Netflix and the Korean Wave (Hallyu): Productive and Aesthetic Metamorphoses in South Korean Drama—Squid Game as a Paradigm

Abstract

In recent years, the South Korean film and drama industry has achieved global acclaim, as evidenced by Parasite (2019), the series Squid Game (2021), and the film Decision to Leave (2022), all occurring amidst the ascent of the Netflix platform, which plays a pivotal role in reshaping this industry. This article reviews the historical and political context that contributed to the formation of Korean cinema and drama, ranging from cultural protectionist policies—such as the screen quota system—to the opening up to global markets in the era of the Netflix platform. The latter has introduced new funding models and afforded unprecedented opportunities to access a global audience. This transformation is not limited to economic aspects but encompasses the narrative and aesthetic characteristics of dramatic content. On the applied side, this article utilizes the series Squid Game as an analytical model to comprehend how Korean cultural identity intersects with the exigencies of the Netflix platform, and how this intersection has produced hybrid narrative and aesthetic forms that merge the local with the global, achieving unprecedented commercial and critical success.