Everyone has been talking about Netflix hit Squid Game lately, and the series has been confirmed as the streaming service's biggest launch to date reaching a huge 111 million fans. But apparently, it could have been given a very different name in order to be more appealing to a global audience.
The name Squid Game refers to a popular South Korean children's playground game, which becomes an integral part of the final episode of season 1. However, to audiences outside of Asia, the game is not that well known, which prompted executives to consider a name change to make it more appealing for a wider market.
Netflix Asia executive Kim Min-young spoke to Hollywood Reporter and revealed: "Initially, we knew we wanted this show to travel but we were worried the title Squid Game wouldn’t resonate because not many people would get it."
She added: "We went with the title Round Six instead, wanting it to be more general and helpful for telling people what the show is about – there are six rounds to the game."
However, series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk wanted to go ahead with the original title because he thought that it was the "essence" of the story, and it turns out this was a good idea.
It took more than 10 years for Hwang Dong-hyuk to get Squid Game made.It took just 17 days and 111M global fans for it to become our biggest series launch ever.October 13, 2021
Kim added: "I think the more authentic title has actually played really well. The title, Squid Game, together with the eye-catching artwork, really capture interest within our service – especially for audiences who have never watched a Korean show before but are looking for fun things to watch.
“I think we tend to underestimate the curiosity that a lot of our members and audience have. In trying to make it really easy to understand what the show is, we could have made a big mistake. I’m so glad director Hwang steered us back to Squid Game – it sparks curiosity and captures the story so well.”
So far there's no confirmed news about Squid Game season 2, but it certainly seems like fans are keen to see more. For now, though, the complete first season is available to watch via Netflix.
