Illegal streaming of ‘Squid Game’ season 2 undermines Netflix’s efforts

Just hours after its official release on Thursday, the new season of Netflix’s Squid Game became entangled in illegal streaming activities. On the unlawful streaming site “Hoo-hoo TV,” all seven episodes were uploaded by an operator named “Brother Gi-hoon,” who openly advertised the content to viewers without Netflix subscriptions. By Tuesday, these uploads had amassed a staggering 28 million views.

Despite Netflix’s stringent security measures, the rise of illegal streaming websites continues to pose significant challenges, particularly in regions including China, where access to Netflix is restricted.

These unauthorized platforms offer Squid Game episodes in high-definition with uninterrupted playback, complete with subtitles in multiple languages, including Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. Users on platforms such as Nu-Nu TV, TV Wiki, and TV Mong have left comments praising the swift uploads and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to avoid Netflix subscription fees. This widespread availability of illegal content is severely undercutting Netflix’s revenue and audience growth.

However, enforcing the law against such illegal activities remains a daunting task. Despite arrests and indictments of illegal streaming operators on December 16, new shows reappeared on similar platforms just 10 days later. According to officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, combating these websites is a constant struggle. “We are tracking similar websites, but most are based overseas, so all we can do is block their URLs,” one official explained.

As a member of the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, Netflix is actively working to combat illegal streaming. Still, the scale of the damage remains considerable as new piracy websites continue to emerge, further complicating enforcement efforts.


이호재 hoho@donga.com