We Can’t Believe How Much Netflix Earned in Revenue from Squid Game Season 1
- 'Squid Game' earned Netflix nearly $900 million from its first season.
- The Netflix show had a modest production budget of $21.4 million.
- Despite its success, the creator received only a one-time fee.
Squid Game became the most-watched non-English series on Netflix, sweeping global audiences in no time. The show combines deadly competition, creepy dolls, masked figures, and the unforgettable green jumpsuit look.
The Netflix series became a global sensation, breaking records and making headlines everywhere. Let’s dig into the numbers and know how much Netflix really made from Squid Game.
Netflix Earnings from Squid Game Season 1 Revealed
The numbers here are mind-blowing. According to Bloomberg, Netflix made a jaw-dropping $891.5 million from Squid Game Season 1. Yes, you read that right—almost $900 million.
That’s not just from subscriptions, but from the “impact value” (how much money Netflix made by attracting viewers, boosting subscriptions, and gaining attention worldwide) the show created. Let’s put that into perspective.
Squid Game was Netflix’s most-watched original series at the time. People all over the world tuned in to watch contestants fight for a massive cash prize. From the moment it dropped, it became a global phenomenon. There were memes, TikToks, Halloween costumes, and even a new fashion trend—everyone was talking about it.
The series reached millions of subscribers and made Netflix a ton of money. Even though the show wasn’t in English, it still found an audience in countries everywhere. In fact, it became the most-watched non-English series on Netflix.
The huge success of Squid Game also helped Netflix gain more subscribers worldwide, bringing in even more cash. The show’s success wasn’t just about the numbers—it also made Netflix more popular globally, especially in South Korea. In short, it was a total cash machine for the streaming giant.
How Much Did Netflix Spend to Make Squid Game?
Squid Game didn’t cost Netflix that much to make. According to the same source, the nine-episode first season had a budget of just $21.4 million. To put it simply, Netflix spent around $2.4 million per episode. That’s not bad at all when you think about how much Squid Game earned them.
In comparison to other big Netflix hits, that’s actually on the lower end of the budget scale. Considering the show’s success, the ROI is crazy. Netflix spent a small fraction of what it earned from Squid Game.
For every dollar Netflix put into making the show, it got back about $40 in return. If you ask anyone in business, that’s a huge success. While the $21.4 million budget is significant, it’s still a relatively low number when you think about how much Squid Game achieved.
Squid Game Creator Received Unfair Compensation Despite Netflix Profits
Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Squid Game, didn’t get nearly as much of the big payday. While Netflix is making hundreds of millions from the show, Dong-hyuk didn’t get a cut of the profits.
Why? Because when he sold the rights to the show to Netflix, he signed a deal that gave him a flat payment. This meant he got a set amount of money upfront, but no royalties, no bonuses, and no share of the massive earnings from the show’s global success.
In simple terms, Dong-hyuk got paid a one-time fee, and that was it. He didn’t get any extra cash when the show went viral or when Netflix raked in all that revenue. A report from the LA Times pointed out that Dong-hyuk had no rights to any residuals or royalties.
That means even though his creation made Netflix a fortune, he’s not seeing any of it. In an interview with The Guardian, Dong-hyuk talked about his situation, saying:
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.
Despite creating one of the biggest shows in TV history, Dong-hyuk’s financial situation isn’t nearly as glamorous as you might expect.
Squid Game is available to watch on Netflix!
