After 'Squid Game,' world sees Korea differently

Last weekend, a "Squid Game" parade brought downtown Seoul to a standstill as the final episodes of the global hit's third and final season dropped. Giant floats of the menacing Young-hee doll and nostalgic "dalgona" candy, as well as legions of pink-suited guards, rolled through the streets. It felt like a scene out of fiction, but instead, it was a reminder of how a Korean drama has evolved into a full-fledged global phenomenon. When I first saw that "Squid Game" had become Netflix’s most-watched series of all time, I initially assumed it meant the most-watched among Korean titles. But no — it surpassed global hits such as "Wednesday," "Stranger Things" and "Bridgerton." A Korean series, in the Korean language, outpaced English-language juggernauts to become a household name worldwide. Even now, the scale of its success feels almost surreal. “Squid Game” didn’t just dominate entertainment headlines. It marked a turning point in the history of global content. More than a hit, it cracked open the cultural hegemony long dominated by English-speaking productions. It proved thatWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times