What if you bought Netflix on the day 'Squid Game' premiered?
This uses real data to show what would have happened if you had invested a lump sum in Netflix (NFLX) on September 17, 2021 — the day its biggest-ever hit 'Squid Game' premiered. We honestly include the stretch where a smash hit did not immediately mean a rising stock.
⚠️ Know the risk first
Months after entry, in 2022, Netflix fell sharply from its peak alongside a reported subscriber decline. The final return only holds if you held through that drawdown without selling.
⚠️ This asset is an individual stock chosen as of today, so past returns can look better than they really were (survivorship bias).
What happened that day
On September 17, 2021, Netflix premiered the Korean series 'Squid Game.' Within weeks it set Netflix's most-watched record and became a global phenomenon, yet the stock fell sharply from its November 2021 peak in 2022 amid subscriber-decline concerns.
Why this date
The buy date is the day the globe-conquering content actually premiered, computing the question 'what if you invested in the company on the day the hit dropped' directly.
Investment conditions
Asset · Netflix (NFLX) · lump-sum on 'Squid Game' premiere day, then held long-term
Method · Lump-sum (all at once)
Period · 2021-09-17 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $7,407
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Buy and final prices are shown in the asset's local currency (US & crypto $, Japan ¥, Korea ₩). Total invested and final value are in Korean won (₩).
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-75.9%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
25months
Months in loss: 26
Recovery period
26months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $7,407 → Final value $9,325 (+25.9%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -75.9%
Why this period and asset
September 17, 2021 is the day the Korean show 'Squid Game' premiered on Netflix. Within weeks it broke Netflix's most-watched records and became a global phenomenon. Judging by content buzz alone, the stock 'should have' risen too — yet Netflix peaked that November and then fell hard from its high in 2022 when the company reported its first subscriber decline. Anyone who bought at the height of the buzz had to pass straight through a large drawdown.
Interpreting the result
This case shows the intuition that 'a smash hit means a rising stock' does not always hold. If you bought on premiere day and never sold, the final value below reflects the recovery and re-rally that followed. But your holding shrank substantially in the 2022 decline that began just months after entry, and if fear had pushed you to sell, the story changes completely. Review this alongside the maximum drawdown metric — content buzz and actual investment performance are separate things.
Caveats & limits
Buying at the peak of content buzz may mean 'expectations' were already priced in. As a single stock, be mindful of survivorship bias — Netflix merely recovered, while far more stocks never bounced back after similar hype. Figures use adjusted close (dividends and splits reflected) and exclude exchange rates, trading fees, and taxes; always review the maximum drawdown and loss periods. This is past data only and does not guarantee the future.
Event fact sources
- About Netflix — Squid Game premieres September 17 (2021)
- CNBC, Netflix 2022 subscriber-loss coverage (2022-04)
Requested date vs actual trading date
If the event date is a market holiday, the fill uses the next trading day's close. The 'effective trading date' below is the date actually used in the calculation.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-28
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: Adjusted close (reflects dividends and stock splits)
- This asset is an individual stock chosen as of today, so past returns can look better than they really were (survivorship bias).
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
A record-breaking hit launched — why didn't the stock rise right away?
A show's buzz and the stock are separate things. Despite 'Squid Game's' success, Netflix fell sharply from its November 2021 peak in 2022 on subscriber-decline concerns. It shows the intuition 'hit show = rising stock' does not always hold.
Why use September 17, 2021 as the buy date?
That is the day 'Squid Game' actually premiered on Netflix. It best captures the idea of 'investing in the company on the day a globe-conquering piece of content dropped.'
How far did it fall right after buying?
Netflix fell steeply from its November 2021 peak in 2022. Check the maximum drawdown metric below. The final return only holds if you held through that decline without selling.
Are FX and taxes reflected?
No. Exchange rates, trading fees, and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax. This page only shows historical data and recommends no specific stock.
Related scenarios
📋 Results are based on historical data; past returns do not guarantee future returns.
📋 This service is provided for educational purposes to help you understand investing, not as investment advice.
⚠️ Calculated using today's representative assets, which may differ from the market composition at the time.