Netflix’s latest smash hit was somewhat unexpected. Squid Game, the 9-part series out of South Korea has been described as a combination of Parasite and Hunger Games and currently enjoys a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Just two weeks after its premiere, it has become the #1 Netflix show in 90 counties, including the US.
The important context is that this is the latest of Netflix’s shows created for a local audience that has blown up globally. Money Heist, Lupin, Elite – these are just some of the shows that were made for a local, non-US audience and have blown up around the world. It is clear that this is changing American viewing habits – streaming of all non-English content is up 71% since 2019 amongst American Netflix users.
This is a great development for a number of reasons. The success of these shows opens up more space (and funding) for non-American storytellers. Netflix has shown they’re willing to invest in plenty of local storytellers and allow them to make content for their local audiences. It is also a competitive advantage for Netflix. None of their competitors are as truly global (sure, Disney has a global subscriber base, but their content and IP is very American). If Netflix can continue unearthing unique and exceptional shows from around the world, this will be a competitive advantage that their streaming rivals will struggle to match.
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