Squid Game Was Much Cheaper To Make Than Other Hit Netflix Series

A few weeks back, Netflix hailed Squid Game as its 'biggest show ever'.

The streaming giant reported that a 'mind-boggling 142 million member households' watched the series in the first four weeks following release - and it was an even bigger win for the company when you consider it was relatively cheap to make.

Netflix spent just $21 million (£15.58 million) on the show, according to Bloomberg, which works out as about $2.3 million (£1.71 million) per episode.

To put that into perspective, Variety reported in 2017 that the second series of Stranger Things cost $8 million (£5.93 million) an episode, while The Crown cost $10 million (£7.42 million) per episode.

So yeah, that's bang for your buck.

LADbible has contacted Netflix for comment.

The hit dystopian South Korean drama - written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk - follows desperate people who are invited to take part in a mysterious and brutal series of games for a massive sum of money.

Netflix

In a letter to shareholders published last month, Netflix said: "Released on 17 September, it has become our biggest TV show ever.

"A mind-boggling 142 million member households globally have chosen to watch the title in its first four weeks.

"The breadth of Squid Game's popularity is truly amazing; this show has been ranked as our number one programme in 94 countries (including the US).

"Like some of our other big hits, Squid Game has also pierced the cultural zeitgeist, spawning a Saturday Night Live skit and memes/clips on TikTok with more than 42 billion views.

"Demand for consumer products to celebrate the fandom for Squid Game is high and those items are on their way to retail now."

But while the show may have been a huge cash cow for Netflix, creator Dong-hyuk hasn't profited from it as much as you might think - at least in the short term.

Netflix

Speaking to The Guardian, he said: "I'm not that rich, but I do have enough. I have enough to put food on the table.

"And it's not like Netflix is paying me a bonus. Netflix paid me according to the original contract."

Given the show's enormous success, you'd think it would only be a matter of time before a second series is confirmed.

Dong-hyuk has been pretty coy about it, but made reference to the huge financial incentive that no doubt will be dangled under his nose.

He said: "Of course there is talk. That's inevitable because it's been such a success. I am considering it.

"I have a very high-level picture in my mind, but I'm not going to work on it straight away. There's a film I really want to make. I'm thinking about which to do first. I'm going to talk to Netflix.

"It's possible that I have to do season two to become as rich as Squid Game's winner."

Topics: TV and Film, Netflix, Squid Game

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey