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Suicide rates in South Korea and internationally following release of the Netflix series ‘Squid Game’

Author

Listed:
  • Sinyor, Mark
  • Shin, Sangsoo
  • Lee, Jiyun
  • Stack, Steven
  • Men, Vera Yu
  • Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas

Abstract

Widely disseminated media depictions of suicide can result in increased suicides, the so-called Werther effect. Season one of the Netflix series Squid Game (SG) was released in September 2021 and contained multiple depictions of suicide, but suicide was not an obvious theme of the show. This study sought to identify whether release of SG resulted in a Werther effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Sinyor, Mark & Shin, Sangsoo & Lee, Jiyun & Stack, Steven & Men, Vera Yu & Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas, 2025. "Suicide rates in South Korea and internationally following release of the Netflix series ‘Squid Game’," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 371(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:371:y:2025:i:c:s0277953625002631
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117934
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pirkis, Jane E. & Burgess, Philip M. & Francis, Catherine & Blood, R. Warwick & Jolley, Damien J., 2006. "The relationship between media reporting of suicide and actual suicide in Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(11), pages 2874-2886, June.
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