The Korean thriller, which follows a group of debt-ridden people as they compete for a large cash prize in a deadly series of children's games, has become Netflix's greatest ever series premiere, with 111 million customers watching it in its first 28 days. It did so by knocking Bridgerton off the top rank, demonstrating that Korean dramas, or K-dramas for short, have received widespread approval from audiences around the world. The popularity of Squid Game is the newest wave in a Korean cultural tsunami. The show joins K-pop artists such as BTS and Blackpink becoming household names in music. But the K-drama takeover is far from an overnight sensation. Although they've only recently gripped worldwide audiences, K-dramas have been popular in Asia for decades. A 2011 report by the Korean Culture and Information Service concluded: "In many Asian cities, Korean dramas seem to be influencing lifestyles and consumer behavior, which speaks to their cultural appeal".