A captured image from Netflix’s website (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Netflix is poised to generate up to 62.9 trillion won ($45.2 billion) in revenue this year—more than triple the total revenue of South Korea’s entire broadcasting industry in 2023, which stood at 18.8 trillion won. The surge reflects the platform’s accelerating global dominance and the rising popularity of Korean content on its service.
According to Netflix’s newly released mid-year viewing report, Korean originals continue to gain traction worldwide. Five Korean titles ranked among the top 30 most-watched Netflix originals globally in the first half of 2025. Squid Game Season 2 garnered 117.3 million views, second only to the British drama The Boy’s Hour (144.8 million).
Squid Game Season 3, released on June 27, achieved 71.5 million views in just three days, placing third. The first season of Squid Game also remains popular with 42 million views, ranking 18th.
Other standout performers include the Jeju-set drama When Life Gives You Tangerines (폭싹 속았수다) with 34.8 million views (25th) and The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (중증외상센터) with 34.1 million (26th). The gritty action series Weak Hero drew 22.3 million and 19.6 million views for Seasons 1 and 2, respectively.
Huntress from ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ and mega crew ‘BUMSUP’” (Image courtesy of Netflix and Image from YouTube channel ‘THE CHOOM’)
K-Pop, a Korean-themed fantasy film produced by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures, attracted 37 million views within a month of release, highlighting international studios’ growing interest in Korean narratives.
Netflix emphasized that Squid Game Season 3 made history by topping the Netflix Top 10 charts in all 93 countries where the rankings are tracked during its debut week—an unprecedented feat. The company praised Korean content for reducing “language and cultural barriers” on its global platform.
Netflix’s second-quarter performance reflected this momentum, with revenue reaching $11.1 billion (up 15.9% year-over-year) and operating profit climbing 45% to $3.77 billion.
The company’s full-year projection underscores the widening economic gap between global streaming giants and traditional broadcasters, while reaffirming the global appeal of Korean content as a key driver of subscriber engagement and revenue growth.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
