(From left) Lee Byung-hun, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Jo Yu-ri, Im Si-wan, Lee Seo-hwan and Lee Jung-jae make up the cast of 'Squid Game S2'. Photo: AP
The second season of Netflix’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 American streaming giant operates, Netflix said on its website. It is also the biggest debut ever for a Netflix original show.
Produced in South Korea, Squid Game was at the centre 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, 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 US$900 million (RM4bil) in value for Netflix shortly after its debut in 2021, according to internal calculations. Season 2 is set to compete for Best Television Series at the upcoming Golden Globes.
The third and final season is to be unveiled in 2025. – Bloomberg
