Streaming: “Squid Game” sequel is approaching – rush for old episodes

Three weeks before the sequel to the global hit “Squid Game,” Netflix has announced fresh figures for the South Korean series. To date, the streaming service has registered 330 million views and more than 2.8 billion hours that audiences have spent watching the thriller format. This means that “Squid Game” holds the click record on Netflix. The US trade journal “Variety” also reported. Season two starts on December 26th.

The South Korean production, which started in 2021, is considered the most successful Netflix series of all time. The streaming service said: “It took twelve years for the first season of Squid Game to come to life in 2021, but it only took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series of all time.”

Main actors overnight Instagram megastars

A week after its launch, “Squid Game” became number one in the US, becoming the first Korean series to do so. After the trailer for season two was released at the end of October 2024, the weekly viewing figures for season one reportedly increased by 60 percent.

The series stars benefited enormously. According to Netflix, actress Hoyeon (she is “Player 067”) had 404,000 followers before the release of “Squid Game”, now she has 17.7 million. Lee Jung Jae (he portrays “Player 456”) had 1.01 million followers before Squid Game was released, now he has around 4 million. Sales of the white Vans slippers used in the series rose 7,800 percent, Netflix reported.

The big question: How much is 45.6 billion won?

In the first round of “Squid Game” the story of a group of around 450 men and women was told in nine episodes, all of whom were heavily in debt. They compete against each other in seemingly harmless children’s games to win millions in prize money. But the macabre competition doesn’t allow for a second chance: anyone who doesn’t make it to the next round is killed immediately.

According to Netflix, the astronomical-sounding prize sum of the death game – 45.6 billion won, equivalent to a good 30 million euros – caused countless searches for the South Korean currency online.