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Korean content is Netflix’s second-most watched globally: report

April 16, 2025

South Korean content has emerged as the second-most popular on Netflix globally, according to a new report by Ampere Analysis.

The London-based research firm said Tuesday (local time) that Korean content accounts for 8-9 percent of total viewing hours on the platform, trailing only U.S. productions, which dominate with 56-59 percent.

Of the 500 most popular non-English titles on Netflix, 85, or 17 percent, were Korean.

“Squid Game” Season 2, “Love Next Door” and “Culinary Class Wars” ranked as the most-watched Korean content. Older hits like “Queen of Tears,” “Squid Game” Season 1 and “Crash Landing on You” continue to attract global audiences.

The firm attributes this success to Netflix’s investment in original Korean productions and licensing agreements.

More than half of Korean titles in Netflix’s top 100 were Netflix originals, with exclusively licensed content — primarily from CJ ENM — making up most of the remainder.

The firm projected Netflix’s planned US$2.5 billion investment in Korean content production by 2028 will sustain this trend.

Recent data supports this forecast.

For the week ending Sunday, Korean series occupied 60 percent of Netflix’s top 10 non-English shows, with “Karma” at No. 2, “When Life Gives You Tangerines” at No. 3, “Kian’s Bizarre B&B” at No. 6, “Weak Hero: Class 1″ at No. 7, “Friendly Rivalry” at No. 9 and “Resident Playbook” at No. 10.