Manhattan Mall in downtown New York was buzzing with excitement on Oct. 11. The first floor had been transformed into ‘Squid Game: The Experience,’ an immersive theme park inspired by the global Netflix sensation. The sound of Korean words mingled with English as visitors from around the world excitedly greeted the 2-meter-tall at the entrance, exclaiming, “It’s Young-hee!” Others approached the suit-clad “Salesman,” eager to participate in the game’s challenges. Inside the experience center, K-pop groups like BTS, Blackpink, and TWICE played continuously, and a snack shop sold Korean treats such as squid jjampong, choco pies, and Milkis.
Squid Game: The Experience, open for a limited time leading up to the release of Squid Game Season 2 on Dec. 26, is a ‘mini-theme park’ where visitors can play various games from the show. Tickets, priced between $29 and $59 and capped at 1,500 participants per day, have already sold out for the week. “Korean content is no longer just a fleeting trend - it’s evolving into experiences, such as game challenges,” said an industry insider.
Inspired by Walt Disney’s success in creating dedicated fanbases through theme parks, merchandise, and character franchises, the content sector is working towards building similar immersive experiences. Korean content, such as The Squid Game, is becoming central to these efforts. Netflix VP of Consumer Products Josh Simon said the streaming giant will open its first two Netflix Houses in Philadelphia and Dallas next year. These brick-and-mortar locations will feature various immersive retail experiences, including Korean content like Squid Game.
Visitors at the Squid Game: The Experience spent about an hour participating in five games from the Show. Linus Bolten, an 11-year-old who was knocked out in the ‘Memory Steps’ game, where players must recall the specific pattern on a glass bridge, said, “I came here with my parents on a trip to New York from Germany, and I asked them to get tickets to this place.”
“I’m a huge Squid Game fan,” said Mike Christie, who visited with three friends. He admitted that playing the ‘Red Light, Green Light’ game was harder than it looked. “Staying still isn’t as easy as it looks.”
Simon revealed that Squid Game experience centers will open in Madrid in October, Sydney in December, and Seoul early next year. “We’re working with Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk to incorporate more ‘Korean’ elements into the experience,” he said. “We are discussing collaborations with local companies like Shinsegae and CJ CheilJedang (Bibigo) to offer more diverse experiences.” Netflix plans to offer limited-edition food, beverages, merchandise, and themed shops centered around Squid Game.
Netflix announced in June that 33 collaborative products with GS25, a South Korean convenience store chain, had generated over $35 billion ($26 million) in sales in the past year. The streaming giant also partnered with Everland from September to November, creating a horror-themed zone based on another popular K-drama, All of Us Are Dead. “With the continued success of K-content, we plan to increase our investment in immersive experiences featuring Korean content,” Simon said.
