What Netflix's 1st decade in Korea means for K-content

It has been 10 years since Netflix entered the Korean market. After moving beyond the days when streaming platforms were unfamiliar, Netflix has become deeply embedded in everyday life. Over that decade, the way Korean content is produced and the way overseas markets view it have both changed. The globalization of Korean content and the term “K-content” are no longer unfamiliar. In that sense, the mark Netflix has left over the past decade is significant.

Ten years ago, it was not common to find such a wide variety of works on a single platform as it is today. After Netflix entered the Korean market, creators gradually gained more options. In particular, works that would have been difficult to make through existing investment models or conventional formulas for success began to emerge. “Okja,” a 2017 Netflix original film directed by Bong Joon-ho, is a representative example of that change. Its unusual premise involving a giant corporation and a genetically modified animal was not the kind of story easily seen in conventional commercial films.

As the boundaries of genres and subject matter were pushed back, an environment emerged in which Korean creators could more freely take on unconventional stories. Genre productions centered on female characters were one example. “Ballerina,” “Kill Boksoon,” “The Call,” “The Price of Confession” and “Mask Girl” provided new opportunities. There were also continued attempts at science fiction, a genre that has traditionally been relatively difficult to produce in Korea, with works such as “Space Sweepers” and “Jung_E.” Other productions took familiar premises and developed them in different directions, as in “Unlocked.” Not every work was a hit, but the fact that they introduced genres and subject matter that had previously been difficult to attempt in the production process marked a notable change.

Expanding genres, diverse entertainment — and finally the 'K' label

No discussion of Netflix Korea’s 10-year history would be complete without “Squid Game.” The Netflix original series showed that a Korean story could become global content despite differences in language and culture.

Combining traditional Korean games with a struggle for survival, the series captivated viewers around the world and remained on Netflix’s global Top 10 list for 32 consecutive weeks after its release. The question of whether “something uniquely Korean could really work globally” turned into an exclamation point, and a wide range of works infused with Korean sensibilities went on to meet audiences around the world. Along with “Squid Game,” titles such as “Kingdom,” “Sweet Home,” “Bloodhounds,” “Hellbound,” “D.P.,” “The Glory,” “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” “Lady Doir” and "Teach You a Lesson” are evidence of that trend.

There has also been a change in the way actors are discovered. In the past, productions often put already well-known actors front and center in an effort to ensure box-office success. But Netflix productions have introduced many actors who first made their names through particular works and characters. Lee Han-byeol, who played Kim Mo-mi in “Mask Girl”; Lee Yeon, who made a strong impression in “Juvenile Justice”; and Shin Seung-ho, Moon Sang-hoon and Yoo Soo-bin, who appeared in the “D.P.” series, are among them. In particular, “Giri” was completed with newcomers including Jeon So-young, Kang Mi-na, Baek Sun-ho, Hyun Woo-seok and Lee Hyo-je. The path to attracting attention through the strength of a work and its characters, even without star actors, has consequently widened.

Another change can be seen in the way Netflix approaches Korean content. It has been actively investing in Korean films and seeking opportunities to showcase them at international film festivals. Netflix has previously presented original films such as “Roma,” “The Irishman,” “Glass Onion” and “Frankenstein” at major film festivals and award ceremonies. Korean films are now finding new opportunities within that same trend.

At the center of this year’s movement is “Possible Love,” directed by Lee Chang-dong. If Netflix spent the past 10 years expanding the reach of Korean content, it is now taking on the role of introducing works by directors such as Lee Chang-dong, who represents an important part of Korean film history, to audiences around the world.

Netflix, which entered Korea 10 years ago, has now gone beyond being simply a platform for consuming Korean content. It has changed the way Korean content is produced and distributed and how it reaches overseas markets. Korean content has expanded its range of genres and actors, and it is now moving toward its next chapter. We have entered an era of asking just how far stories made in Korea can reach.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.