When Squid Game took the world by storm in 2021, the series again proved that a foreign language project could achieve massive global success, even with a western audience. The Netflix show is still the streamer’s most-viewed series, raking in a total of 1.65 billion hours viewed over its first 28 days. This record is a feat even Stranger Things couldn’t reach with its fourth and penultimate season. Squid Game, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, is nominated for 14 Emmys in 2022. These include Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, and Outstanding Drama Series, the first of its kind for a foreign language show.

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Talent like Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, and Hoyeon were catapulted into global stardom overnight. The series, which saw hundreds of players competing in life or death scenarios for a massive cash prize, is receiving a second season, a spoof series, and a reality show spinoff. However, Hong-dyuk tells Deadline none of this would’ve been possible without the 2019 Korean hit film, Parasite. The film, directed by Bong Joon Ho, would win 4 Oscars, including Best Picture, which was unprecedented and yet to be replicated. The influence it had on Squid Game is undeniable, and Hong-dyuk recognizes that.

Dong-hyuk Says it’s Natural to Watch Films in Subtitles for Non-English Speakers

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Although Squid Game received an official English dub from Netflix, many chose to watch the series with the original acting. However, this requires subtitles, which seems to be a hurdle too big for many English-speaking audiences. Dong-hyuk recognizes the challenges of convincing people to read subtitles but says it’s common in non-English countries.

“When Parasite was not only nominated for the Oscars, but also won four trophies, I was so surprised. Those wins gave me a lot of confidence and motivation to go forward. And it made me realize that, from now on, if we make really good shows, we can be acknowledged in Hollywood and in other parts of the world. I thought that more opportunities would be opened and waiting for us in the future, but I never expected that it would happen to me.”

With the success of projects like Squid Game and Parasite, studios may be looking to push more foreign language films and shows to western audiences. Clearly, the material is well received, and as Bong Joon Ho said in his Golden Globe acceptance speech: ‘Once you overcome the 1-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.’

“For those of us who were born in non-English speaking countries, we really grow up watching foreign films, mostly American films, but also Hong Kong and Chinese films in subtitled versions, even TV series. We are very used to watching these shows in foreign languages. For us, it was just something that’s very natural.

But only later did we realize that people who were born in English-speaking countries are not so used to watching non-English content. I hope that our show will help make people in English-speaking countries enjoy more non-English content, just like we did in subtitled versions. I do really feel that we’re gradually sparking more interests in other parts of the world to non-English TV series. I think this really goes to show what a global and international world we’re living in, where people have no barriers in terms of language and culture.”