In 2021 Netflix reached over 209 million subscribers globally. That is an increase of more than 16 million subscribers from last year. It is impossible to deny that Netflix, one of the original streaming services, changed how we watch movies, especially tv-series. The idea of streaming an entirely new season of a tv show in a few hours became highly acclaimed by the viewers.
One of the unique characteristics of Netflix is that they buy a lot of productions from other countries and use their platform as a way for people from everywhere to see the films and movies that otherwise wouldn’t have such a large – and global – audience. In October 2021, on the list of the ten most-watched Netflix tv series of all time, 3 are productions that were shot and produced outside of the US.
La Casa de Papel and Halloween Costumes
In seventh place in the list is the Spanish global sensation, which didn’t have a huge success in Spain, La Casa de Papel; also known as Money Heist. The fifth season of the show airs this December, and coming from having only two seasons because of its lack of popularity, the show went a long way once they gained the tudum sound before their opening sequence.
For a few years in a row, the costume the characters wore in La Casa de Papel to rob the Bank of Spain, the red jumpsuit, and Salvador Dali’s mask is one of the most popular costumes during Halloween. Even last year, a few years after the show aired on Netflix, the pre-made costumes, which included the jumpsuit and the mask made by a few companies, was sold out months before October. From articles explaining the meaning behind Salvador Dali’s Mask to costume shops worldwide producing and selling out the red jumpers, it is impossible to argue that this show didn’t get the world’s attention.
Lupin and Book
In fourth place, tied with the fantasy series The Witcher, on the most-watched lists of all time is a tv series that is an adaptation of an incredibly famous book series that the main character captivated people from generations: Àrsene Lupin. Unlike La Casa de Papel, the Netflix production Lupin uses a language that many people know, but not as much as Spanish: French. Lupin‘s easy-going and incredibly elaborate plans to rob and get away with it gained the global public right after it premiered.
Lupin quickly became one of Netflix’s most popular series, having been watched by over 76 million subscribers in 28 days after it premiered. It is the most-watched French tv show on the streaming platform. The series was able to do something many teachers and parents weren’t: make teenagers read more. The Netflix show propelled a boost in sales of Maurice Leblanc’s series. The author’s work sold so much after the show aired that it kicked off the bestselling author J.K. Rowling from the top of the most sold books list in France.
Squid Game: Fashion and Food
However, it was a recent release from Netflix that had the world stopping on its tracks. Everyone was eager to know what would happen to the characters we came to love in the tv series Squid Game. The Korean production is now the most-watched series on the platform of all time. It was released on September 17 and has already been watched in over 111 million households.
But the surprise didn’t come from the fact that people around the world fell in love with a Korean production: that has been happening for a few years now. Their original productions, such as K-Drama, have gained avid viewers everywhere. It is how elements related to the show sold out in a matter of days. In the website Footwear News, they searched the numbers that changed due to the Korean series: the searches for the white slip-on Vans increased by 145%, the searches for retro tracksuits increased by 97%; as well as the other clothes that were worn by the characters. Such as the numbered t-shirts, which had a spike of 35% and the red boiler suits had an increase of 62% in searches. Inspired costumes from the show are anticipated to be the most popular ones this Halloween.
It is not only in the clothes department that the series influenced: the food market was also affected. In episode 3 of the series, the contestants in the game have to win the third game by breaking the candy, called Dalgona candy, without breaking the shape (star, triangle, umbrella, circle) that is pressed into the candy: which is a traditional candy in Korea. The search for candy increased considerably, giving families that were dependent on the selling of this street food a boost of income.
Does diversity sell TV shows?
The answer is: yes. These tv series didn’t just get millions of viewers from everywhere, but they influenced marketplaces as well. Netflix has the power to invest in productions like these, and viewing as not only a viewers perspective that has a hunger for news stories, they are a great deal to make financially as well; not only for Netflix but also for brands that want a boost in sales.
