Ampere's analysis of Netflix viewing data confirms that South Korean content is now consistently among the most widely exported and consumed content globally. Since 2023, South Korean content has been second only to US content for total viewing hours recorded, and consistently represents 8%-9% of viewing hours on Netflix, ahead of UK content at 7%-8%, and Japanese content at 4%-5%.

South Korea currently accounts for 85 (or 17%) of the top 500 most popular non-US shows and films on Netflix. While Squid Game: Season 2 topped Netflix’s global charts in H2 2024, with 619.9m hours streamed, its success continues to drive viewership for other South Korean content, including Romance Drama Love Next Door and Cooking Reality show Culinary Class Wars. Previous hits such as Squid Game: Season 1, Queen of Tears: Season 1, and Crash Landing on You also continue to be widely watched across the globe.

Netflix’s success with South Korean shows and films reflects its established content production and licensing strategy. During H2 2024, over half of the top 100 South Korean titles on Netflix were its own Originals, and 31% were Netflix exclusives, the majority of which were supplied by local content powerhouse CJ ENM. Netflix’s $2.5bn commitment to South Korean content from 2024 to 2028 will help maintain this content boom, as the platform continues to invest in and release high-quality Korean titles. These include both original productions and licensed content, supported by exclusive distribution partnerships with local broadcasters and media groups.

South Korea’s content players are also riding on the global Hallyu phenomenon. CJ ENM, for example, has announced an $818m content budget for 2025, and is looking to boost its international popularity through strategic distribution and collaborations with US studios such as WBD and Fifth Season, as well as a potential global rollout of its streaming platform, TVING.