Updated: July 6, 2022
Korean content continues to rise in popularity and reign the global charts on Netflix, the biggest and most popular streaming platform in the world.
As Netflix releases its Top 10 most watched films and TV series weekly, we have collected the Korean titles that entered and exited Netflix’s global charts from July 2021 to June 2022 in the non-English category.
Since the provided data from Netflix starts on June 28, 2021, there are no available record on weekly performances of the following popular Korean shows: Crash Landing On You (2019-2020), Kingdom series (2019-2020) Itaewon Class (2020), It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020), Start-Up (2020), The King Eternal Monarch (2020), and Vincenzo (2021). These shows are certainly among the top list if data is available.
Meanwhile, here are 12 Korean TV series that entered and stayed the longest on Netflix’s Global Top 10 as of July 6, 2022:
12. Nevertheless (2021), 7 weeks
Nevertheless (2021) stayed in and out of Netflix’s Top 10. It entered the global charts in July 2021, exited in September 2021, and entered the list again for another two (2) consecutive weeks in October 2021.
In total, the romantic show made it worldwide for seven (7) weeks, reached Top 10 in 33 countries, and has been watched for 59.3 million hours. It stayed the longest on Top 10 TV in Japan for 13 weeks.
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: The story of a romance between a man who is annoyed with relationships but likes to flirt and a woman who wants to date but does not believe in love.
Based on: Nevertheless by Jung Seo
No. of episodes: 10
Starring: Han So-hee, Song Kang and Chae Jong-hyeop
Written by: Jung Won
Directed by: Kim Ga-ram
Date: June 19 to August 21, 2021
Network: JTBC and Netflix
11. Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021), 7 weeks
Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021) stayed on Netflix’s Global Top 10 for seven (7) weeks, reached Top 10 in 11 countries, and has been watched for 72 million hours.
The medical drama was mostly watched in Taiwan, which remained on Top 10 TV in the country for 19 weeks, followed by Vietnam and South Korea for 18 weeks.
Genre: Romance, Medical drama, Comedy, Slice of life
Synopsis: Friends since undergrad school, five doctors remain close and share a love for music while working at the same hospital.
No of episodes: 12
Starring: Jo Jung-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-myung and Jeon Mi-do
Written by: Lee Woo-jung
Directed by: Shin Won-ho
Date: June 17 – September 16, 2021
Network: tvN and Netflix
10. Juvenile Justice (2022), 7 weeks
Juvenile Justice (2022) reached Top 10 in 29 countries and remained on the global charts for seven (7) consecutive weeks. It has been watched for a total of 134.5 million hours and stayed the longest on Top 10 TV in South Korea and Taiwan for 7 weeks.
The teenage-crime series also landed at no.1 spot worldwide in the non-English TV for two (2) consecutive weeks.
Genre: Crime, Legal, Drama
Synopsis: A tough judge balances her aversion to minor offenders with firm beliefs on justice and punishment as she tackles complex cases inside a juvenile court.
No of episodes: 10
Starring: Kim Hye-soo, Kim Moo-yeol, Lee Sung-min, and Lee Jung-eun
Written by: Kim Min-seok
Directed by: Hong Jong-chan
Network: Netflix
Date: February 25, 2022
9. Forecasting Love And Weather (2022), 8 weeks
Forecasting Love And Weather (2022) entered Netflix’s global charts after two (2) weeks of streaming. It reached Top 10 in 24 countries, stayed for eight (8) weeks, and has been watched for a total of 100.8 million hours.
Meanwhile, it stayed the longest on Top 10 TV in Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Japan for 11 weeks.
Genre: Romantic, Drama
Synopsis: This series depicts the cheerful love story of people working in Korea Meteorological Administration who break, fall and rise up again, and their everyday life together in the office.
No. of episodes: 16
Starring: Park Min-young, Song Kang, Yoon Park and Yura
Written by: Seon Yeong
Directed by: Cha Young-hoon
Network: JTBC, Netflix
Date: February 12 – April 3, 2022
8. Our Beloved Summer (2021-2022), 8 weeks
Our Beloved Summer (2021-2022) entered Netflix’s most-watched TV series in December 2021 and exited in February 2022. It reached Top 10 in 18 countries, stayed for eight (8) consecutive weeks, and has been watched for 128.8 million hours.
The data shows that it stayed the longest on Top 10 TV in South Korea and Vietnam for 15 weeks.
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
Synopsis: Years after filming a viral documentary in high school, two former lovers get pulled back in front of the camera and into each other’s lives.
No. of episodes: 16
Starring: Choi Woo-shik, Kim Da-mi, Kim Sung-cheol, Roh Jeong-eui
Written by: Lee Na-eun
Directed by: Kim Yoon-jin
Date: December 6, 2021 – January 2022
Network: SBS, Netflix
7. Our Blues (2022), 9 weeks
While Our Blues (2022) premiered on April 9th, it only entered Netflix’s Global Top 10 on May 1st and stayed for nine (9) consecutive weeks until June 26th. It reached Top 10 in 12 countries, and has been watched for a total of 105.1 million hours.
The data shows that the drama has stayed the longest on Top 10 TV in Hongkong, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam for 12 weeks.
Genre: Drama, Slice of life
Synopsis: The series revolves around the sweet and bitter life of people standing at the end, climax, or beginning of life, and depicts their stories in an omnibus format against the backdrop of Jeju Island.
No. of episodes: 20
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Cha Seung-won, Han Ji-min, Kim Woo-bin
Written by: Noh Hee-kyung
Directed by: Kim Kyu-tae
Original network: tvN, Netflix
Date: April 9 to May 29, 2022
6. The King’s Affection (2021), 10 weeks
The King’s Affection (2021) reached Top 10 in 34 countries, stayed on the global charts for ten (10) weeks, and has been watched for a total of 138.5 million hours. It was mostly watched in Japan for 17 weeks, followed by Thailand for 15 weeks.
The historical-romantic series also landed at no.2 spot during its fourth week on the global charts.
Genre: Romantic-comedy, Fiction, Sageuk
Synopsis: During the Joseon Dynasty, the Crown Princess Consort gives birth to twins but sends the girl away to spare her life. Years later, the twin son dies in an accident and his sister must assume his identity and throne, all while hiding her true self.
Based on: Yeonmo by Lee So-young
No. of episodes: 20
Starring: Park Eun-bin, Rowoon, Nam Yoon-su, Choi Byung-chan, Bae Yoon-kyung, and Jung Chae-yeon
Written by: Han Hee-jung
Directed by: Song Hyun-wook
Date: October 11 – December 14, 2021
Network: KBS2, Netflix
5. Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022), 10 weeks
Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022) reached Top 10 in 31 countries, stayed on the global charts for ten (10) weeks, and has been watched for a total of 171.6 million hours. It was mostly watched in Taiwan for 16 weeks, followed by South Korea and Indonesia for 15 weeks.
The teenage drama also landed at no.2 spot for three (3) consecutive weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10, non-English TV category.
Genre: Romantic, Drama, Coming of age
Synopsis: The series depicts the romantic life of five characters from 1998 to 2021.
No. of episodes: 16
Starring: Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Bona and Lee Joo-myung
Written by: Kwon Do-eun
Directed by: Jung Ji-hyun
Network: tvN, Netflix
Date: February 12 – April 3, 2022
4. All Of Us Are Dead Season 1 (2022), 11 weeks
All Of Us Are Dead (2022) reached Top 10 in 94 countries, stayed on the global charts for 11 weeks, and has been watched for 659.5 million hours. It stayed the longest on Top 10 in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan for 20 weeks.
The teenage-zombie show also landed at no.1 spot for five (5) consecutive weeks and took 4th place in the most popular non-English TV shows worldwide based on hours viewed in the first 28 days on Netflix, alongside Squid Game and Spain’s Money Heist.
Genre: Coming-of-age; Zombie apocalypse
Synopsis: A high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must fight their way out — or turn into one of the rabid infected.
Based on: Now at Our School by Joo Dong-geun
No of episodes: 12
Starring: Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hoo, Cho Yi-hyun, Park Solomon and Yoo In-soo
Written by: Chun Sung-il
Directed by: Lee Jae-kyoo and Kim Nam-su
Network: Netflix
Date: January 28, 2022
3. A Business Proposal (2022), 13 weeks
A Business Proposal (2022) is remarkably one of the most popular Korean shows on Netflix in 2022. It reached Top 10 in 58 countries, stayed on the global charts for 13 weeks, and has been watched for a total of 279.1 million hours.
It was most popular in Bangladesh and Indonesia, which stayed on Top 10 in the said countries for 15 weeks, followed by Malaysia and India for 14 weeks.
Notably, the romantic-comedy show also landed at no.1 spot for three (3) consecutive weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10, non-English TV category.
Genre: Romantic, Comedy
Synopsis: A woman goes on a blind date in her friend’s place only to find that her date is the CEO of the company where she works.
Based on: a webtoon The Office Blind Date by HaeHwa
No. of episodes: 12
Starring: Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Se-jeong, Kim Min-kyu and Seol In-ah
Written by: Han Sul-hee, Hong Bo-hee
Directed by: Park Sun-ho
Network: SBS, Netflix
Date: February 28 – April 5, 2022
2. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021), 16 weeks
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021) instantly entered Netflix’s most watched TV series worldwide upon its 1st week of streaming. It reached Top 10 in 40 countries, stayed for 16 weeks on the global charts, and has been watched for a total of 300.5 million hours.
Remarkably, the romantic drama made it to Top 5 worldwide for ten (10) consecutive weeks, alongside the popular shows, Squid Game Season 1 (2021) and all seasons of Spain’s Money Heist.
It is also worth noting that Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021) was the most popular in Thailand, which stayed the longest on Top 10 TV in the country for 31 weeks from September 2021 to May 2022.
Genre: Romantic comedy, Slice of life
Synopsis: At a crossroads, a dentist moves to a seaside village where she meets a handyman intent on helping his neighbours.
Based on: 2014 Mr. Hong film by Kang Seok-beom and Shin Jung-goo
No of episodes: 16
Starring: Shin Min-a, Kim Seon-ho and Lee Sang-yi
Written by: Shin Ha-eun
Directed by: Yu Je-won
Date: August 28 – October 17, 2021
Network: tvN, Netflix
1. Squid Game (2021), 20 weeks
Squid Game (2021) remains the no.1 Korean show on Netflix that has acquired a whopping 2.2 billion viewing hours for 20 weeks. It reached Top 10 in 94 countries and most watched in India for 28 weeks, from September 2021 to March 2022 and June 2022.
The deadly game show also landed at no.1 spot for nine (9) consecutive weeks and remains the no.1 most popular TV series based on hours viewed in the first 28 days on Netflix, surpassing Spain’s Money Heist and America’s Stranger Things.
Meanwhile, Squid Game (2021) dominated Netflix’s global charts for 19 consecutive weeks from September 2021 to January 2022. It re-entered the Top 10 list on the 3rd week of June 2022.
Genre: Survival Drama, Thriller, Fiction
Synopsis: Hundreds of cash-strapped contestants accept an invitation to compete in children’s games for a tempting prize, but the stakes are deadly.
No of episodes: 9
Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-joon, Jung Ho-yeon, O Yeong-su, Heo Sung-tae, Anupam Tripathi, and Kim Joo-ryoung
Written and directed by: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Date: September 17, 2021
Network: Netflix
Source: Netflix Top 10
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