Netflix show Squid Game brings windfall for online sellers in China, where the series is unavailable
- South Korean hit drama Squid Game has become popular in China, despite not being officially released in the country
- Chinese merchants are selling costumes and masks inspired by the show to buyers at home and overseas
New Netflix series Squid Game has yet to be officially released in China, but factories in the country are already busy churning out related products for domestic and overseas shoppers to capitalise on the hit show.
Costumes inspired by the South Korean thriller have proliferated on e-commerce platforms around the world, with many manufactured in China.
On Coupang, one of the biggest shopping sites in South Korea, some of the top search results for the show’s products are listed by companies based in the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as Anhui province, among others. Product pages are filled with inquiries from customers asking if sellers can deliver orders by Halloween.
Similar product offerings can also be found on Taobao, China’s biggest domestic shopping app, and on international wholesaler Alibaba.com. Both platforms are operated by Alibaba Group Holding, owner of the South China Morning Post.
In the nine-episode dystopian drama, which debuted on September 17, hundreds of debt-laden contestants wearing identical green tracksuits face off with each other in a series of traditional children’s games. The winner gets a cash prize, while all losers are instantly killed by guards dressed in red jumpsuits and black face masks.
Anna Feng, an employee at a Hangzhou-based apparel manufacturer listed on Alibaba.com and a self-professed follower of Korean trends, said she suggested her company to start offering Squid Game gear after watching the show herself and noticing its skyrocketing popularity.