Netflix's $2.5 billion investment in Korean content appeals to audiences worldwide

Netflix is spending $2.5 cardinal connected Korean contented and sees opportunities beyond the Asian region, said Don Kang, Netflix's vice president of Korean content.

Over the adjacent 4 years, Netflix volition put $2.5 cardinal successful assorted types of Korean content spanning TV series, films and nonfiction shows, Kang told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia." He said it volition treble the fig of nonfiction shows it is producing, from astir 4 successful 2022 to astatine slightest 8 this year, reflecting the Korean audience's request for assortment shows.

These see the world amusement "Physical 100" it released earlier this year, which features a 100 contestants battling each different successful a bid of physically strenuous challenges.

"I deliberation that was truly the archetypal nonfiction amusement to person planetary viewing, getting radical truly excited," helium said. Korean contention oregon nonfiction shows don't typically question precise acold extracurricular Korea and the Asia-Pacific region, but Kang said the occurrence of "Physical 100" is simply a "really affirmative sign."

"Physical 100" topped Netflix's play viewership for non-English TV shows for 2 weeks successful 2022. Another Korean assortment amusement that earned planetary occurrence successful 2022 was world dating amusement "Single's Inferno," which Kang said featured successful the planetary apical 10 list.

But Netflix invests successful localization done subtitles and dubbing, which removes connection arsenic a archetypal obstruction to introduction and "makes a satellite of difference," helium said.

"You can't underestimate the ... divers tastes that radical person each astir the world," Kang said, citing the thriller bid "Squid Game" arsenic an example. Netflix had considered changing its rubric to thing with much discourse for planetary viewers, but yet kept its archetypal "catchy rubric that provokes curiosity," said Kang.

Netflix's slate of Korean content announced truthful acold for this twelvemonth besides diversifies distant from romance, including genres similar drama, apocalyptic arsenic good arsenic societal commentary and intrigue alongside its nonfiction shows.

Kang said Korea has the quality to archer stories that convey its unsocial culture, but besides resonate with the cosmopolitan emotions of planetary viewers. "When a amusement is loved by a Korean audience, it has a very, precise precocious likelihood of being loved by audiences ... astir the world."