Many schools in the UK are urging parents of their students not to let their children watch the South Korean series “Squid Game”, which is currently the most watched series on Netflix in more than 90 countries, including Portugal.
With unprecedented global success, the South Korean dystopian play, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, imagines a vicious world where people marginalized in traditional children’s games compete with each other. The winner can win millions of dollars, and the losing players are killed.
“Hundreds of bankrupt players accept a strange invitation to participate in children’s games. The gift waiting for them is attractive, but the consequences are dangerous,” Netflix said succinctly.
Speaking to the BBC, Gareth Nicholas of Sir Francis Hill Elementary School in Lincoln discussed the series “within a small group of students under the age of six” and said it would “play some scenes” of the series. The teacher of the students immediately contacted the parents of the children, the official said.
“He advised the students to check the access of the devices in their homes as the series was being watched without their knowledge,” he told BBC Nichols.
Also, at Weldon Elementary School in Pro, there is a record of students between the ages of three and six who have already seen the series, and the BBC says the institution’s management has issued instructions to parents to prevent this from happening.
These circumstances are not unique to the UK. Newspaper Sydney Morning Herald This week the parents of Sydney elementary school students were asked to stop watching the series to prevent them from following the games.
In Belgium, a Mail According to Euronews, the Belgian elementary school has warned that its students have been sharing the games of the series more than 30,000 times on Facebook.
The South Korean series “Squid Game” has become Netflix’s biggest release, attracting 111 million fans worldwide just four weeks ago (September 17), it reported on Tuesday.
It is especially popular on social media, and Netflix is number one in more than 80 countries, including Portugal.
“Squid Game ‘has officially reached 111 million fans, which is our biggest release,” the social network announced on Twitter.
By comparison, the “Bridgeton” series reached 82 million homes in the first 28 days of airing, according to internal Netflix measurements, including any count that watched at least two minutes per episode.
The success of “Squid Game” increases the growing influence in South Korea’s world-famous culture, following bands such as K-Pop BDS and the Oscar-winning “Parasites”.
Netflix offers “Squid Game” in dubbed and subtitled versions in many languages.
In February, the world’s most popular streaming site announced it would invest $ 500 million this year in series and movies made in South Korea alone.
Henry Blackwell is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. His work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism.