the grand prize of 45.6 billion Korean won (or $38.5 million in U.S. dollars). The losers are killed. Think: Battle Royale or The Hunger Games, but with red light, green light. Squid Game has an intoxicating premise, but I don’t think anyone expected it to be the worldwide — and TikTok — sensation that it’s become.
It’s a hit all over the world:
The addictive, violent survival drama, which premiered September 17 on Netflix, has transcended cultures and language barriers to reach No. 1 in 90 countries in 10 days — from Qatar and Oman to Ecuador and Bolivia… Fueled by word of mouth, Squid Game entered the U.S. Top 10 list on September 19 at No. 8. It climbed to No. 2 the next day, and hit No. 1 on September 21 — the first Korean original series ever to do so — where it has stayed since, crossing the one-week mark [on Tuesday]. Its staying power in the top spot is comparable to such Netflix global hits as Bridgerton.
Speaking of Bridgerton, the Shonda Rhimes series is currently the most popular Netflix show of all-time (based on internal metrics), but Squid Game might soon overtake it. “Squid Game will definitely be our biggest non-English-language show in the world, for sure,” Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos said this week. “It’s only been out for nine days, and it’s a very good chance it’s going to be our biggest show ever.”
You can watch the trailer below:
(Via Deadline)
