By
Mayowa Adebajo
February 13th, 2024
According to Netflix, Bridgerton reached 82 million households in its first 28 days of release, compared to Squid Game’s record in 25 days.
American pay television over-the-top media service and original programming production company, Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) confirmed today that popular Korean gory hit series, Squid Game was its biggest drama series ever launched. The Netflix originals which were created by Hwang Dong-hyuk have been consistently ranked as the top trending series in more than 90 countries today.
The series features a total of 456 contestants whose life circumstances have pushed them to explore costly options to earn money to settle their humongous debts and care for their loved ones. While the series modeled simple games children play in South Korea while growing up, the movie added a deadly twist to it, such that losers of the game were executed instantly. The movie ended with player 456 as the last man standing, passing through an ordeal that was too sober to recant.
There is a twist to the Squid Game that has enthralled viewers across the world, and the movie is now inspiring ideas for Halloween costumes. For the series whose idea was birthed back in 2008 and rejected by Korean studios to have garnered this much interest globally, there is undoubtedly a feeling of accomplishment for both the creator and Netflix collectively.
“When we first started investing in Korean series and films in 2015, we knew we wanted to make world-class stories for the core K-content fans across Asia and the world,” said Minyoung Kim, Netflix’s vice president of content for Asia Pacific, excluding India. “Today, Squid Game has broken through beyond our wildest dreams.”
The significant buzz the Squid Game has garnered according to Kim is a confirmation that the company’s “global strategy is going towards the right direction.” According to Netflix, Squid Game has reached as many as 111 million fans globally, and the update has helped NFLX stock recover from the 0.33% drop recorded on Tuesday. The company’s shares are currently trading with a gain of 0.83% in the pre-market, adding $5.20 to $630.14.
NFLX Squid Game: The Reality Behind the 111 Million Viewers
The 111 million subscribers Netflix quoted as its metrics for the Squid Game has a different twist to it. The company’s statistics only reflect the number of accounts that have watched at least 2 minutes of the series, and the figures have not been independently vetted by a third party. The company’s figures do not also take into account the number of viewers per account, which could effectively push the numbers upward.
The Squid Game numbers beat Bridgerton, the romantic drama series that brings with it the enchanting feel of the Regency Era. According to Netflix, Bridgerton reached 82 million households in its first 28 days of release, compared to Squid Game’s record in 25 days.
For what it is worth, the race to sit at the top spot as a streaming service producer is heating up, and the type of publicity Squid Game has raised is good for Netflix’s business in attracting new subscribers.