Overcome the Inch

If you’ve been on Netflix in the past few months, there’s no doubt you’ve at least stumbled upon the title of Squid Game. This show, made and set in South Korea where a sadistic game is played for the chance of winning billions, is one of the many foreign-language programs that have gained unexpected success on the popular streaming platform. Many people contribute Netflix’s continued prosperity to the sheer number of new viewers these shows have brought.

Not only have these shows become wildly popular with the international audiences, but it’s also inspiring more English-speaking countries to try out shows they normally wouldn’t watch. This new international point-of-view on Netflix is not only economically viable for the platform, but also important in its role of sharing various countries’ popular culture with people who would never normally have exposure. Interestingly, Netflix subscriber growth is often in sync with the release of new foreign language shows. In 2020 Netflix reached over 200 million active watchers, with more than 60% from countries outside of Netflix’s home country: the USA.

According to an article from Bloomberg, native English speakers’ viewership of foreign language titles has grown more than 50% in 2020, clearly demonstrating the amount of attention shows like Squid Game have garnered. Part of the reason for their success is the options of both subtitles and dubbing, which means putting an English voice over the original actor’s. This makes the shows much more accessible as it gives English viewers a chance to watch if they’re hesitant about reading subtitles. The opportunity to watch on a streaming platform also allows for improved accessibility as people can tune in from all over the world. Another aspect of their appeal is that many foreign language shows have a relatively smaller budget compared to American-made shows, which con- tributes to the larger profit when they become successful. Squid Game has been declared as one of the most popular shows Netflix has ever produced, while having a relatively low cost of production: $21.4 million according to the Guardian. For some reference, Bloomberg has said that the show had a $900 million “impact value”, which means Netflix earned back its value and then some from the popularity of the show. Hwang Donhyuk, the creator of Squid Game, commented on his goals for the show when it was first released, “When I was working on the project, the goal was to rank No 1 on the Netflix US chart for at least a day. But it ended up being much more successful, the most watched show on Netflix ever. It’s very surprising. It shows that the global audience is resonating with the message I wanted to reflect.”

The exposure to international shows has proved to English-speaking audiences that the themes of these shows, such as the destruction of capitalism and thirst for success, are far more universal than we think. The success of these foreign language shows has proved that cultural differences does not mean a show cannot be intriguing to international audiences. I think we should all try to follow Parasite director Bong Joon Ho’s example a little more when he says, “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”