MinYoung Kim, Netflix Asia’s senior executive, dives into in the causes why Squid Game became such a smashing hit in such a short period of time. Kim joined the streaming powerhouse as one of the company’s first Asian content staffers in 2016. As VP of Programming for Asia, Kim is responsible for overseeing Netflix’s general programming in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Australia/New Zealand.
Kim Zouk believes that her game, Squid Game, is the perfect evidence that their international strategy has been successful. “We always believed that if a show is truly authentic, then it should travel well. With this show, we hope to create a platform where Korean games and characters can be globally recognized.”
While Kim admitted that the program’s success has been strange, she outlined some of the aspects that have helped the show become a global sensation. She thought the genre was popular, but it was the simplicity of the games that allowed even people unfamiliar with Korean children’s games to “simply enjoy it.”
Kim said that she thinks the game’s ability to drive conversation and memorable moments were key factors in her decision to become a producer. The concept of the show is that it tackles social injustices, and it resonates globally due to its depiction of these issues. These issues are not only limited to Korea.
At the end of the day, Kim intended to demonstrate the rest of the world Korea’s great production capability and refute the myth that Korean dramas were exclusively about “handsome men and lovely ladies falling in love.” The success of Squid Game has definitely increased interest in Korean entertainment. As for the following stages, Kim reassured viewers that the team is looking at optimizing “the roadmap for the Squid Game IP,” and promised that projects are in the works without disclosing too much.
