Squid Game: How Has This Viral Sensation Become a Household Name?

“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” — Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human

By now you’ve surely heard of Squid Game, the Korean drama Netflix series that has taken the world by storm, successfully gaining a staggering 111 million views since its release on the 17th September 2021.

The series centres around a warped version of children’s games where 456 players who are all in debt compete for a cash prize. Elimination is taken to be literal – and when you lose you die – raising the stakes and drama.

With no advertising before its release, how exactly has Squid Game, with its dark and unsettling narrative, become so undeniably popular in such a short span of time?

1.     Word of Mouth and Viral Trends

We are – possibly unknowingly - spreading ideas through ‘word-of-mouth’ all the time. Whenever we speak to another person about a product we use, some new music we are currently enjoying, we are subtly suggesting to others to find out more.

This brings us to Gottschall’s quote, humans love storytelling. As a form of promotion, word-of-mouth can be extremely effective, because it is more likely you will trust a close friend, who you have things in common with, than an advertisement that tells you to do something (actually, 92% more likely, according to Nielsen). This is a form of storytelling – and hearing someone you know express their passion or awe towards something is incredibly persuasive.

Viral trends have changed and intensified how word-of-mouth messages can spread: as nothing is limited to your social circle when social media applications have the scope to recommend you something – based on your likes and dislikes - from around the globe.

2.     TikTok and Algorithms

This brings us to TikTok and its undeniable grip on the social landscape. Since its inception in 2016, it has become one of the most popular short video-sharing platforms to ever exist. Arguably one of the reasons for this is its use of algorithms.

TikTok’s ‘For You’(FYP) page calculates a feed based on viewing preferences and your interactions on the app, including accounts you follow, things you have liked and shared, and importantly, content that is predicted to be viral, all to keep viewers eyes glued to their screen.

In full algorithmic style, when you watch one video in full, sometimes without even liking it – TikTok ensures to put more related content on your FYP as you scroll through. This is one reason that Squid Game has become so popular.

One glance at the #SquidGame hashtag (which has 43.2 billion total views) on TikTok contains a range of videos: from people recycling theories of how exactly they think you can win the games, important details missed by viewers, to people dressing up in the Squid Game uniforms.

Even though 60% of TikTok’s users are aged 16-24, the virality of the trend combined with word-of-mouth inspires others to engage, reaching wider audiences, and generating viewership back to the source.

3.     Simple Puzzles

Though this may seem like a juxtaposition – puzzles are by nature not easy to figure out, Squid Game embraces the human obsession with shapes and colour and combines it with puzzles. Salmon pink (argued to be red by some viewers), combined with blue, and the pastel colour staircases in Squid Game are bold and memorable. Similarly, the ranking of the ‘workers’ who have control over the ‘players’ is symbolised by three notable shapes, a circle, triangle, and square.

 Image: Netflix

The Dalgona Candy game (honeycomb that you have to delicately cut out with a pick without breaking the candy) similarly remains clear in the mind’s eye: a triangle, a circle, an umbrella, and a star. Combined with the high stakes of the games, and the ability to attempt these challenges in real life, Squid Game has a lasting effect on viewers.

How then, can we learn from Squid Game’s success?

Audiences are fluid and malleable, and sometimes they may latch onto something unexpected, but generally, there are patterns to audience preferences. The scope of social media in attracting wide audiences is clear – especially if there is some mystery and intrigue.

The importance of colour and symbolism is shown by Squid Game, after all, humans are visual creatures, 91% preferring visual content over text media. By sticking to shapes known across the globe, Squid Game transcends borders and becomes unforgettable to all.

Embracing new technologies like TikTok ensures growth and relevance. Although Squid Game is ultimately a critique of capitalism, it quite ironically shows how trends can be used by brands to generate more income. However, it is important to remember that there is a fine balance between being relevant and being transparent. It is important to maintain authenticity and stay true to your company’s values by only producing content that is useful and appropriate to what your company wishes to suggest.

Clearly, social media is a necessary tool to remain important, improving overall traffic and exposure.

By Rozz Cottrell