Netflix unveils K-content 2023 slate
January 17, 2023
By Nik Roseveare
The global fandom for K-content is continuing to grow, with Netlfix reporting that over 60 per cent of its subscribers watched Korean titles last year. Looking ahead at 2023, Netflix is debuting an array of Korean TV series, films and unscripted shows.
The streaming platform has announced a total of 34 upcoming titles, including original productions alongside returning fan favourites, in its biggest-ever lineup of Korean films and series.
New series and returning favorites
Fans are set to rejoice with the return of anticipated series Sweet Home, D.P., and The Glory this year. Part 2 of revenge drama The Glory will be released in March, with Part 1 being the most-watched non-English TV show during the week of January 2nd with 82.48 million viewing hours. Sweet Home, which set new benchmarks for the creature genre in Korea, will return with an expanded world and story while D.P. brings back the cast from the first season to continue chasing after deserters.
“The global popularity of K-content has continued apace over 2022, with Netflix bringing a wider variety of stories and genres to fans around the world. Over the last year, Korean series and films have regularly featured in our Global Top 10 list in more than 90 countries, and three of Netflix’s most-watched shows ever are from Korea. This year, we’re pushing the envelope even further with the stories we tell and how we tell them. With this lineup of Korean titles, Netflix will continue to be the ultimate destination for compelling, diverse and must-watch Korean storytelling,” said Don Kang, VP of Content (Korea).
Other new series this year run the gamut of romance with A Time Called You, Behind Your Touch (working title), Crash Course in Romance, Destined With You, Doona!, King the Land, Love to Hate You andSee You In My 19th Life; social commentary and intrigue with Bloodhounds, Celebrity and Mask Girl; drama with Daily Dose of Sunshine, Queenmaker and The Good Bad Motherland; and apocalyptic drama with Goodbye Earth.
More films, more unscripted shows, more choice
The past year has seen Korean movies and unscripted shows becoming increasingly popular with global audiences. Action thriller Carter was one of the top 10 most-watched non-English films last year, while dating reality show Singles Inferno is sitting in the Global Non-English Top 10 at time of writing.
This year, Netflix is expanding its film offering with six Korean movies, kicking off with sci-fi thriller JUNG-E on January 20th, followed by Kill Boksoon which depicts a professional killer with conflicting maternal instincts, and Believer 2, a sequel to a crime action thriller revolving around drug gangs. Other films explore the topics of revenge (Ballerina), teacher-student rivalry (The Match), and hacking (Unlocked).
Meanwhile those who love living vicariously will look forward to a lineup of reality shows, spanning endurance (Physical:100, Siren: Survive the Island), zombie survival (Zombieverse) coming of age (Nineteen to Twenty) and mind games (The Devil’s Plan).
There are also two new documentaries coming out: Yellow Door: Looking for Director Bong’s Unreleased Short Film (working title) traces the quest for Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-Ho’s debut film while true-crime documentary In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal explores the self-proclaimed ‘messiahs’ in modern Korean history.
“We are very excited over the variety of the titles that we’re sharing with our members,” added Kang. “There’s truly a series, a film or an unscripted show for everyone, and we look forward to our Korean shows connecting to fans both overseas and at home.”