The Korean Show That Dethroned Squid Game 2 as Netflix’s No. 1 Immediately After Release

A Korean show has dethroned Squid Game 2, a production with a massive ₩100 billion budget, to claim the #1 spot on Netflix in Korea. Capturing viewers with its chaotic romance, the series has taken the small screen by storm.

The show in question is SBS Plus and ENA’s reality program I Am SOLO: Love Continues (hereafter Love Continues), a spinoff of the popular dating reality show I Am SOLO. Directed by Nam Gyu-hong and hosted by Defconn, Gyeongree, and Yoon Bo-mi, the show revisits memorable participants from the original series to explore their ongoing stories.

As of 11:04 AM on January 5, I Am SOLO: Love Continues topped Netflix Korea’s "Today’s Top 10 Series" chart, with Squid Game 2 taking second place. Other titles in the top 10 included:

3. The Days

4. The Tale of Lady Ok

5. When the Phone Rings

6. Check-In Hanyang

7. Stove League

8. Not Others (Nam-Nam)

9. Please Take Care of My Refrigerator

10. Trunk

This achievement is particularly noteworthy given Squid Game 2’s global acclaim. As of January 3, it ranked #1 in the TV Show category across 80 countries and was listed as the seventh most popular non-English TV show ever on Netflix’s official Top 10 site for the fourth week of December.

Squid Game 2 follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as he reenters the deadly games, facing off against the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). The sequel also introduced new cast members including Im Si-wan, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-wook, Kang Ha-neul, and Jo Yu-ri, sparking widespread interest.

Meanwhile, Love Continues unveiled a teaser for its upcoming January 9 episode, offering a glimpse of yet another twist-filled "Divorcee’s Guesthouse" storyline.

The teaser showed 10 participants standing in the rain, umbrellas in hand, after a reflective “time to ponder” provided by the producers. Defconn noted, “It seems like decisions of the heart have been made,” signaling an intense upcoming date selection.

The teaser also highlighted nervous moments as the women waited for the men under a wall, with several contestants boldly making their moves. "Let’s go on a date!" and "I want to get to know you," whispered one, while another playfully exclaimed, “Come drench your heart with me!” in a thick Busan dialect. These flirty moments left the women laughing but intrigued.

In a surprising twist, one contestant, Young-ja from Season 10, announced, "I’m going to go to Mr. OO," shocking the MCs. Gyeongree and Yoon Bo-mi gasped, "What?" while Defconn sighed, "Ah, Young-ja…" raising curiosity about the sudden change in dynamics.

Meanwhile, as of 10:34 AM the same day, Netflix Korea's "Today’s Top 10 Films" chart featured:

1. Hopeless

2. Love’s Heart Chu Ping

3. Mercy

4. Carry On

5. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

6. Pilot

7. Following (Gone Girl)

8. The Killer

9. Escape

10. Uprising