Korean content is crushing it on Netflix, with viewing hours second only to U.S. shows and accounting for a 8% of all global Netflix streams.
A new Ampere Analysis report reveals K-dramas and films represent 17% of the platform’s top 500 non-U.S. titles, with “Squid Game: Season 2″ leading the charge at nearly 620 million streaming hours in late 2024.
In the second half of 2024, Korean content was streamed for 7.7 billion hours. Korean content consistently represents 8%-9% of viewing hours on Netflix, ahead of U.K. content at 7%-8%, and Japanese content at 4%-5% of viewing time, the report finds. This is despite hits from the U.K., such as “Black Doves” Season 1 and “The Gentlemen” Season 1, and the growing popularity of anime, which is a key driver of Japanese content viewing on Netflix.
“Squid Game” Season 2 topped Netflix’s global charts in H2 2024, with 619.9 million hours streamed. Its success continues to drive viewership for other Korean content. Romance Drama “Love Next Door” Season 1 and cooking reality show “Culinary Class Wars: Season 1” performed well. Previous hits such as “Squid Game” Season 1, “Queen of Tears” Season 1 and “Crash Landing on You” also continue to be widely watched by a global audience.
Netflix’s success with Korean shows and films reflects its mature content production and licensing strategy. During H2 2024, over half of the top 100 Korean titles on Netflix were its originals, and 31% were Netflix exclusives. The majority of these were supplied by local content powerhouse CJ ENM.
Netflix’s $2.5 billion commitment to Korean content from 2024 to 2028 will help maintain this content boom. The platform has built extensive content licensing and distribution deals with local broadcasters and media groups, including CJ ENM, JTBC, KBS, SBS, and MBC. Moreover, its original production capacities are also growing, with in-house facilities such as Studio 139 and Samsung Studio now operating locally.
South Korea’s content players are also riding on the global Hallyu phenomenon. CJ ENM, the country’s largest media and entertainment conglomerate, has revealed an $818 million content budget for 2025. Its global expansion plans include leveraging Netflix’s global exposure, partnering with global studios such as WBD and Fifth Season, and a potential global rollout of its streaming platform, Tving.
“Ampere’s analysis of Netflix viewing data confirms that South Korean content is now consistently among the most widely exported and consumed content globally,” said Orina Zhao, research manager at Ampere Analysis. “It plays a pivotal role in the streamer’s international success, driving both breakout hit titles (such as ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Kingdom’) and sustained viewing time. Netflix will continue to invest in and release high-quality Korean titles, including both original productions and licensed content, supported by exclusive distribution partnerships with leading local players. South Korean content owners are well-positioned to capitalize on the global Hallyu phenomenon, maximizing worldwide audience reach and boosting international popularity through strategic distribution and collaborations.”
