South Korean content material generated 12.1 billion hours of viewing on Netflix worldwide between April 2025 and March 2026, making it the most-watched content material origin exterior of the United States, in keeping with new evaluation from Omdia and Digital i revealed on the International Streaming Summit 2026 in Busan this week.
The evaluation discovered that South Korean content material generated 44% extra viewing than Japanese content material and practically twice as a lot viewing as content material from the United Kingdom, highlighting the nation’s rising affect on international streaming audiences.
Global hits like “Squid Game,” “Daehongsu” (The Great Flood) and “Pokssak Sog-atsuda” (When Life Gives You Tangerines) contributed to South Korean content material outperforming different main content-exporting markets together with Japan, the United Kingdom and Spain.
“South Korea has established itself as the leading source of globally successful content outside the United States,” stated Maria Rua Aguete, head of Media & Entertainment at Omdia. “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.”
South Korea’s success displays a broader shift within the international leisure business, the place audiences more and more embrace tales no matter language or geography.
“The streaming era has changed the rules of global entertainment. Great stories can now travel instantly across borders, and South Korea has been one of the most successful examples of how strong storytelling, production quality and distribution can combine to build global audiences,” stated Rua Aguete.
She additionally emphasised the strategic significance of Korea’s content material ecosystem, which mixes world-class creators, sturdy mental property, revolutionary manufacturing methods and rising worldwide distribution capabilities.
“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,” stated Rua Aguete. “That consistency is helping Korea strengthen its position in the global streaming market.”
© Business Wire 2026.