As the Netflix original series 'Squid Game' Season 3 continues its global success, unauthorized merchandise related to it is being distributed on Chinese online shopping malls, drawing criticism.
On the e-commerce shopping platform 'AliExpress', illegal products such as clothing featured in 'Squid Game' and T-shirts and pictures printed with actor Lee Jung-jae's face are being openly sold.
During the release of 'Squid Game' Seasons 1 and 2, issues of illegal distribution of counterfeit goods and unauthorized viewing arose in China, with numerous instances of related merchandise being illegally produced and sold for profit, leading to controversy.
At that time, foreign media outlets such as the Hong Kong South China Morning Post reported that "some of the popular 'Squid Game' products sold on Korean online shopping malls are believed to be made in cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Anhui Province in China."
In particular, there are concerns that products unlawfully using the portrait rights of cast members such as actor Lee Jung-jae are being distributed, causing harm to the Korean content industry.
Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University noted on his social media on the 6th, "It's really pathetic to not only engage in illegal viewing but also to infringe on portrait rights and make it part of their revenue structure. The act of stealing content from other countries must not be repeated any longer."
Meanwhile, China is currently a country where Netflix is not officially available, and local viewers are reportedly consuming content through illegal streaming or bypassing access.