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 [Squid Game]'s premiere.
It may be tempting to dismiss this as a fad. After all, many of these people are just dabbling, and won't seriously continue learning Korean (just like many people dabbled in chess when The Queen's Gambit came out). But this isn't even the first time that Korean pop culture has had global success: think of K-pop (in general), Gangnam Style, Parasite, and Korean dramas.
I don't consume a lot of pop culture (I can't remember the last show I watched before Squid Game... I don't usually watch shows). But even I couldn't help but notice the amazing acting and production values. I think this show has really cemented South Korea, in the eyes of many, as a country with huge cinematic potential - no less than that of Hollywood.
Is this the beginning of a trend in coming decades, where South Korea establishes itself as a growing and constant pop culture powerhouse? Will this inspire more people to learn Korean? And why have other Asian countries either failed to do the same (c.f. China), or have lost the slack (in the case of Japan, whose days of manga/anime/video game glory seem to be fading)?
