On the 21st (local time), Young-hee and the staff from the Netflix series “Squid Game” appeared in front of Wat Arun Temple in Bangkok, Thailand. Netflix is showcasing a massive marketing campaign worldwide ahead of the release of “Squid Game Season 2” on the 26th. The marketing budget for this campaign is reportedly on par with other global hits like “Stranger Things” and “Bridgerton.” Models of Young-hee, the mascot of “Squid Game,” and the staff have made appearances. Young-hee was seen at locations such as Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, the Sydney Opera House in Australia, and the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand.
On December 1 (local time), 456 fans dressed in green tracksuits participated in a game of “Red Light, Green Light” on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. In Los Angeles (LA), USA, a 4.56 km running event was held, where about 1,600 participants raced to obtain tickets to a pre-premiere of Season 2.
Collaborations with various global brands are also ongoing. Searching for “Squid Game” on Google allows users to play the “Red Light, Green Light” game. By clicking on a brown envelope with ○△□ drawn on it at the bottom of the screen, a Young-hee doll appears, and players must press the OX button to guide participants to the finish line while avoiding Young-hee’s gaze.
In France, Burger King launched a new “Squid Game” menu that includes Korean-style chicken and bulgogi sandwiches. In Australia, McDonald’s introduced a new menu featuring Dalgona. Successfully completing the Dalgona challenge allows customers to receive a green tracksuit or enter a draw for a prize of AUD 100,000 (approximately 90 million KRW).
Bloomberg estimated the value of “Squid Game” at $900 million (about 1.31 trillion KRW) after the success of Season 1 in 2021. “Squid Game” Season 2, consisting of seven episodes, will be released globally simultaneously on December 26 at 5 PM KST.