"Where Can I Buy Gonggi?"... Interest in K-Games Soars Amid 'Squid Game 2' Craze [Youth Report]

Netflix's 'Squid Game 2' Global Popularity
Following Dalgona Candy Challenge, Now Gonggi Game Gains Attention

As the Netflix drama Squid Game Season 2 (Squid Game 2) gains popularity worldwide, traditional Korean games are becoming popular among young people overseas. Just as dalgona candy picking and ttakji flipping were trendy in Season 1, the traditional Korean game "Gonggi" is now attracting attention. Especially on social media platforms (SNS), it has become easy to find videos of global netizens challenging themselves with Gonggi.

"Confusing Gonggi game for Western viewers"... A craze on SNS

Multiple posts related to 'Gonggi' are being continuously uploaded on TikTok. TikTok

On the 5th, short-form platform TikTok saw a surge of videos tagged with hashtags like 'Gonggi', 'Gonggi game', and 'Gonggi challenge'. Netizens are seen playing with Gonggi stones marked with circles, triangles, and squares, or enjoying Gonggi using dice, shells, and other items, similar to what appeared in Squid Game 2. They commented, "I played Gonggi as if my life depended on it, just like in Squid Game 2," "Once you learn the rules, it's an easy and fun game," and "I found myself incredibly focused without realizing it."

Earlier, in Episode 4 "Six Legs" of Squid Game 2, five types of Korean folk games appeared: ttakji flipping, bi-seok hitting, Gonggi, spinning tops, and jegichagi. Among these, the scene where participant Kang Dae-ho (played by Kang Ha-neul) plays Gonggi attracted significant attention, with over 17 million views on TikTok alone.

Park Jong-nam, a master of Gongginori, who appeared as a hand double for actor Kang Ha-neul in Netflix's "Squid Game 2." Instagram

Global netizens seem to be fascinated by the complex rules of Gonggi. The game involves five Gonggi stones and requires passing through five stages. The key is to throw one stone and catch another before the first one hits the ground. Some netizens reacted, "The game moves so fast it's confusing," "I thought it was easy, but it's actually difficult," "Even knowing the rules, I can't do it well," and "I wonder how many people can successfully complete all five stages."

The UK's Radio Times also described Gonggi as "the most confusing game for Western viewers." The outlet noted, "Ttakji flipping appeared multiple times in Squid Game, and bi-seok hitting is intuitive enough not to need explanation. Many people know about spinning tops and jegichagi. However, Gonggi involves quickly throwing, catching, and dropping five stones, which can confuse viewers." It added, "The advantage of Gonggi is its accessibility; you don't need to buy a game set to play?it can be played with stones, pebbles, dice, marbles, or any round objects. If interest in Gonggi surges due to Squid Game 2, Gonggi sets will likely become easier to find by 2025."

K-Children's Songs Rediscovered... Rising Interest in 'Dungeulge Dungeulge'

A club in Thailand where the children's song 'Dunggeulge Dunggeulge' was played. Online community

Meanwhile, the craze for Squid Game 2 has also brought attention to the children's song "Dungeulge Dungeulge." This song appeared as background music in the "Pairing Game" in Episode 5 of Season 2. The pairing game involves dancing to the song "Dungeulge Dungeulge" and then pairing up according to the called-out numbers.

On Reddit, the largest online community in the U.S., posts appeared saying, "Please tell me the song title. It's incredibly addictive," "The music is so intense it won't leave my head," and "I got hooked on the song. It was one of the elements that made the game more thrilling." Notably, in a club in Phuket, Thailand, the children's song "Dungeulge Dungeulge" played, causing a sensation. One netizen shared a video from the club, saying, "The atmosphere here is better than Taylor Swift's."

Meanwhile, Squid Game 2 was watched for nearly 500 million hours worldwide, ranking as the most-viewed content on Netflix during its first week of release. From December 23 to 29, the viewing time for Squid Game 2 was 487.6 million hours, according to Netflix data. It ranked first not only in the non-English TV category but also outperformed English TV and both English and non-English film categories during the same period. By country, it ranked first in 92 countries, including the U.S., France, Japan, India, and Australia. Netflix announced that Squid Game Season 3 is scheduled to be released later this year.