The Korean survival thriller Squid Game may overtake regency drama Bridgerton as the most-watched TV series on Netflix. The streaming service hasn’t released exact viewing figures, but Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos has said Squid Game’s success has surprised everyone.
Variety reports that while speaking at the Vox Media’s Code Conference this week, Sarandos admitted the Korean drama – which currently ranks as the number one show worldwide on the service – has a chance of becoming the biggest Netflix show ever. “We did not see that coming, in terms of its global popularity,” Sarandos said.
Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game tells the story of a group of 456 people who are invited to take part in a mysterious survival game with the opportunity of winning a fortune if they win. Since its release on September 17, the show’s become a phenomenon and gone on to become the first South Korean to top the US Netflix chart. Critics and fans alike have praised the shocking series for its tense and exciting storyline.
In a new interview with Yonhap News Agency, Hwang explained his own surprise at the series success. “It’s just a surprise. It’s incredible that all this craze happened within a week,” Hwang told Yonhap. “As a creator, I’m so thrilled that my work has caught the hearts of people all around the world. It might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Of course, with Bridgerton season 2 on the way soon, and Netflix releasing a brand new teaser at the Tudum event, the period drama may be about to experience a streaming resurgence as people catch up ahead of the new series?
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