What sets apart this 'Squid Game'-fueled language spike from ones in the past is its singularity - many Duolingo students are learning Korean solely because of the show, according to Blanco. And in May of this year, Duolingo took to Twitter to share the 56% surge in Italian language learners following Måneskin's Eurovision victory.

An overall rise in new language learners was also witnessed during the onset of the pandemic, when people worldwide were relegated to the confines of their own homes. In 2014, the app noted an increase in new Portuguese learners after the FIFA World Cup in Brazil garnered widespread attention. Global interest in specific languages is heavily influenced by major international sporting, pop culture and social events, according to Blanco. Language learning spikes, overall, are a common spectacle at Duolingo. 'And we think that's absolutely a specific link to 'Squid Game' it's really becoming a phenomenon in pop culture.' 'More current learners are trying out Korean now compared to last year,' Blanco said.

Approximately 32% of these learners are now adding Korean lessons to their class itinerary. The app also reported new growth amongst their existing learners, individuals who are already enrolled in one or more of the app's courses. 'That's for our new learners, so people who are coming to Duolingo for the first time and creating a new account with us in order to learn Korean,' explained Cindy Blanco, Duolingo's senior learning scientist, in an interview with Salon. RELATED: The allure of Netflix's brutal 'Squid Game' owes a debt to our predatory upbringing That percentage experienced a 10% hike during the past two weeks, raising the total to a whopping 50%. initially reported a 40% increase in beginner Korean language learners just 10 days after the show's premiere on Sept.17. Now - over a month later - the nine-episode survival drama is driving an enduring Korean language learning trend across the United States. The show - which follows a group of indebted contestants who play a series of violent and deadly childhood games for an extravagant cash prize - also became the first non-English title to amass more than 100 million global viewers during its opening weeks. Shortly after its international debut, Netflix's hit series 'Squid Game' spurred a newfound craze over honeycomb toffee and had viewers asking, 'How much is 45.6 billion won?'

Korean in duolingo