Son Ye-Jin in the upcoming Netflix series 'Thirty Nine'. Courtesy of Netflix.
Korean shows dominated global pop culture in 2021 and Netflix has the numbers to prove it.
According to Don Kang, Vice President of Content at Netflix, global viewing hours of our Korean shows grew six-fold last year, compared to 2019. To date, Squid Game is the biggest show Netflix has ever launched, reigning as the most-viewed Netflix show in 94 countries at its peak. In fact, 95% of Squid Game’s viewership came from outside Korea, and many of these viewers went on to explore other Korean content.
Two months after Squid Game, Netflix launched Hellbound, whose premiere clocked 43.48 million viewing hours. Hellbound was among the Top 10 Netflix shows in 93 countries and ranked number one in 34 countries. Sci-fi mystery The Silent Sea also made it to the number one spot on the weekly non-English Top 10 lists for its premiere.
Don credited the growing global interest to the talented Korean actors Netflix has been working with in the past few years. From 2016 to 2021, the streamer launched over 130 Korean titles, and as a result, Netflix has become a compelling destination for fans of Korean content. He said that Netflix will continue collaborating with Korean storytellers to bring the K-wave to new heights.
“To do that, we always ask ourselves: what are the kinds of stories that only Netflix can help these creators tell?” Don wrote in a blog post. “You’ll find the answers in the more than 25 compelling Korean shows we are launching this year — our largest number to date.”
Viewers can look forward to All of Us Are Dead, in which zombies invade a high school; Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, an adaptation of the popular Spanish series; and the action-packed thrills of Seoul Vibe, a film where the adventures of a special-ops team take place against the backdrop of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
“We believe this is a slate that showcases more of the inventive and gripping Korean storytelling that the world has come to love,” Don wrote. “To do that, we will continue to invest in Korea’s creative ecosystem and, together, we will keep on showing the world that ‘Made in Korea’ means ‘Well-Made’. This year, we look forward to the new conversations that will be sparked by a new wave of stories, as we help Korean content find homes in the hearts and minds of our global audience.”
Coming soon on Netflix:
All of Us Are Dead
Launch date: January 28
Netflix Series All of Us Are Dead is a story about students trapped in a school amid a zombie virus outbreak who later join hands to fight for survival. All of Us Are Dead is based on a popular webtoon by Webtoon creator Joo Dong-geun, touted as a ‘Korean-style zombie graphic novel’ with its wild imagination, gripping storyline, and meticulous details. The horrific visuals of students infected by the mysterious zombie virus and stunning action set in different parts of the school are a must-watch. The series highlights a number of rising stars including Yoon Chan-yeong, Park Ji-hu, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo, Lee You-mi and Lim Jae-hyeok.
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Justice deals with a judge who dislikes juvenile delinquents, later realizing the troubles children face in society and how society is circumventing them to become better people. Kim Hye-soo (Hyena, Signal) plays Sim Eun-seok, the charismatic judge newly appointed to a district with the highest juvenile delinquency and makes unorthodox decisions to existing judgments. She later tries to send a message that society is also responsible for juveniles’ immoral and illicit acts.
Twenty Five, Twenty One
Launch date: February 12
Twenty Five, Twenty One is a drama of youths who lost their dream to the zeitgeist of 1998, a drama of their dilemma and growth. They called out each other’s names for the first time when they were twenty-two and eighteen. Now they’ve each become twenty-five and twenty-one. The fine line between a heart-fluttering first love and a heart-warming friendship gives them butterflies. Their sparkling love and growth, as well as the chemistry and hardships among the five friends, remind us of our intense yet beautiful youth.
Forecasting Love And Weather
Launch date: February 12
Forecasting Love and Weather is a cheerful romance drama of people at the Korea Meteorological Administration who break, fall and get back on their feet every day. Forecasting Love and Weather is a romantic comedy series of people at the Korea Meteorological Administration who break, fall and get back on their feet every day. The story narrates Jin Ha-kyung, who decides never to commit to an office romance after a brutal break-up, again falling into a relationship with a newcomer in the team Lee Si-woo who is different but attractive in his own way. With a star-studded cast of Park Min Young and Song Kang, this is one of the most anticipated Romantic Comedies in the first half of 2022.
Thirty Nine
Launch date: February 16
Thirty Nine is a down-to-earth life and romance drama that touches deep into the friendship, love and life of three friends who are about to turn forty. A coincidence in their high school years brought the three of them together to become BFFs. Cha Mi-jo (played by Son Ye-jin) Jeong Chan-young (played by Jeon Mi-do) and Jang Joo-hee (played by Kim Ji-hyun) are very close friends who have been through both the good and the worst times together. Mi-jo now works as a Dermatologist, Chan-young as an acting coach and Joo-hee as a cosmetics sales manager. One fine day, when they are all 39, life takes a turn for the worse and they have to get ready for goodbye.
