Squid Game’s final season breaks Netflix viewership records
For Netflix, which has invested billions of dollars into Korean content, the challenge now is sustaining momentum
The third season of Netflix’s blockbuster series Squid Game racked up record viewership in its first three days, reinforcing the Korean survival drama’s status as a global cultural phenomenon.
The final season of the dystopian thriller logged more than 60 million views in its first three days – the biggest debut in that time frame – and ranked No 1 across all 93 countries with top 10 rankings, according to Netflix. That compares with the debut of the previous season, which drew 68 million views in the first four days.
The runaway success of Squid Game highlights the enduring international appeal of Korean storytelling and Netflix’s pivotal role in amplifying it. The series reflects deep-seated social anxieties while spotlighting South Korea’s creative firepower.
For Netflix, which has invested billions of dollars into Korean content, the challenge now is sustaining momentum with a pipeline strong enough to command global attention.
Originally released in 2021, Squid Game was an instant hit and a cornerstone of Netflix’s local-for-local strategy. The series remains Netflix’s most-watched title of all time, amassing around 600 million views across its first two seasons to date.
“Squid Game really must have been the first real Korean drama for a lot of people outside Korea to watch,” said Don Kang, vice-president of Netflix’s Korean content, in an interview. “Ever since then, 80 per cent of Netflix members have watched Korean content and many of them still continue to do so.”