The second season of the popular Korean series “Squid Game” is set to premiere on Netflix in just a few weeks. To build excitement, Duolingo has joined forces with the streaming giant for an engaging new campaign.

Announced on Tuesday, their campaign titled “Learn Korean or Else” fuses Duolingo’s fun approach to language learning with the intense drama of “Squid Game.” The goal is to inspire fans to pick up Korean before the show’s second season drops on December 26.

Manu Orssaud, Duolingo’s Chief Marketing Officer, shared that following the first season’s debut in 2021, the app experienced a significant 40% rise in users interested in learning Korean.

Moreover, last year, approximately 13% of Netflix’s viewing hours in the U.S. were dedicated to non-English content, with Korean, Spanish, and Japanese shows being particularly popular, noted Magno Herran, Netflix’s Vice President of Partner & Brand Marketing.

“We found that Duo the Owl and the Pink Guards share many qualities, both being determined and somewhat intimidating. So, we decided to have some fun and dressed Duo in a Pink Guard outfit, creating something that fans will definitely enjoy and celebrate,” Herran added.

Exciting campaign features games, videos, and music

As part of the campaign, a limited-edition TikTok filter has been introduced, inspired by the “Red Light, Green Light” game from “Squid Game.” Users can challenge their Korean language skills through voice-activated tasks to succeed in the game. You don’t need a Duolingo account to use this TikTok filter.

Netflix’s music lab has also created a new K-Pop remix of the unsettling original track “Pink Soldiers.” This new song, titled “Korean or Get Eaten,” features lyrics in both English and Korean and will stream on Spotify starting at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

A significant part of the “Learn Korean or Else” initiative includes promotional advertising. Duo the Owl, donned in a Pink Guard uniform, will appear in ads on Netflix’s ad-supported platform, as well as on billboards in Los Angeles and New York City, according to the news release.

This isn’t Duolingo’s first collaboration with a streaming service aimed at promoting language learning. Last year, they teamed up with Crunchyroll, the anime streaming platform, to drive interest in Japanese through popular anime shows like “Naruto” and “Dragon Ball Z.”

Is Duolingo free to use?

Yes, registering for Duolingo is free. The platform also offers a premium subscription called Super Duolingo, which comes with no ads, customized lessons, and additional features.

When is ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 coming out?

The highly awaited Season 2 of “Squid Game” will premiere on Netflix on Thursday, December 26.