The drama "Squid Game," released on Netflix on September 17, created a boom. On September 20, it topped Netix's Top 10 Content in the U.S. for the first time in Korean history. According to Freaks Patrol, a website for video service content rankings, this drama which was available in 190 countries, topped the list in 83 countries. Now popular variety shows attract viewers by imitating games in this drama or inviting the actors.

   "Squid Game" begins with the story of Ki-hoon, who lives in a gambling house with huge debts. He made a lot of money by betting on a stranger on the subway. That night, he called with the business card that he received from the man and participated in the game. Four hundred fifty-six people, who were suffering from money issues like Ki-hoon, participated in the game, and 45.6 billion won in prize money would be given to the winner. This drama shows that participants compete fiercely to win prizes and survive the game.

   "Squid Game" topped Netix's popularity list in many countries, and it became famous not only in Korea but also abroad, causing a syndrome. Viewers now also enjoy the "Red Light Green Light” games on the street, and on Halloween, costumes from this drama sold like hotcakes. Supervisors were wearing pink sportswear and masks, the clothes of the squid game staff, at the Indonesian official examination site. In Mexico, people in arrears with water bills received a notice like a squid game invitation, which was a new strategy to collect unpaid water bills. In addition, a pop-up store for “squid games” has been opened in France to renovate existing cafes and decorate them with squid game props so that the public can experience squid games for free. Since the day before opening, some people had been waiting in line while sleeping in cars or tents, and the waiting time had exceeded six hours.

  In an interview with a Hollywood reporter, Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director of this drama, talked about the reason for the popularity of “squid games.” Squid games were based on familiar childhood games such as Red Light Green Light and Dalgona. This makes it easy for anyone in the world to understand, empathize with and focus on the characters' inner psychology, tolerate unrealistic settings, unpleasant and cruel scenes, and love them. Through this, viewers can finally think about the real-world experiences we live in and read the lessons of this drama. Perhaps the reason for their popularity is that readers understand the drama themselves and find memories, fun, and lessons from it with love.

   An official from the tourism industry in New York said, "The Squid Game has exploded Americans' interest in Korea. Considering the spread of Korean culture and the future tourism income that Korea will gain, it is not unreasonable to say that the Squid Game has made huge profits domestically."