Netflix today revealed that the South Korean dystopian drama has been watched by 111 million account holders in the 17 days since it was released on September 17. Expect that number to go even higher as it nears 28 days of release, which is traditionally the period for which Netflix reveals viewership for some titles. For comparison, Bridgerton, previously Netflix’s most-watched original series, was streamed by 82 million accounts in its first 28 days.Netflix counts an account holder to have watched the show if they make it past the two-minute mark. Netflix’s metrics are not third-party verified.Only a few weeks ago, the American streaming giant revealed its top 10 most-watched original TV shows and movies, measured by the number of accounts which made it past two minutes and a separate ranking based on the total number of minutes spent on a title.At the time of the announcement, Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos said Squid Game, then only eight days old, was already shaping up to overtake Bridgerton for the top spot. Sarandos said Squid Game was already the most-watched non-English language series, which meant the series had already passed French series Lupin, which at the time was number two in the top 10.Other shows that were on the top 10 list based on two minutes of viewership were The Witcher, Sex/Life, Stranger Things season three, Money Heist part four, Tiger King, The Queen’s Gambit, Sweet Tooth and Emily in Paris. Squid Game will bump Emily in Paris out of the top 10.NED-3498-What-to-Watch-Article-BannersThe Korean drama features a group of indebted people who are recruited into a vicious competition in which the winner walks away with roughly $50 million, and the losers don’t walk away at all.The series has been praised for its sharp writing, eye-popping production design and a dark, bingey story that has resonated with viewers after 18 months of a global pandemic.The creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, conceived of the story a decade earlier but struggled to get it made because of its strong violence.In an interview with The Korea Times, he said: “After about 12 years, the world has changed into a place where such peculiar, violent survival stories are actually welcomed.“People commented on how the series is relevant to real life. Sadly, the world has changed in that direction. The series’ games that participants go crazy over align with people’s desires to hit the jackpot with things like cryptocurrency, real estate and stocks.“So many people have been able to empathise with the story.”As the series became more of a phenomenon, fans all over the world have clamoured to recreate the non-fatal aspects of the show. Squid Game costumes are a popular choice for Halloween, the “dalgona” snack featured on the show has had a resurgence and real-life versions of the game has been staged.Share your TV and movies obsessions | @wenleima
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