Netflix Service Suspended in Russia
Illegal Distribution of "Ojingeo Game" Spreads Through Unofficial Sites
There have been calls to block the illegal distribution of the Korean drama "Ojingeo Game" (Squid Game) in Russia.
On the 17th (local time), Natalya Kosikhina, a member of the Russian Federation Council (upper house), urged RIA Novosti that illegal copies of Ojingeo Game circulating on Russian social media and the internet should be blocked or have strict age restrictions imposed.
Kosikhina stated, "This film contains explicit violent scenes and promotes inhumane cruelty and disregard for life," adding, "It is wrong both from a moral standpoint and under Russian law."
She expressed concern that although Ojingeo Game has not been officially screened in Russia, it is pervasive on social media, warning that "the cruelty promoted in this series could cause a distorted perception in the moral world of children."
She further emphasized that many parents are making a big mistake by buying costumes of the murderers and toy weapons from the drama for their children instead of explaining the inappropriateness of Ojingeo Game.
She hoped that implementing measures to block or restrict the age for viewing Ojingeo Game would protect children.
Ojingeo Game is a Korean drama released through Netflix, the world's largest online video streaming service (OTT), with its second season released last month. According to the "Netflix Top 10" on the 15th, Ojingeo Game 2 was ranked as the most-watched content on Netflix for three consecutive weeks.
Netflix content is not available in Russia. Netflix suspended its service in Russia in February 2022 in protest of Russia's launch of a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
However, many people in Russia watch Ojingeo Game through illegal sites or social media. There are also places where people can experience games similar to Ojingeo Game.
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