Netflix’s latest groundbreaking data report has unveiled the depth and breadth of South Korean TV’s impact, reaching far beyond the global sensation Squid Game.

The streaming giant’s data dump, encompassing over 18,200 titles, highlights the consistent prominence of South Korean series such as The Glory, Physical: 100, and Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Premier Local’s insightful analysis reveals that South Korean content accounted for a remarkable 3.71 billion hours in the top 100 titles on Netflix, covering the first half of 2023.

An interesting nuance comes to light – South Korean series often boast longer runtimes, typically around 17 hours compared to the shorter 9-hour format of many U.S. shows. Squid Game, the series that sparked a global K-drama fascination, maintained its impressive standing, accumulating 87.2 million hours and securing the 120th spot in Netflix’s rankings, even though it premiered over two years ago.

This wealth of viewership data aligns seamlessly with Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos’ enthusiastic investment in Korean content. The psychological revenge thriller, The Glory, featuring Song Hye-kyo, claimed the third spot in Netflix’s overall list, a testament to its popularity with a cumulative 622.8 million hours.

Other noteworthy South Korean titles include Physical: 100 (235 million hours), Crash Course in Romance (234.8 million hours), Doctor Cha (194.7 million hours), and Alchemy of Souls part 1 (155.3 million hours). Extraordinary Attorney Woo, garnering attention in the U.S. since its 2022 launch, accrued 135.9 million hours. When combining the two parts of Alchemy of Souls, they clocked an impressive 305.5 million hours, securing its position as the second most-watched South Korean title.

The widespread appeal of Korean content is hardly surprising, given the colossal success of Squid Game. Netflix has committed over $2.5 billion for content in South Korea over the next four years, with Sarandos noting that 60% of global subscribers have explored Korean content, which has consistently ranked in Netflix’s Top 10 charts in over 90 countries.

Beyond South Korea, the top 100 Netflix titles underscore the value of Latin American content, especially from Colombia. Original Colombian dramas like Fake Profile (Perfil Falso) and The Marked Heart (Pálpito), along with acquired novela Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mar, demonstrate the diversity and appeal of Latin American offerings.

The Netflix data dump, the most extensive to date, is sure to become a valuable resource for creatives worldwide engaged in negotiations with streaming platforms. As unions and guilds seek fair compensation for successful titles on streaming services, the transparency provided by this data will likely serve as a blueprint for future agreements. It’s important to note that the ‘hours viewed’ metric used by Netflix diverges from the ‘views’ metric in its weekly charts, offering a unique perspective that particularly benefits longer series. This insight into viewing habits enriches our understanding of the streaming landscape, empowering both content creators and audiences alike.