Squid Game, the Korean series, which premiered on Netflix on September 17 has already hit the mark of 111 million views in the shortest time. The nine part show follows 456 people struggling with debt in Seoul who sign on to play a series of deadly competitions based on Korean children’s games, the winner of which will receive 38 mn USD. Squid Game has been critically lauded for showing the widening gap between haves and have nots.
Dalgona candy, which is made from sugar and baking soda, has been sold by street vendors in South Korea for decades, and was especially popular in the 1970s and 1980s, according to the South China Morning Post. It’s also known as “honeycomb toffee” due to its taste and consistency.
The dalgona candy challenge appears in the third episode of “Squid Game.” Before the clock ran out, players needed to use a needle to carve the shapes that are stamped into the candy. If players broke the dalgona and were unable to cut the complete shape out of the brittle candy, they were killed.
With “Squid Game” continuing to soar in popularity, trending now big time is dalgona candy. Netflix estimates that its latest megahit, “Squid Game,” will create almost $900 million in value for the company, according to figures seen by Bloomberg, underscoring the windfall that one megahit can generate in the streaming era.
Dark and deadly, the huge success of Squid Games tells something to us about society on the whole. Our obsession with money and success which is measured in terms of money creating a huge divide is what drives this show. May or may not be a hit with me, but it’s a big hit right now and that’s food for thought!