11 million Netflix households watched it within 17 days, and over 142 million after 28 days.

Ultimately reached around 265.2 million total views, making it Netflix’s most‑watched non‑English series ever. Also garnered ~1.65 billion hours viewed within its first 28 days. Over its lifetime, IMDb estimates ~330 million Netflix accounts tuned in, with over 2.8 billion hours watched.

There’s something uncanny about Squid Game—a paradox in every frame. Its violence is brutal, yet strangely detached. Its punishment of humanity doesn’t feel like punishment at all, but a twisted form of mercy. Beneath the surface, a quiet tide swells—drawing us in, evoking deep compassion for every player, even as we know they’re doomed. We root for them, desperately hoping each will survive, fully aware none will.

And just when you think the series can’t raise the bar any higher, a certain mega-star steps in with a cameo so precise and brilliant, it feels like a masterstroke—a final note of genius in an already haunting symphony.

Meanwhile, American TV clings to soulless reboots and tired formulas—numbingly nauseating in their predictability. One can only hope the upcoming U.S. adaptation of Squid Game learns from the Koreans—not just their storytelling mastery, but their courage to challenge, disturb, and elevate.