Netflix has announced that it will release a record amount of Korean-language programming, including five original films, in 2022, capitalizing on last year’s global sensation Squid Game.
“In a bid to continue the successful Korean storytelling, Netflix will release more than 25 Korean contents this year,” Netflix said in a statement. “We will provide Netflix-exclusive creative stories and high quality that meets viewers’ demand.”
Last year, Netflix releases 20 Korean-language shows, including the survival drama Squid Game, the most successful Netflix show of all time, clocking 1.65 billion viewing hours in its first four weeks of release. The fantasy horror Hellbound and the sci-fi thriller The Silent Sea also topped the company’s official weekly viewership chart for non-English TV shows.
“Last year, it was significant that Netflix joined hands with Korean creators to open the new era for Korean-made shows that are enjoyed globally,” said the streamer, which has launched 130 Korean shows and invested more than 1 trillion won ($839.3 million) in South Korea since its entry in 2016.
Demand for Korean content rose sharply in 2021 as Netflix subscribers spent six times more time watching Korean shows at the end of last year than in the previous two years. Squid Game saw about 95% of its total streaming hours come from outside Korea, particularly the US, Brazil, and France.
Significantly, Netflix, which has never produced films in South Korea, said it planned to produce five original films there over the course of this year.
