SEOUL: Interest in learning Korean has spiked since the launch of hit Netflix (NFLX.O) show “Squid Game”, tutoring services reported, underscoring a growing global obsession with South Korean culture from entertainment to beauty products.
Language learning app Duolingo Inc (DUOL.O) said the nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play deadly childhood games in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38.19 million), had spurred both beginners and existing students hoping to improve their skills.
Duolingo reported a 76% rise in new users signing up to learn Korean in Britain and 40% in the United States over the two weeks following the show’s premiere.
South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy, has established itself as a global entertainment hub with its vibrant pop-culture, including the seven-member boy band BTS and movies such as Oscar winners “Parasite,” a black comedy about deepening inequality, and “Minari,” about a Korean immigrant family in the United States.
