Beijing (AFP)

Merchandise, goodies and piracy: the planetary madness around the South Korean series "Squid Game" reaches China, where the blocking of Netflix does not prevent its popularity ... thanks to illegal streaming sites.

The nine-part series features hundreds of characters competing in a children's game contest to win 45.6 million won (US $ 33 million) - but where the losers are killed.

Netflix is ​​not available in China.

But even if the American platform were, "Squid Game" would have little chance of falling through the scissors of Chinese censors because of its ultra-violence.

As is often the case with foreign productions, several Chinese websites, very easy to access, offer to watch the series (illegally) in streaming, contributing to its growing success in the country.

In recent weeks, "Squid Game" has been animating conversations on social networks, especially among young Chinese people who are often addicted to new technologies, to the point of becoming a small phenomenon.

In Shanghai, a crowd now comes to take their picture in front of a new store selling "dalgona", these crunchy sugar cakes, emblematic of "Squid Game" where they are at the heart of a challenge to be taken up by the participants.

- "Thrilling" -

"I had already seen one of these sweets for sale on the internet, but this is the first time I see one in real life", enthuses a customer with AFP.

"The pace of the series is rather fast and the plot is quite thrilling," said an audiovisual producer, who had come to queue to buy "dalgona".

Customers line up in front of a small shop of dalgonas, crispy sugar pancakes featured in the Netflix Squid Game series, on October 12, 2021 in Shanghai Hector RETAMAL AFP

As soon as their pancakes are purchased, he and his friends film themselves taking up the challenge of the participants in the series: trying to cut out the shapes inscribed in the confectionery, all without breaking it.

"Squid Game" is a success in more than 80 countries thanks to its polished production.

It is fast becoming the most popular series in Netflix history.

Chinese manufacturers, always responsive and on the lookout for trends, quickly scented the vein and responded to demand - both local and international.

- Black hoods -

They now offer all kinds of merchandise on the gigantic Taobao online sales platform, including the bright pink hooded jumpsuits and the disturbing masks of the anonymous guards of "Squid Game".

One of the sellers, Peng Xiuyang, told AFP that his online store's sales jumped 30% thanks to the demand generated by the series.

A dalgona, a crispy sugar cake presented in the Netflix series "Squid Game", on sale in a store in Shanghai, October 12, 2021 in China Hector RETAMAL AFP

He had never heard of "Squid Game," until a customer asked him last month if he was selling the series' iconic black hoods, decorated with squares, triangles or circles.

“Our customers are the people who have seen the series and want to join the trend,” says Peng.

Illegal streaming of the series is now said to be so widespread ... that South Korea's ambassador to China himself, Jang Ha-sung, told a South Korean parliamentary committee that he had called on Chinese authorities to intervene.

"We estimate that 'Squid Game', which is growing in popularity around the world, is illegally distributed on about 60 websites in China," he said.

© 2021 AFP