<Squid Game> Popularity (K-Drama, Global Trend, Success)

 

 

오징어게임

1. The popularity of <Squid games> and K-dramas 

<Squid Game> is evaluated as a work that raised the status of K-dramas worldwide beyond a simple thriller drama. I don't usually like thrillers, horror, or gore, so when the teaser came out, I was shocked just by watching the teaser. I thought there would be too many stimulating scenes, but I immediately realised this drama will be go big or go home. So I sent the teaser video link to people around me and recommended it. I still remember the moment when I sent the link to the group chat of my friends and strongly recommended it. This drama is definitely different from any Korean drama I've seen so far. I said that "Regardless of its success, it will be a monumental work. Trust me and watch it!" In the end, I couldn't hold back and ended up watching it. Although many survival-type works have been produced in other countries, <Squid Game> was something different from them. The characteristic of <Squid Game> is that it used traditional Korean games as a material to give a fresh shock and experience to global audiences, and it doesn't just create stimulating scenes, but it sharply depicts the essential aspects of humanity and stimulates the emotions that everyone has, which clearly differentiates it from other dramas. As I previously worked on a Korean drama production team, it was a really important moment.

① Traditional play and unconventional settings
The work features traditional Korean games such as “Red light Green light (Mugunghwa Flower Blossomed)”, “Dalgona”,  “Tug of War”, and “Gusulchigi” as the main survival games. These elements brought a sense of freshness to foreign audiences who were seeing it for the first time, and a sense of nostalgia to Korean audiences who were familiar with it. However, it was not simply a game that was implemented, but the fact that the game was transformed into an extreme competition for survival that left a deep impression on the audience.

For example, in the Dalgona scene, the tension was heightened by setting that the player had to perfectly separate the shapes inside the Dalgona within a limited time in order to survive. This made the audience deeply immersed, and the excellent psychological portrayal of the characters vividly conveyed the tension of the crisis situation.

② K-content reaching a global audience
"Squid Game" is broadcast worldwide through the global platform Netflix, proving that original Korean stories can resonate with international audiences. I can guarantee that this drama would not have been this successful if it had been produced 10 years ago. I think it was a work that took advantage of the times, was helped by the platform, and blossomed under the special circumstances of the pandemic. I think it was a work that was bound to succeed, as it coincided with Netflix's rapid growth during the pandemic when people were isolated at home. Of course, I did not expect this level of success. The gap between the rich and the poor, inequality, and human nature that the characters in the drama experience are not problems to a specific country, but common issues worldwide, and that is why it captured the hearts of audiences.

The role of global platforms such as Netflix is also one of the success factors. The drama is simultaneously broadcast in about 190 countries, and has ranked first in viewership in more than 90 countries. It is especially popular in North America, Europe, and South America, proving that K-drama can become global content rather than being limited to a specific region.

③ The actors' passionate performances and sensational directing
Lead actor Lee Jung-jae plays an ordinary person who is in financial difficulty, and he realistically conveys the character's humanity. Lee Jung-jae is an actor who usually appears only in movies, so it seems like it was a stroke of genius that he chose this drama series. In addition, the passionate performances of various actors like Park Hae-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, and Wi Ha-joon made each character's charm stand out even more.

The directing also received great praise. Director Hwang Dong-hyeok created extreme tension in the survival game scenes, while also meticulously designing each game to go beyond simple fun and show the psychological changes of the characters. In particular, the scene in which the “Red light Green light” was directed in slow motion to maximize the shocking effect as the participants were eliminated one by one while playing. More than anything, I would like to praise the art team. Not only is the situation unrealistic, but the unrealistic design of the space, which seems to be in a dream, made people distance themselves from reality, immerse themselves in the situation, paralyze them from making rational judgments, and make them submit to absurd situations and attack each other. And the hints and foreshadowing hidden here and there later gave me a great realization and became important factors that eventually led me to watch few times.   

2. Reasons for global trend

The originality of the work itself, along with several external factors, were the factors that allowed "Squid Game" to become a global sensation beyond a simple drama.

① Active use of Korean elements
The success of global content usually requires a 'localization' strategy, but "Squid Game" actively utilized Korean elements to maximize differentiation. Traditional games filled with Korean sentiment and culture, along with dramatic elements, were presented in a new way to global viewers, and drew a hot response from overseas audiences who accepted this as a new charm.

The "dalgona", "piggy bank", "white sneakers", "frontman", "green gym clothes", and "pink mask agent" that appeared in the work are not just props in the drama, but have since become icons of fashion trends and pop culture. In fact, during the 2021 Halloween season, costumes related to "Squid Game" became very popular worldwide, and since then, secondary products such as fan art, memes, and parody videos have been continuously created.

② The Effectiveness of Social Media and Digital Marketing
“Squid Game” gained explosive word-of-mouth through social media despite the fact that Netflix didn’t do much to promote it. Related content quickly spread across Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms, creating unintended, spontaneous publicity.

In particular, trends like the "Squid Game Challenge" emerged on TikTok, and videos related to the work recorded high views worldwide. This resulted in the work's recognition increasing exponentially as the younger generation actively participated in consuming and reinterpreting the drama.

③ Formation of fandom culture
The success of "Squid Game" lies in the fact that viewers did not just passively watch the drama. Fans who deeply empathized with the storyline in the drama formed a strong fandom culture by discussing the characters and sharing expectations for the next season through online communities. They shared hidden Easter eggs in the drama and shared new information discovered through second and third rewatches. This contributed to the drama establishing itself as a phenomenon with lasting influence, rather than simply a one-time content.

 

 

 

3. Success factors of "Squid Game"

"Squid Game" is a great work in its own right, but it has also become a symbol, leaving behind a variety of stories and lessons for the content industry as a whole.

① Proving the possibility of globalizing K-content
The success of “Squid Game” proved that Korean content is competitive enough in the global market without a localization strategy. This naturally had a positive effect on the production of other K-dramas and movies, and resulted in increased investment in Korean content on various OTT platforms such as Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime.

② The importance of quality content
About 20 billion won was invested in the production of the work, which was not a small amount, but it presented high quality in all aspects including story, directing, filming, and music and editing compared to the investment. This became a major factor in providing the audience with a deeply immersive experience that goes beyond mere entertainment.

③ Building empathy through messaging
"Squid Game" is not just a simple entertainment piece, but a work that carries a very strong social message. The gap between the rich and the poor, the absurdity of a competitive society, capitalism, and human desire were topics that audiences around the world could relate to.

 

"Squid Game" is a monumental work that expanded the possibilities of K-drama, effectively conveying the charm of Korean content to global audiences. The unique story, strong message, and sensuous directing and mise-en-scène made the drama a cultural phenomenon beyond a simple viewing experience. The popularity of this drama can be felt when you see the unrealistic scenes of many people dressed up as Pink Guards, Maskmen, and participants and playing traditional Korean games on Halloween in each country. Even in 2025, when Season 2 and 3 were released, the popularity of "Squid Game" continued, and it will remain strongly in the minds of viewers. The success formula created by this work will be a valuable guideline for the direction that K-content should take in the future.