Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 2, episode 3

Squid Game season 2 leaped on Netflix’s most popular non-English shows list, with season 1 being the current record holder since the series debuted in 2021. Within three days of season 2’s release on December 26, 2024, the South Korean series broke Netflix’s record for having the most views for a show during its premiere week. In the previous week, the series ranked No.1 in 93 countries.

Netflix updated the latest Squid Game season 2 viewership statistics and sees season 2 leaping to no. 2, joining season 1 to dominate the top non-English shows list. Adding another 58.2 million views for the week, season 2 amassed 126.2 million viewers within 11 days of its release, breaking another Netflix TV record. Maintaining the positions held in the first week, Squid Game is in the Top 10 list in 93 countries, occupying the top slot in 91 countries.

What This Means For Squid Game

Squid Game Season 2 Is A Bigger Success Than Season 1

Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun and Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in Squid Game season 2 Masked guards holding onto their guns in Squid Game Gi-hun with his hands behind his head in Squid Game season 2 The Front Man sits in a brown leather chair while watching the games in Squid Game season 2 Players laughing together during Mingle in Squid Game Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun and Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in Squid Game season 2 Masked guards holding onto their guns in Squid Game Gi-hun with his hands behind his head in Squid Game season 2 The Front Man sits in a brown leather chair while watching the games in Squid Game season 2 Players laughing together during Mingle in Squid Game

Squid Game season 1 took the world by storm in 2021, achieving 265.2 million viewers in the first 91 days. Season 2 nearly reached half of the number in two weeks. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time for the second season to top the chart. Season 1’s success presented an opportunity too big for Netflix to miss, which led to the streamer convincing the show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, to pen another season despite his initial plan to end the show after one season. Seasons 2 and 3 are a direct product of season 1’s smashing success.

With season 2 outpacing season 1 in viewership, the future of Squid Game isn’t going to end with season 3. Aside from the existing reality TV spinoff, Squid Game: The Challenge, Netflix is rumored to be exploring the idea of launching an American spinoff with Se7en director David Fincher. Hwang also shared that he’s open to making character-centered spinoffs when the right stories find him and exploring the possibilities of prequels to fill in the gaps between seasons. If that does come to fruition, there is no doubt that Netflix would approve of those plans since Squid Game is their most-watched series.

Our Take On Squid Game’s Future

Squid Game Season 2’s Smashing Success Comes With A Warning Sign

An edited image of Gi-hun looking shocked and In-ho holding the Front Man mask in Squid Game season 2.Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore

With the direction Squid Game season 2 is headed, it’s safe to say that the sophomore installment is already an even bigger success than season 1, so it seems like a sure thing for Netflix to pursue more related projects. However, doing so without careful thought could potentially harm the franchise. If anything, Squid Game: The Challenge proves that the same premise doesn’t work the same way in a different social setting.

Dystopian projects set in the U.S. deal with a completely different social environment. With social commentary being Squid Game‘s main appeal as a dystopian TV show, it’d be hard for shows to maintain the same integrity while staying within the form of a six-round competition, consisting of various Korean childhood games. Season 2’s success is no doubt great news for the franchise, but on the other hand, the divisive reviews for season 2 also serve as a warning sign for Squid Game season 3 and beyond.