Netflix’sSquid Gamewas an international sensation and quickly became the most watched show on the streaming service in 2021, but how did it become so popular? AsSquid Gameseason 2approaches and the global sensation’s return becomes imminent, many viewers may wonder howSquid Gamegot so popular in the first place. Foreign-language shows are, after all, much harder to sell to English-speaking viewers, and a cast made up almost entirely of Korean actors doesn’t carry much star power in the United States. Though reviews forSquid Gamewere impressive, critical reception alone didn’t make it one of thebest shows on Netflix.
Despite the challenges it faced,Squid Gamedid become a worldwide phenomenon. It was the most watched show on Netflix in 2021, and the most watched show ever on the streaming service with well over 260 million views (viaTudum), even surpassing English-language series likeWednesdayandStranger Things. It’s a verifiable sensation, but after three years, it may be easy to lose track of what madeSquid Gameso popular in the first place.Squid Gamedid benefit from a perfect storm that helped it succeed, but it was also more than good enough to support its own popularity.
Squid Game Was A Bingeable Show That Quickly Got Viewers Hooked
With Such A Strong Start & Only Nine Episodes, Squid Game Was Easy To Fall In Love With
It’s hard to overstate just how well-pacedSquid Gameseason 1 was, and just how important that was to its popularity. Pacing is usually something viewers will only notice if it’s bad, butSquid Gameproved that it can be the reason a show becomes a sensation.In the premiere ofSquid Game, audiences were introduced to Gi-hun, shown his many character flaws and the hardships of his life, and introduced to the unnerving games. Then, in one of the best twists in recent memory, the blood started pouring at the red light, green light game, just as the premiere ended.
With only nine episodes in the first season, it was entirely possible to finish Squid Game in a single day, and its immaculate pacing meant many people didn’t mind bingeing it for hours straight.
It was quite possibly the best way to introduce viewers to the world ofSquid Game. In less than an hour,Squid Gamemade viewers absolutely intrigued by the games, by the mysterious masked organizers of the games, by Gi-hun’s moral greyness, and everything else about the show. Then, its twist ending made it basically impossible not to watch the second episode.With only nine episodes in the first season, it was entirely possible to finishSquid Gamein a single day, and its immaculate pacing meant many people didn’t mind bingeing it for hours straight.
Squid Game’s Strong Reception & Word-Of-Mouth Made It A Must-See Show
Everyone Online & In Real Life Was Talking About Squid Game In 2021
With such a strong start that reeled viewers in, it’s no wonderSquid Gametook off. Anyone who stumbled upon the show was immediately hooked, and its short length meant that it wasn’t a major time commitment to get completely immersed in the show.That, coupled withSquid Game’s stellar critical reception (it received 95% onRotten Tomatoes) meant it had some incredible word-of-mouth. In fact,Squid Gamebecame something of a cultural moment, as it was one of the first shows in years that most people had seen and could have a conversation about at work or school.
In the fall of 2021, everyone was talking aboutSquid Game.Clips and memes ofSquid Gamewere all over social media, and it was one of only a few “water cooler shows” in the streaming era. With so many different shows to watch from Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and several other streaming services, having a show that was so widely watched and talked about immediately told potential viewers that it was special. With so many people discussing the show in the real world and online,Squid Gamebecame unmissable television, unless audience members wanted to be left out of the conversation.
Squid Game’s Charming Characters & Aesthetic Contributed To Its Viral Status
WhileSquid Gamewas more than capable of grabbing viewers' attention, it was also extremely adept at keeping their interest. After the initial shock of the games wore off, viewers stuck around because of the incrediblecast ofSquid Game.It had extremely talented actors like Lee Jung-jae and Park Hae-soo, coupled with extremely nuanced, believable, and compelling characters like Seong Gi-hun and Kang Sae-byeok. It was incredibly easy to fall in love with and root for at least one ofSquid Game’s characters, and the fact that it was able to get so many viewers invested in its cast certainly contributed toSquid Game’s popularity.
It had the two main ingredients for virality: Squid Game was stylish enough to show off, and its characters were good enough to discuss at length.
As if the fantastic actors and characters ofSquid Gameweren’t enough, the show also had an amazing aesthetic. The bright primary colors of the games directly clashed with the dark and bloody nature of the story.Squid Gamealso featured some great cinematography and set design that evoked the otherworldly qualities of surrealist paintings like MC Esher’s “Relativity.“Squid Gameis a visual treat to watch, which only helped the clips and screenshots of it gain even more traction online. It had the two main ingredients for virality:Squid Gamewas stylish enough to show off, and its characters were good enough to discuss at length.
Squid Game’s Intense Story & Horrifying Deaths Made It Stand Out From Other Thrillers
Squid Game Is Endlessly Brutal, But Its Bright & Childish Aesthetic Makes It Even More Unnerving Than Other Thrillers
Thrillers are, by definition, intense and often violent, butSquid Gameis in a league of its own.Squid Gamehas no shortage of brutal and horrifying deaths, and with so many contestants the blood essentially never stopped pouring. It also had an additional edge over many thrillers, however, by having such a great cast.Since the characters ofSquid Gamewere so likable and empathetic, each of their deaths became tragedies in addition to horrors. Having such compelling characters added to the tension and thrill ofSquid Game, as nobody wanted their favorite characters to die.
Why Squid Game Season 2 Is Shorter Than Season 1 Explained By Creator
Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explains why season 2 of the survival thriller show is shorter than season 1, and what led to the decision.
Another thingSquid Gamehad that made it unique among thrillers was its aesthetic. Almost every thriller is dark and grim in some way, butSquid Gamecombines its darkness with bright colors and children’s games.It’s such an effective juxtaposition that makes the life and death stakes ofSquid Gameeven more unnerving, as losing at something like tug of war means falling to a gory, visceral death.Squid Gameis one of the best thrillers out there, and its quality absolutely helped it reach a wider audience.
Squid Game Confirmed Netflix’s Successful Original K-Drama Strategy
Netflix’s Earlier Experiments With K-Drama Originals Paved The Way For Squid Game To Succeed
WhileSquid Gameis certainly the most popular Korean drama on Netflix, it wasn’t the first. Netflix had already successfully experimented with original shows out of South Korea, and they largely paved the way forSquid Gameto succeed.Sweet Home, which debuted in 2020 and became the first Korean show to make the top 10 list in the United States (viaThe Korea Herald), proved to a large portion of Netflix’s clientele that K-dramas were worth watching. It also helped English-speaking audiences overcome the “one-inch tall barrier of subtitles,” as director Bong Joon-ho so eloquently named it, which madeSquid Gamemore accessible.
It’s hard to say whether Squid Game simply benefited from American viewers growing more open to international shows or if it helped start the trend.
Squid Gamealso wasn’t the last K-drama produced by Netflix to make international waves. Some of thebest K-dramas on Netflixdebuted after 2021, such asAll of Us Are DeadandQueenmaker.The ever-growing popularity of K-dramas proves thatSquid Gamehas benefited by being on the cutting edge of a trend of Korean shows gaining viewership and praise in America. It’s hard to say whetherSquid Gamesimply benefited from American viewers growing more open to international shows or if it helped start the trend. Regardless,Squid Gameseason 1 couldn’t have been better timed to reach a worldwide audience.
Squid Game
Cast
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
