"Dalgona and Marbles", 'Squid Game' Craze... Copycat Goods Also Appear

Netflix 'Squid Game' teaser image.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] The Netflix original series "Squid Game," which has sparked a global craze, is suffering from illegal reproductions in China, where Chinese companies have even started producing related merchandise and selling it through open markets and other platforms.

According to the distribution industry on the 6th, green tracksuits worn by "Squid Game" participants, masks worn by the game staff, and character dolls that appeared in the game of tag are being distributed on domestic and international online shopping malls. In particular, the green training suit personally worn and introduced with a certification shot by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is gaining great popularity on online shopping malls such as eBay despite its average price of $100. Red clothes worn by the game staff, T-shirts printed with circle, triangle, and square shapes, and the mask of the chief administrator, the Front Man, are also being sold.

These items can also be purchased through open markets in Korea. While Netflix has yet to release official merchandise, quick-moving Chinese companies are capitalizing on the popularity by producing related goods and distributing them domestically and internationally. Especially overseas, some sales pages even use actors' faces, raising concerns about portrait rights and copyright infringement.

Products related to nostalgic games featured in the series, such as dalgona and marbles, are also gaining popularity. According to 11st, the search term "dalgona," which was searched 20 to 30 times a day from September 1 to 16, gradually increased after the release of "Squid Game" content and even reached number one in the United States. Interest has grown to the point where 722 searches were recorded as of the 4th. The keyword "Squid Game" also saw a sharp increase in search volume from August 24, with an average of 521 searches per day and a maximum of 861 searches (on September 27) during the ten days from September 25 to October 4.

Sales of related products have also surged. Since the release of "Squid Game," dalgona sales on Gmarket increased by 514% compared to the same period in the previous month (August 17 to September 4) as of the 4th. On Auction, dalgona sales also surged by 690% during the same period. Sales of glass marbles used in the marble game increased by 325%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.