'Squid Game' becomes Netflix's biggest-ever launch hit

The show is the latest manifestation of the ever-growing influence of South Korea's popular culture

Dystopian South Korean drama "Squid Game" has become Netflix's most popular series launch ever, drawing 111 million fans since its debut less than four weeks ago, the streaming service said Tuesday.

The unprecedented global viral hit imagines a macabre world in which marginalized people are pitted against one another in traditional children's games.

Spreading around the world by word of mouth, especially via social media, "Squid Game" has topped Netflix charts in more than 80 countries.

By comparison, Regency romp "Bridgerton" reached 82 million households on debut, using Netflix's internal metric which includes any account that watched an episode for at least two minutes.

It is also the latest success for Netflix's bid to produce more international and non-English language content. The streamer's third most-watched series debut for instance is French-language "Lupin."

In February, the world's most popular streaming platform announced plans to spend $500 million this year alone on series and films produced in South Korea.

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Originally published as 'Squid Game' becomes Netflix's biggest-ever launch hit