The Korean Netflix Effect : A Study of the Narratological Innovations of Squid Game and Hellbound for the Miniseries Format during the COVID-19 Pandemic

초록

Within the span of two months in 2021 during the global pandemic of COVID-19, Netflix released two dystopian Korean miniseries Squid Game and Hellbound that each subsequently broke viewing records for Netflix’s most-watched series at that time, signaling the success of the Korean Hallyu in its latest incarnation of permeating American digital streaming platforms. Both miniseries address Korean societal norm issues of income inequality and the malaise of the influence of mass media and religion that spoke to viewers across the world about the corrosive effects of neo-liberalism’s response to catastrophic events. This comparative article examines how these two miniseries present their own narratological innovations for the limited series drama format: Squid Game employs a game-design plot structure while Hellbound implements a significant in media res story gap at its midpoint to create two smaller, interrelated anthologies. In doing so, these structural approaches encapsulate the thematic dimensions of their respective miniseries that contributed to their appeal and success as an international media phenomenon.

키워드