Netflix Says It Always Knows ‘Squid Game’ Was ‘Something Special’

Netflix Executives Revealed They Know About K-drama Squid game would be a great success even before its launch.

In a new interview with VarietyBela Bajaria, head of global television at Netflix, said the streaming giant had always believed the South Korean series would be popular even before its release. However, the Netflix executive also noted that he did not expect the scale of Squid The success of the game.

“We knew it would be a great regional success,” Bajaria said. “Our team in Korea always said it would be a tall mast for us. [Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk] had a very clear vision of this and [they knew] it would work very well in Korea and all over Asia.

Bajaria added that Netflix’s Korean team knew it was “something special,” but no one anticipated the scale of the show’s popularity. “We couldn’t imagine or anticipate this because it had never happened before. It’s so hard to imagine something on this scale, ”she added.

Still, the Netflix executive noted that Squid game could help break down the barriers of foreign language awards at major awards shows, following his recent Golden Globe nominations. “We couldn’t really imagine that they would be competing for US awards with this series,” she explained. “But now it is possible.”

“When we think of excellence in storytelling for the Emmys, for me the show has all of these things,” Bajaria added. “I love the performance, I love the momentum, the cultural vibe of this Korean show taking over as it did.”

Last week, Squid game became the first South Korean television series to win nominations for the upcoming 27th Critics Choice Awards. The show is in the running for Best Drama Series and Best Foreign Language Series, while Lee Jung-jae won a nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

Squid game also won its first US Grand Prize at the 2021 Gotham Awards. The ceremony, hosted by the Independent Filmmaker Project of New York, saw the K-drama win the Breakthrough Series – Long Format trophy, which was accepted by the creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk.