South Korea has long been considered a demanding market: it features rigorous moderation, significant financial stakes, and a less aggressive auction environment. Established game types such as Plinko had reached a point of saturation, spy tools were inundated with repetitive creatives, and the intense competition had exhausted the audience. To achieve a breakthrough, a novel strategy was essential, a new gameplay mechanic and a fresh perspective to revitalize the entire approach.
It was during this time, amidst a resurgence of media interest in Squid Game within Korea, that the Devils Facebook Team discovered the launch of Squid Gamebler by the provider InOut. The game was immediately distinctive, offering a well-known narrative and a gameplay style that felt more innovative than typical crash games.
In the Korean context, Squid Game is a cultural touchstone. The visuals and related memes are universally recognized by users; the theme fosters a sense of trust and immediately grabs their attention. For the audience, it is perceived as “native” advertising, which leads to a higher CTR and greater engagement when compared to generic slot games.
The widespread popularity of the Squid Game keyword served as a direct catalyst for the launch, as players identified the theme as early as the advertisement stage. Consequently, the campaigns gained momentum more quickly, and the game performed better in the ad auction.
Preparation and Setup
The team initiated the process by testing various components of the marketing funnel:
- Funnel type: PWA
- Creatives: Motion graphics and UGC-style formats
- Launch setups: Conducted multiple rounds of testing
Understanding the local context was crucial. In Korea, domestic digital ecosystems are prevalent, Naver serves as the primary search engine, KakaoTalk is the main messaging app, and local social media platforms are widely used. While global platforms like Facebook and Google have a smaller footprint, they can achieve strong results when campaigns are properly localized.
Initial Steps
The campaign commenced on Facebook, where several offers were evaluated simultaneously.
Offer 1 demonstrated excellent conversion rates from the first day and was selected as the foundation for future scaling efforts. Offer 2 showed poor performance at the install phase and was consequently halted.
All traffic was subsequently consolidated into the PWA funnel. This approach provided complete control over customization, including a localized design in the Squid Gamebler aesthetic, the integration of the Korean language and currency (KRW), and the inclusion of bonuses. This integrated structure facilitated a steady conversion to deposits while ensuring a positive ROI.
The creative team was involved from the research phase. After identifying successful strategies from similar funnels in this region, the team provided designers with clear, data-driven briefs. By observing the reactions of Korean streamers, YouTubers, and social media influencers, they developed highly authentic UGC scripts that connected deeply with the target audience.
Authenticity proved to be the main driver of conversions, achieved through transparent presentation, use of the native language, and a genuine tone.
Creatives and Localization
While Asian markets previously favored bright, neon-heavy creatives with overstated winnings, that trend has shifted. Today, authenticity and cultural relevance are the keys to success.
A referral program featuring “invite a friend” incentives was implemented to further enhance player retention and LTV.
Two primary creative styles were employed:
- Motion — Featuring straightforward gameplay demonstrations paired with authentic expressions of winning.
- UGC — Showcasing realistic slot gameplay on a mobile device with genuine player reactions and complete localization (language and currency).
The guiding principle was realism—no fabricated jackpots, only plausible, moderate wins. This level of transparency fostered trust, leading to more consistent performance throughout the funnel.
Creative naming conventions were shared with the partner, enabling mutual tracking of ROI and quality metrics, which kept both parties aligned. Once consistent performance was established, the affiliate team could confirm positive results even before receiving partner feedback. This led to a rate increase of +$20, which directly improved the campaign’s overall profitability.
Optimization and Strategy
The team prioritized its KPIs in the following order: CPI (Cost per Install), CPR (Cost per Registration), and CR (Conversion Rate). ROI and CPD were viewed as resulting metrics rather than primary levers for control.
Next, a budget strategy was formulated. Campaigns were run using CBO (Campaign Budget Optimization). As the majority of traffic occurred during nighttime hours, manual bid management (ABO) presented a risk of overspending. CBO allowed Facebook’s algorithms to allocate the budget automatically across different ad sets, optimizing for the highest conversion potential.
Targeting was kept intentionally broad: the entirety of South Korea, ages 21 and up, and all genders. Language and interest targeting were left open, with no “casino” or “gambling” keywords used, to avoid unnecessarily restricting the audience. The creative itself functioned as the main filter, empowering the algorithms to find new, high-converting audience segments.
The budget structure adhered to the 1–3–1 model: 1 campaign → 3 ad sets → 1 ad per set.
This framework enhanced the algorithm’s learning process and provided clearer performance signals. Scaling was managed through gradual daily budget increases of 10–20% and by duplicating successful campaigns across different accounts, which expanded reach without causing ad fatigue.
As a result, traffic volume increased consistently while maintaining cost-effective CPI and CR metrics.
Moderation Challenges
The moderation process in Korea is among the most stringent. While Squid Gamebler creatives were initially approved more easily than standard slot ads, rejections began to occur after a few days. To prolong the lifespan of the campaigns, the team utilized neutral video previews, which helped to circumvent automated content filters—a temporary but effective solution.
The creative teams were able to rapidly generate new sets of UGC and motion ads with updated scripts and localized designs. A strategy of continuous ad rotation and fast production cycles was instrumental in sustaining campaign momentum and health.
Performance and Stability
Conversion rates in the Korean market are known to be volatile, influenced by factors such as payment system performance, user habits, and general market trends. The team assessed performance over longer timeframes, concentrating on the consistency of ROI rather than daily fluctuations.
This methodology ensured that KPIs were consistently met and that the campaigns remained profitable up until the point of creative fatigue and rising competition.
Summary
During a 30-day campaign period of Squid Gamebler, the results were: FTD 1,098, Revenue $229,660, Profit $95,000, Spend $133,000, Deposit Sum $176,193, ROI 72%, and DEP2SPEND 75%. These figures demonstrate stable profitability and high-quality traffic, confirming the success of the localization and creative strategies.
Squid Gamebler provided triggers that resonated instantly with the audience: a familiar theme, accessible mechanics, and new visuals that were appealing to ad algorithms. For a smaller GEO like Korea, this proved to be an ideal combination, allowing for rapid market entry, high user engagement, and sustained profitability.
To inquire about game integration, please contact the InOut Games team.
