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Netflix’s promise of fair financial remuneration for creatives involved in producing their original content falls short when examining the success of “Squid Game.” Despite being the most-watched episodic original in Netflix’s history, winning six Emmys, and adding $900 million to the company’s value, the show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, received little compensation. Intellectual property rights and residuals were forfeited, leaving Dong-hyuk with minimal profit despite the massive success of “Squid Game.” This issue extends beyond just Dong-hyuk, with other Netflix creatives and showrunners experiencing similar unfair compensation.
A report by The LA Times highlighted Dong-hyuk’s lack of compensation, stating that he gave up intellectual property rights and received no residuals. Dong-hyuk himself mentioned that the success of “Squid Game” only provided him with enough money to meet basic needs. This issue is pervasive among Netflix creatives and showrunners, and it deserves more attention.
Eric Andre revealed that he earned nothing for his work on “Bad Trip,” which spent ten years in development before Netflix acquired distribution rights. Similarly, Shawn Ryan, creator of the popular first season of “The Night Agent,” hinted at facing the same situation.
While cancellations are a common problem for Netflix exclusives, the unjust compensation for delivering immense success is arguably worse.
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