On October 24, stars from hit series like Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters converged at Seoul's Sangam Oil Tank Culture Park for 'Netflix Janchi,' a two-day fan festival marking Netflix's nearly ten years of operation in Korea. The celebration saw appearances from Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, and Park Hae-soo, alongside Ahn Hyo-seop from KPop Demon Hunters, Koo Kyo-hwan and Jung Hae-in of D.P., Kim Hyun-joo from Hellbound, Yum Hye-ran of Mask Girl, and Lee Se-dol from The Devil’s Plan, among others.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, a central figure at the event, reflected on the platform's remarkable expansion in the region. Speaking to the audience, Sarandos remarked that “Korean stories would move hearts around the world, and land right at the center of global culture.” His comments underscored the transformative journey of K-content from local favorites to global blockbusters, a trend significantly amplified by Netflix's investment and distribution.
The festival also served as a platform for exciting announcements regarding Netflix's upcoming Korean originals. While specific release dates for many titles remain under wraps, Sarandos confirmed several highly anticipated projects. Lee Chang-dong’s Venice winner Possible Love, starring Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu, is set to premiere on November 6. Following this, the star-studded drama Tantara, featuring Song Hye-kyo, Gong Yoo, and Kim Seol-hyun, will arrive on December 11. Fans also eagerly await the second season of the zombie apocalypse hit All of Us Are Dead, with Park Ji-hu and Yoon Chan-young reprising their roles. Other titles teased include Grand Galaxy Hotel, She, Wolf, and Solo Leveling.
Since its launch in Korea on January 6, 2016, Netflix has been instrumental in globalizing Korean storytelling. Its first international film was Bong Joon Ho’s Okja, followed by its first Korean original series, Kingdom, in 2019. The streamer's commitment truly bore fruit with Squid Game Season 1, which shattered records, spending 32 consecutive weeks on the Global Top 10 chart, including nine weeks at No. 1. This success paved the way for over 200 Korean titles to achieve Global Top 10 status since June 2021, with K-content now accounting for the most-viewed non-English content on the platform. Over 80% of Netflix's global subscribers have sampled at least one Korean title.
Beyond viewership, Netflix's presence has spurred significant economic and cultural ripple effects. The company has partnered with over 80 Korean production companies, fostering talent by supporting more than a third of its Korean titles from first-time directors or writers between 2024 and 2026. Assistant director Park Yoon-seo, who made his directorial debut with If Wishes Could Kill, shared, “Netflix gave me an opportunity... I’m glad I was able to give new actors that same opportunity.” This investment has generated employment for over 20,000 actors and crew members and 70,000 extras, with shoots spanning over 100 cities and towns across Korea. The series When Life Gives You Tangerines alone contributed over $60 million to the Korean economy.
The cultural impact extends globally, with Netflix reporting that 72% of K-content viewers are inspired to visit Korea. Local tourism has boomed in regions featured in popular shows, and even Korean language learning platforms like Duolingo saw a 37% surge in new learners following Squid Game Season 3's launch. Sarandos encapsulated this profound relationship, stating, "Korea is more than a market; it is where we discovered new possibilities and learned how far a story can travel." This sentiment reinforces Netflix's ongoing commitment to fostering Korean creativity and sharing its unique stories with the world.