Netflix Inc NFLX subscribers have been eagerly anticipating the release of the second season of "Squid Game," the follow-up to the record-breaking streaming series from 2021.
Here's a look back at the release of "Squid Game" and how much investors could have made following Netflix's success.
What Happened: The nine-episode first season of "Squid Game" was released on Sept. 17, 2021, and went on to break records for the streaming platform.
Hundreds of millions of households around the world watched the first season in its first month of release, with Netflix reporting a record of 1.65 billion hours of the series streamed during its first four weeks.
Set in South Korea, the series centered on a secret contest of 456 players who are facing financial hardships competing for a huge cash prize of 45.6 billion South Korean won, or around $38.5 million.
The players quickly learn that the children's games they must win are lethal – losing means death, with only one survivor allowed to remain.
Still ranking as Netflix's most-watched series, the first season has over 265 million viewers with more than 2.2 billion hours watched.
A highly anticipated second season was released on Dec. 26, 2024 with seven new episodes. A third and final season will premiere on Netflix in 2025.
Season 2 could boost Netflix’s revenue through new subscriptions and ads, leveraging its 70-million-strong ad-tier subscriber base built since Season 1’s release.
The second season of “Squid Game” brought back several cast members from the first season. The new season has already been nominated for a Golden Globe and could become a favorite on the awards circuit, given more hype around the show this time.
Returning for the second season is the game winner in the first season, Seong Gi-hun (aka Player 456), portrayed on screen by Lee Jung-jae. Director and writer Hwang Dong-Hyuk also returned for the second season.
Investing $1,000 in NFLX Stock: Netflix stock soared to previous all-time highs back in November 2021, helped by the COVID-19 pandemic and more people streaming movies and shows at home with movie theaters shut down.
The critical reception to "Squid Game" and the series being talked about around the world may have also contributed to Netflix's stock surge.
Netflix stock began falling in late 2021 and traded down into 2022 before beginning an upward ascension that has led to new all-time highs set in 2024.
On Sept. 17, 2021, Netflix stock hit a high $590.28. An investor could have purchased 1.69 NFLX stock with $1,000 at the time.
Today, the $1,000 investment would be worth $1,558.21 based on a price of $922.02 at the time of writing. This represents a return of 55.8% over the last three-plus years.
For comparison, the same $1,000 invested in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, which tracks the S&P 500, could have purchased 2.25 shares on Sept. 17, 2021. That investment would be worth $1,353.69 today, up 35.4%.
While small investors wouldn’t come close to earning the $38.5 million “Squid Game” prize, betting on Netflix stock at the show’s release would have beaten the S&P 500’s returns.
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