From The Queen’s Gambit to Tiger King, there’s not exactly a certain recipe for what makes a Netflix Mega-Hit, but Squid Game, the streaming platform’s newest star show, still seems like an unlikely candidate.

The South Korean 9-episode Drama series, which was released on September 17, is on track to becoming not only the platform’s most popular non-english show ever, but their most popular show ever period. While specific viewer stats haven’t been released regarding the show, it’s undeniable to see the way that it’s overtaken social media and the collective consciousness of TV enthusiasts.

The series follows a large group of people in debt, who have all followed an invitation to compete in a series of children’s games for the chance to win the money they need. However, things quickly turn more dark and deadly as the games carry on, making it a fight for both money and their own survival as well.

The series is directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, who is most well known for his 2017 film The Fortress. However, this series is reaching a whole new scale of audience as the popularity of the show continues to grow.

While the overwhelming popularity of Squid Game seemingly came from nowhere, there’s a bit of precedent for Korean media finding its way into the global mainstream in the last few years. Parasite, a South Korean film, won Best picture at the Oscars in 2020, and Netflix themselves hosts a variety of Korean dramas on their platform such as Sweet Home and Extra Curricular. 

While none of these shows have reached the same widespread popularity as Squid Game, maybe this could be the breakthrough moment for global audiences to get further into media from South Korea.