Colorado State University Professor Weighs In On Mountain Popularity Of South Korea's 'Squid Game' Netflix Show

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - A professor of Media Studies at Colorado State University is weighing in on a top trending TV show on Netflix. "Squid Game" has ranked as the no. 1 show on the streaming service in 90 countries.

The South Korean show follows debt-stricken characters who opted to compete in children's games for $40 million. If they lose, they die.

The show is proof Asian film and television is growing.

Hye Seung Chung teaches Media Studies at CSU and says content from South Korea generally has a strong political message.

"Media is not just means of entertainment like in the United States or in the West, but media has been been considered a very important tool for political enlightenment or political resistance," Hye Seung Chung said.

The success of the show is also helping other Asian content to trend on Netflix.

"It is still relatively cheap to produce some dramas in South Korea compared in America and the 'Squid Game' -- each episode cost less than $2 million, which is half of the price Netflix invested in each episode of House of Cards."