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‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Tops Global Charts Despite Mixed Reviews

(Bloomberg) -- The second season of Netflix Inc.’s blockbuster survival series Squid Game attracted more than 68 million views since its debut on Dec. 26, topping the company’s streaming charts globally.

The service’s biggest franchise became the most-watched TV show in 92 countries where the US streaming giant operates, Netflix said on its website. It’s also the biggest debut ever for a Netflix original show.

Produced in South Korea, Squid Game was at the center of a massive marketing campaign ahead of the release, with the anticipation that the popular franchise could attract new subscribers all over the world as the first season did in September 2021.

Season 2, however, has drawn mixed reactions from critics and viewers. Some pointed out that the new episodes seemed slow and repetitive compared with the first season. 

On the day after its release, shares of related stocks including Artist United Inc., a film distributor and marketing firm partly owned by the show’s main actor Lee Jung-jae, tanked by about the daily limit of 30% in South Korean trading. 

Still, the show is likely to be judged based on viewer data in coming weeks. The first season of Squid Game had generated $900 million in value for Netflix shortly after its debut in 2021, according to internal calculations. Season 2 is set to compete for best TV series at the upcoming Golden Globes. 

The third and final season is to be unveiled next year.

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.