South Korean Productions Are Netflix’s Most-Watched Content Outside The US

South Korean content generated 12.1 billion hours of viewing on Netflix worldwide between April 2025 and March 2026, making it the most-watched content origin outside of the United States, according to new analysis from research firm Omdia and Digital i.

The findings, revealed at the International Streaming Summit (OTT FAST) 2026 in Busan, show South Korean content generated 44 per cent more viewing than Japanese content and nearly twice as much as content from the United Kingdom on the platform.

Global hits including Squid Game, Daehongsu (The Great Flood) and Pokssak Sog-atsuda (When Life Gives You Tangerines) contributed to the figures, with South Korean content outperforming other content-exporting markets including Japan, the United Kingdom and Spain.

Scale Of Korean Viewing Dominance

The analysis places South Korea second only to the United States among content origins on Netflix, a position that reflects a sustained shift in how global streaming audiences consume non-English-language programming.

Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia, pointed to the scale of the figures as evidence of Korea’s position in the global content industry.

“Generating 12.1 billion hours of Netflix viewing in a single year demonstrates the scale of international demand for Korean productions and highlights the growing importance within the global content industry,” Rua Aguete stated.

The 44 per cent gap between South Korean and Japanese content viewing on Netflix is notable given Japan’s own significant presence in the global entertainment market through anime and live-action productions. The gap with UK content – nearly double the viewing hours – underscores the extent to which Korean productions have outpaced traditional English-language content markets outside the US.

A Shift In Global Entertainment

The findings reflect a broader transformation in how global audiences consume entertainment, with viewers increasingly engaging with stories regardless of language or country of origin. The streaming model has removed many of the distribution barriers that previously limited the international reach of non-English-language content.

“The streaming era has changed the rules of global entertainment. Stories can now travel instantly across borders, and South Korea has been one of the most successful examples of how storytelling, production quality and distribution can combine to build global audiences,” Rua Aguete explained.

The data covers Netflix viewing across 17 countries measured by Digital i: the US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, the Netherlands and Poland.

Australia’s inclusion in the dataset means the figures capture local viewing habits as part of the global picture, with Korean content competing directly with English-language programming in the Australian market.

From Breakout Hits To Sustained Ecosystem

Rua Aguete argued that South Korea’s content success has evolved beyond individual viral hits into a more durable production ecosystem.

“What began with a small number of breakout global hits such as Squid Game has evolved into a sustainable content ecosystem capable of delivering international success across multiple genres,” she noted.

“That consistency is helping Korea strengthen its position in the global streaming market.”

The Omdia analysis characterised Korea’s content ecosystem as one that combines creators, intellectual property, production techniques and growing international distribution capabilities. The shift from isolated hits to a broader pipeline of internationally competitive content suggests the country’s success on Netflix is structural rather than dependent on any single title.

Implications For The Streaming Industry

The dominance of South Korean content on Netflix has implications for how streaming platforms allocate production and acquisition budgets globally. With Korean content now generating more viewing than content from the UK, Japan and Spain, the data provides a clear signal about where audience demand is concentrated.

For Netflix, which has invested heavily in Korean original productions in recent years, the figures validate a strategy of commissioning and acquiring content from Seoul-based studios and production companies. The platform’s Korean originals have consistently appeared among its most-watched titles globally, and the 12.1 billion hours figure suggests the return on that investment is substantial.

The findings also have implications for content markets and licensing negotiations, as the demonstrated scale of Korean content’s global audience gives Korean producers and distributors leverage in pricing and deal structures with international platforms.

For other content-producing markets, the data presents a competitive challenge. The UK, traditionally one of the strongest content exporters after the US, now trails South Korea by a significant margin on the world’s largest streaming platform, a gap that has widened as Korean content has expanded from drama into variety, thriller, horror and other genres.

Omdia, part of Informa TechTarget, is a technology research and advisory group that provides market intelligence across technology sectors. Digital i provides streaming audience measurement data across 17 international markets.

Last Updated on June 18, 2026 by Nick Ross