‘Squid Game 2’ Leads Korean Content Dominance on Netflix Global Charts

The popularity of Korean content on Netflix continues to skyrocket, with viewing hours coming in second only to U.S. shows and accounting for 8% of all global streams on the platform. A recent report from Ampere Analysis has shed light on the dominance of K-dramas and films, making up 17% of Netflix’s top 500 non-U.S. titles. Leading the charge is the highly acclaimed “Squid Game: Season 2,” which amassed nearly 620 million streaming hours in late 2024.

In the latter half of 2024, Korean content was streamed for a staggering 7.7 billion hours, consistently representing 8%-9% of viewing hours on Netflix. This surpasses U.K. content at 7%-8% and Japanese content at 4%-5%. Despite the success of U.K. hits like “Black Doves” Season 1 and “The Gentlemen” Season 1, and the rise in popularity of anime driving Japanese content viewing, Korean content remains a powerhouse on the platform.

“Squid Game” Season 2 continued to dominate Netflix’s global charts in H2 2024, with a massive 619.9 million hours streamed. This success has not only boosted viewership for other Korean content but also propelled shows like “Love Next Door” Season 1 and “Culinary Class Wars: Season 1” to perform well. Past hits like “Squid Game” Season 1, “Queen of Tears” Season 1, and “Crash Landing on You” are still widely watched by a global audience.

Netflix’s success with Korean shows and films is a testament to its robust content production and licensing strategy. In H2 2024, over half of the top 100 Korean titles on Netflix were originals, with 31% being exclusives. The majority of these were provided by local content giant CJ ENM.

To maintain this content boom, Netflix has committed $2.5 billion to Korean content from 2024 to 2028. The platform has established extensive content licensing and distribution deals with local broadcasters and media groups, including CJ ENM, JTBC, KBS, SBS, and MBC. Additionally, its original production capabilities are expanding, with in-house facilities like Studio 139 and Samsung Studio now operating locally.

South Korea’s content industry is also capitalizing on the global Hallyu phenomenon. CJ ENM, the country’s largest media conglomerate, has allocated an $818 million content budget for 2025. Its global expansion plans involve leveraging Netflix’s reach, partnering with global studios like WBD and Fifth Season, and potentially launching its streaming platform, Tving, worldwide.

Orina Zhao, research manager at Ampere Analysis, noted, “Ampere’s analysis of Netflix viewing data confirms that South Korean content is now consistently among the most widely exported and consumed content globally.” This trend is driving both breakout hits like “Squid Game” and “Kingdom” and sustained viewing time. With Netflix’s continued investment in high-quality Korean titles and exclusive distribution partnerships, South Korean content owners are well-positioned to maximize global audience reach and boost international popularity through strategic collaborations and distribution efforts.