Netflix Is Facing A Lawsuit Because ‘Squid Game’ Is Too Popular In South Korea

netflix squid game broadband lawsuit popularity

Netflix


  • Netflix is facing a lawsuit over the popularity of Squid Game after the show took South Korea by storm
  • An internet company in the country says it deserves to be compensated for the amount of bandwidth it’s had to dedicate to the series and other popular projects
  • Read more Netflix news here

If you needed any proof Netflix revolutionized the way people consume movies and shows, you got some in 2018 when a study found the streaming giant was responsible for 15% of download-related traffic on the entire globe—a number that can spike to a staggering 40% in the United States when it releases a new project the entire country decides to binge at the same time.

So many people around the planet rely on Netflix for their entertainment fix that the European Union had to ask it to reduce its streaming quality at the start of the pandemic after officials realized there was a very real chance it could literally break the internet. The situation may not be as dire in South Korea, but that hasn’t stopped one broadband company there from filing a lawsuit related to the platform’s newest smash hit.

Earlier this week, we learned about the plight of a man in South Korea who probably isn’t as infatuated with Squid Game as the rest of the world seems to be thanks to the thousands of calls he’s received after his phone number was used in the show. According to Reuters, South Korean internet provider SK Broadband is also less than thrilled with how many people are watching a project that’s poised to become the most popular original series Netflix has ever released, as it’s taking the company to court over the amount of data its subscribers have recently consumed thanks in no small part to Squid Game.

SK Broadband originally partnered with Netflix in 2018 to permit the streamer to use a dedicated line to bring its content to viewers in South Korea, and according to the lawsuit, it’s currently delivering 24 times the amount of data it was handling at the start of the relationship. It credits that massive spike to the popularity of Squid Game as well as the Korean drama D.P. and claims it’s entitled to compensation thanks to the strain Netflix has put on its infrastructure.

The internet company is seeking a grand total of 27.2 billion won ($22.9 million)—which, for comparison’s sake, is around 60% of the total pot handed out at the end of the series of deadly Squid Game competitions.

 

Connor Toole avatar and headshot for BroBible
Connor Toole is the Deputy Editor at BroBible. He is a New England native who went to Boston College and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Frequently described as "freakishly tall," he once used his 6'10" frame to sneak in the NBA Draft and convince people he was a member of the Utah Jazz.