‘Squid Game’ Crosses 330 Million Viewers and 2.8 Billion Hours Viewed Ahead of Season 2 as Netflix Sets In-Person Experience in Seoul (EXCLUSIVE)

As a cinema devotee with a penchant for Korean dramas, I must admit that I was utterly captivated by the phenomenon that is “Squid Game”. The sheer scale of its popularity, with an astonishing 330 million viewers and over 2.8 billion hours watched since its release, is nothing short of breathtaking.

The highly acclaimed Netflix television series, known as its most-watched show ever, has seen an increase in popularity leading up to the release of its second season.

To date, “Squid Game” Season 1 has attracted an astonishing 330 million viewers and clocked over 2.8 billion hours of viewing time since its premiere on September 17, 2021. Netflix considers this Korean-language series as their most buzzed-about title for the year, even though it debuted on Dec. 26 – only a few days before New Year’s Eve in 2024. The streaming giant attributes a 60% surge in Season 1 viewership to the release of the first teaser for Season 2 on October 31.

The live-action event, titled “Squid Game Experience,” is being used by the streamer to stir excitement for the drama’s comeback. At present, it can be experienced in New York City and Madrid, but it will also debut in Sydney on December 14 and Seoul in early 2025. This real-life adaptation of the game from the series (although non-lethal) includes games modeled after the show, with pink-uniformed guards monitoring the group as they progress through challenges. A winner is eventually chosen at the end. However, please note that the $45.6 billion prize money seen in the series does not apply to this experience.

Following the completion of Season 1, it wasn’t in my initial plans to create another season due to the demanding nature of scriptwriting, filming, and directing the show. Frankly, I found the process so arduous that I doubted my ability to undertake a second round, as Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of “Squid Game”, shared in an interview with EbMaster, having reportedly lost several teeth during the first season’s production.

Hwang decided to move forward with a second season (later expanding it to include a third), as the tremendous success of the initial season provided him with both the confidence and drive, inspiring him to delve deeper into the story.

Hwang admitted that the overwhelming love for Season 1 was a significant factor. People frequently inquired, ‘Will there be a Season 2?’ Moreover, the cliffhanger ending of Season 1 left many eager to know more about Gi-hun’s journey and see how the story would continue.

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2024-12-03 19:18