Culture
K-POP: Korean pop culture is increasingly going global, Squid Game is the latest example

K-POP: Korean pop culture is increasingly going global, Squid Game is the latest example

David Crowther

South Korean show Squid Game has officially gone viral, as millions around the world have tuned in to watch the hunger-games-style drama, which sees hundreds of contestants battle it out in life-or-death games.

Google searches for the show, which was originally released on September 17th, have eclipsed relative search volume for other viral shows like The Crown, The Witcher, Tiger King and The Mandalorian. Netflix's co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, even confirmed that it was on track to become Netflix's most-watched show in any language in the company's history.

‍K-POP

‍South Korea has had a stunning influence on global pop culture in the last decade, starting with Psy's Gangnam Style in 2012. Since then K-pop sensations BTS and Blackpink have become two of the biggest bands in the world, thriller Parasite won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2019, and now Squid Game is breaking records in the age of streaming.

More Culture

See all Culture
Millie Giles
DOG DAYS
6h
“Bluey” is America’s most streamed show for the second year in a row

Bingeable content continues to win out over “unmissable” new shows.

Annual Thanksgiving Macys parade with inflated Bluey character
Tom Jones
institutional investment
1/28/26
Yale, like other elite colleges, is expanding its financial aid program

However, like other elite colleges, it’s still a lot more difficult to get into than in previous years.

Yale Coat of Arms at Yale University Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall, New Haven Connecticut
Hyunsoo Rim
WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT
1/19/26
Why people are flirting on LinkedIn — and job hunting on Tinder

The job market is tough, and so is dating. Americans are starting to mix the two.

Man Handing Man Box of Roses
Tom Jones
newborn ultimatum
1/19/26
Despite the government’s best efforts, China’s birth rate just hit a new low

Deaths in the nation, meanwhile, have never been higher in the 21st century.

Empty baby stroller on stone steps on a sunny day
culture
Millie Giles

OpenAI set to air a minute-long Super Bowl ad for a second consecutive year, per WSJ

OpenAI is expected to broadcast a lengthy commercial at Super Bowl LX, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

Having aired its first-ever paid ad at last year’s Big Game, the ChatGPT maker is set to take another 60-second ad slot during NBC’s broadcast on February 8, according to people familiar with the matter.

Read more

Exclusive | OpenAI Set to Run Another Super Bowl Ad as Chatbot Competition Heats Up

Latest Stories

Sherwood Media, LLC produces fresh and unique perspectives on topical financial news and is a fully owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc., and any views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of any other Robinhood affiliate, including Robinhood Markets, Inc., Robinhood Financial LLC, Robinhood Securities, LLC, Robinhood Crypto, LLC, or Robinhood Money, LLC.
©2026 Sherwood Media, LLC