The latest news coming out of Netflix HQ reveals a clear trend regarding the streamer’s recent output: South Korea is so hot right now.
In one sense, that assertion is nothing new. Korean TV, films, and pop music have influenced global culture since the days of Oldboy and Girls’ Generation, and international distribution of Korean properties ramped up during the COVID-19 pandemic, when shows like Squid Game filled a void created by delayed production schedules.
Speaking of Squid Game, the dystopian thriller’s ongoing success is the main piece of evidence supporting the theory that Korean originals represent Netflix’s past, present, and future. According to data shared by Nielsen, Squid Game was the most-watched streaming original during the first half of 2025 and the ninth-most watched program of any type on streaming. Hwang Dong-hyuk’s magnum opus achieved those blockbuster numbers even though its hotly anticipated second season premiered a few days before the start of Nielsen’s H1 2025 measurement period.
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Let’s move from the past to the present and talk about KPop Demon Hunters. The genre-bending animated film, which borrows from pop music and action cinema, has been a smash hit since its June 20 premiere. It’s not just a mainstay on Netflix’s ranking of its ten most popular films — it’s also a dominant force on the pop charts. The lead single from the film, “Golden,” hit #1 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global Chart. KPop Demon Hunters is also making its mark on the Billboard Hot 100, where seven of its songs simultaneously held spots.
Bolstered by hits like KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix enjoyed a viewership boost in the latest edition of Nielsen’s The Gauge report. That uptick may have inspired the platform’s next move, which involves — you guessed it — more Korean content.
Physical 100, one of the aforementioned Korean-language pandemic breakouts, is going overseas. The competition contested by burly celebrities and athletes has been picked up for international editions in the U.S. and Europe.
Netflix’s Korean feeding frenzy is following viewership trends, but it’s also affording the streamer another opportunity to compete with YouTube. Some of the biggest YouTube success stories are now moving to Netflix, and Korean cultural touchstones are the latest example of that trend.
YouTube has been a major exporter of Korean culture ever since Psy danced his way into global consciousness. Even as viewership shifts to Shorts, Korean channels like KIMPRO are still topping YouTube viewership charts. Netflix is doing whatever it can to get a piece of that traffic, even if that effort requires it to hunt demonic boy bands.
