Squid Game: Netflix original series from Korea on track for viewership record

I have to admit that I missed the boat on this one because I had not heard of Squid Game on Netflix until the news of this story broke but it looks like many of you already have experienced the Korean drama that is taking Netflix by storm. Even though the platform has touted Bridgerton as their biggest series to date in terms of initial viewing, Squid Game is pulling in viewership rates on a global level that has it close to challenging Bridgerton for the king of Netflix title.

According to newly released data, via “Deadline“, the ultra-violent survival drama, which made its debut on September 17, 2021, on Netflix, has reached No.1 in 90 countries in ten days. Based solely on word of mouth, Squid Game entered the U.S. Top 10 list on September 19, 2021, at No.8, then climbed to No.2 the next day, and then ultimately hit No.1 on September 21, 2021. This makes Squid Game the first Korean original series to accomplish this feat and it continues to maintain the top spot today.

The success of Squid Game shows that the series has transcended cultures and language barriers to become a universal hit. On Monday, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos said that “Squid Game will definitely be our biggest non-English-language show in the world, for sure. It’s only been out for nine days, and it’s a very good chance it’s going to be our biggest show ever.” According to their latest data, it’s believed that Squid Game could very well top Bridgerton’s current record of 82 million households. For a non-English-language show, the previous record was held by the French series Lupin, which became the first French show on the platform to reach No.1 in the U.S. earlier this year. That series reached 76 million households within the show’s first four weeks of release. Squid Game is said to be on track to top that soon.

Squid Game tells the story of a group of 456 people who are invited to risk their lives in a mysterious survival with a U.S. $38.7 million prize. The nine-episode series stars Lee Jung-Jae, Park Hae-soo, and Wi Ha-joon and it currently has an approval rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on seven reviews.

Have YOU been watching Squid Game?