Netflix defends 'Squid Game' against plagiarism claims

Streaming giant Netflix has come out swinging in defense of its hit Korean series "Squid Game" following recent plagiarism accusations. The company issued a terse statement, asserting, "This claim has no merit. Squid Game was created by and written by Hwang Dong Hyuk and we intend to defend this matter vigorously."

The legal drama began when director Soham Shah filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging that "Squid Game" copied the storyline from his 2009 Bollywood film "Luck." Shah's lawsuit claims both works feature "desperate, indebted people enticed to take part in a series of competitive games for the chance to win large sums of money."

Shah argues that Netflix had ample opportunity to view "Luck" due to its "considerable advertising and marketing" at the time, suggesting this exposure led to the creation of "Squid Game" in 2018 or 2019.

"Luck," an action thriller directed by Shah, boasts a star-studded cast including Mithun Chakraborty, Shruti Haasan, and Sanjay Dutt. Meanwhile, "Squid Game" took the world by storm in 2021, becoming one of Netflix's most-watched series globally.