The return of the hit series "Squid Game 3" not only marks the return of brutal survival games and a cast of characters that have become global icons, but also brings with it an unprecedented marketing whirlwind, strongly stirring up fields outside of cinema, from fashion, cuisine to the world of video games and tourism.
Still maintaining the detailed staging style, fast-paced rhythm and characteristic dark setting, the new season of "Squid Game" has brought the audience into a more fierce and bloody game. Immediately after its impressive debut on Netflix at the end of June, "Squid Game 3" rose to the top of the global Top 1 chart in more than 93 countries, including Vietnam.
Squid Game 3 is the final chapter of the survival series that took the world by storm.
Despite the controversy that erupted on social media, the series still achieved an 8.0 on IMDb and received a positive rating of 89% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Director Hwang Dong Hyuk chose a bold answer to the problem of renewal: instead of soullessly escalating the grandeur, he pulled the inhuman arena back to its most naked nature, exposing the cruelty of the system with the very language that made the brand.
This plot picks up right after the betrayal in season two, when Gi Hun was forced back into the game and forced to face the system he once tried to destroy.
The games are tighter, the narrative is more polished, and most of all, the camera lens delves deeper into the chaotic hearts of cornered people, pushing them into a primal state: kill or be killed. The third installment has been described as “the darkest and deepest” yet, receiving a warm reception from critics.
The characters are thrown into a world of blood and chaos, where lives are decided with just a few camera strokes.
The global spread of "Squid Game 3" is not limited to impressive numbers on movie review platforms. It has become a giant sales "machine", creating an unprecedented "fever" in many other industries:
Part 3 has created many trends that spread around the world.
As soon as “Squid Game” returned to screens, the Korean retail industry quickly turned the Netflix “giant” into a “selling machine”. From convenience store chains to luxury shopping malls, all jumped on the bandwagon with multi-million dollar marketing campaigns, launching a series of products related to the film such as hoodies, T-shirts, sportswear, accessories, home decor to unique collectibles.
Movie-related products "sell like hotcakes"
Notably, GS25, a major Korean convenience store chain, has strategically partnered with Netflix to release a series of exclusive products, including T-Money travel cards featuring the characters Young Hee and Cheolsu, a nearly 2-meter-long skipping rope-shaped gummy candy, and dalgona gummy candy – a famous prop from season 1.
GS25 - a major Korean convenience store chain has partnered with Netflix to release a series of exclusive products tied to the new season
GS Retail, the owner of GS25, revealed that its Netflix collaboration products have sold more than 30 million items, including 6.3 million products with the "Squid Game" brand, generating more than 12 billion won (over 231 billion VND) in revenue from the franchise alone. In the higher-end segment, Shinsegae shopping mall is also joining hands with the series, distributing genuine products with a series of incentives for customers, further highlighting the connection of "Squid Game" with its hometown.
The craze has also spread to global fashion brands. Pull&Bear released its collection on June 27, while PUMA and Hot Topic launched on July 10 and July 1, respectively. Even products that were released during the broadcast of season 2, such as the red jacket, the guard mask, the giant doll, and the competition uniform, continue to be sought after on e-commerce platforms and retail stores, constantly being reproduced, upgraded, or added in limited editions for season 3, cementing the position of "Squid Game" as a global cultural icon.
PUMA brand launches products inspired by Squid Game
Not only stopping at fashion, food and beverage brands are also in the game. The familiar HiteJinro soju bottle from the first seasons continues to return in "Squid Game 3", along with a limited edition of Johnnie Walker - the whisky promoted as "the perfect toast for the ultimate winner". In addition, many other unique brands also collaborated such as Bitz (popcorn in Mexico), Domino's Pizza (Colombia), Doritos (UK), Seara chicken nuggets (Brazil) and Mahou soft drinks (Spain), bringing fans unique culinary experiences associated with the movie.
The competitive and survival nature of "Squid Game" has been a constant source of inspiration for the gaming industry. "Squid Game 3" has spurred the creation and development of many new titles, allowing fans to directly immerse themselves in the world of the film. The most prominent is the game Squid Game: Unleashed, which is renewed with a series of new characters and challenges, including the "Jump Rope" game that audiences have been waiting for since the beginning of the season - released right at the time of the final episode of season 3.
In particular, "Squid Game 3" also witnessed an impressive collaboration between entertainment and tourism. Netflix has partnered with the Korea Tourism Organization to launch exclusive experience tours for fans. Through this program, visitors have the opportunity to set foot in the landmarks, cultures and settings that inspired the series, thereby exploring more deeply about Korean culture - the homeland of the global craze called "Squid Game". This is a strategic move, turning the film into a cultural bridge, attracting international tourists to the land of kimchi.
The Korea Tourism Organization has listed interesting places that fans of the drama can visit.
"Squid Game 3" was not only a huge cinematic success but also a global cultural phenomenon, proving the extraordinary spreading power of an entertainment brand.
