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Student Village Academy Forums ENTERTAINMENT Movies Netflix Had ZERO Faith in Squid Game

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    • #76690
      justseyi
      Keymaster
      Cowries: 6,410

      Netflix Had ZERO Faith in Squid Game

      They buried it under 6,000+ other shows.

      No marketing budget. No promotion. No push.

      Then, 111 million viewers crashed Netflix servers in just 28 days.

      Here’s how an overlooked masterpiece defied expectations and silenced Hollywood skeptics:

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      2021: Netflix Quietly Releases Squid Game
      When Netflix’s content chief, Kim Minyoung, approved Squid Game, it was categorized as show number 783.

      The data team predicted it might reach a maximum of 2 million viewers.

      The series didn’t even make it to Netflix’s homepage recommendations.

      But then something surprising happened…


      By Day 4, Word Started to Spread

      Image

      Squid Game went viral on social media, driven entirely by viewers:

      • No paid promotions.
      • No celebrity endorsements.
      • No traditional Hollywood marketing.

      The game had changed.

      Audiences didn’t want high-budget polish or generic plots. Instead, they craved:

      • Raw authenticity.
      • Universal themes like survival and inequality.
      • Culturally specific stories that felt real.

      The Unstoppable Rise of Squid Game
      In just 28 days, the series shattered expectations:

      • 111 million viewers.
      • Trending in 92 countries.
      • 1.2 million TikTok videos created.
      • Over 2.1 billion views in 24 hours.

      All of it organic. Every bit of it user-generated.


      Breaking Hollywood’s Rules
      Netflix’s competitors were spending millions:

      • Friends reruns cost $100 million.
      • Stranger Things had a $30M-per-episode budget.

      Meanwhile, Squid Game was created with a total budget of just $21.4 million—and it outperformed them all.

      The show revealed a new playbook for success:

      Image


      Why Squid Game Worked

      Audiences became the marketing team, and platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and fan theories replaced TV ads and press releases.

      Key moments drove the virality:

      • The Dalgona challenge: 11 billion views.
      • Red Light, Green Light videos: 9.5 billion views.
      • Guard costumes trending worldwide: 2.3 billion views.

      Netflix uncovered something groundbreaking:


      The “Cultural Paradox Effect”

      The more culturally specific the content, the more universally it resonates.

      Examples from Squid Game:

      • Local childhood games remained untranslated.
      • Korean honorifics and traditions stayed intact.
      • Seoul’s class struggles were presented unfiltered.

      Psychological triggers that drove the connection:

      • Economic anxiety felt globally relatable.
      • Nostalgia for childhood games.
      • Deep character bonds that transcended language barriers.

      Netflix’s internal data revealed incredible retention rates:

      • 87% of viewers completed episode 1.
      • 94% continued to episode 2.
      • 98% finished the entire series.

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      The Blueprint for Future Success

      Squid Game isn’t just a Netflix success story—it’s a roadmap for creators and entrepreneurs:

      • Authenticity > Marketing: Raw, culturally specific stories win hearts and spread naturally.
      • Community-Driven Virality: Fans are your best marketing team.
      • Universal Emotions + Local Context = Global Impact.

      In the digital age, creators who prioritize authenticity and community-driven growth will lead the way.


      Key Takeaways

      Raw authenticity always beats traditional marketing.
      Virality comes from organic, community-driven sharing.
      Universal emotions, paired with cultural specificity, resonate globally.

      The future belongs to creators who embrace these principles. Are you ready to tell your authentic story?

    • #76697
      Eniola
      Participant
      Cowries: 255

      Watched it and enjoyed every piece of the series

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