2024 was another phenomenal year for K-dramas on Netflix. Netflix’s release of its 2024 engagement report for the second half supports this. The report delivers some excellent findings and proof that Korean content continues to grow in popularity on Netflix.
It’s crazy to think that in 2017, the romantic drama Love Alarm was the first Original K-drama series commissioned by Netflix. However, it would be the beloved zombie horror series Kingdom to land on Netflix as the “first” Netflix Original k-drama.
Since 2019, hundreds of new titles from South Korea have been added to Netflix. From romance, comedy, horror, and thrillers to medical and political dramas, Netflix has seen it all. We’ve also seen blockbuster films, variety shows, documentaries, and incredible reality television shows such as Physical 100 and Singles Inferno.
For transparency, we’ve selected the data below from all of the latest Korean titles added to Netflix in 2024. However, you can search for your favorite title through our engagement report tool.
What were the most-watched K-dramas in 2024?
Fans waited patiently for over three years for the return of Squid Game, and unsurprisingly, the series is in the top spot for 2024.
Picture: Squid Game season 2 – Netflix
This achievement is even more impressive because the series was released on Boxing Day 2024. Therefore, the figures in the table below are based on just one week’s viewing. As of 2025, we can confirm that since its release, season 2 of Squid Game has amassed 1.342 billion hours viewed and a total of 187.2 million views. We expect another strong performance in 2025, considering the weeks Season 2 has spent in the top 10s throughout the year already, and the third and final season will be released on Netflix in June 2025.
| Title | Total Hours | Total Views | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squid Game Season 2 | 619,900,000 | 86,500,000 | 7:10 |
| Badland Hunters | 116,100,000 | 63,900,000 | 1:49 |
| Officer Black Belt | 72,000,000 | 39,600,000 | 1:49 |
| Queen of Tears | 860,400,000 | 36,800,000 | 23:22 |
| Parasyte: The Grey | 141,700,000 | 28,400,000 | 5:00 |
| Uprising | 51,300,000 | 24,000,000 | 2:08 |
| My Demon | 402,600,000 | 22,900,000 | 17:35 |
| Mission: Cross | 39,500,000 | 22,600,000 | 1:45 |
| Love Next Door | 432,200,000 | 20,300,000 | 21:15 |
| Hierarchy | 147,600,000 | 19,300,000 | 7:38 |
Badland Hunters and Officer Black Belt take 2nd and 3rd place, with the former bringing in an impressive 63.9 million views. However, it must be noted that as both of these titles are films, it’s easier to amass a large view count when compared to the likes of Queen of Tears, which had an astonishing 860.4 million viewing hours, but thanks to its 23-hour runtime, brought the total number of views below the two films.
Picture: Badland Hunters (left) and Officer Black Belt (right)
The top 10 equals 2.883 billion hours viewed and 277.8 million Netflix views. However, when combining the figures from all 46 Korean titles added to Netflix in 2024, these figures are;
- 5.904 billion viewing hours.
- 644.8 million Netflix views.
Considering these are just the figures from the titles added in 2024, the viewing statistics across ALL K-drama content on Netflix will be considerably higher.
Unsurprisingly, the streaming service continues to invest heavily in content from the region, given the growth and popularity of K-dramas over the past several years.
What about historic titles?
We also examined some of Netflix’s historic K-dramas and their performance in 2024. Suffice it to say that plenty of subscribers are still tuning in for All of Us Dead and The Glory.
| Title | Total Hours | Total Views |
|---|---|---|
| Squid Game Season 1 | 233,400,000 | 28,000,000 |
| King the Land | 340,100,000 | 17,900,000 |
| All of Us Are Dead | 148,300,000 | 12,100,000 |
| The Glory | 140,700,000 | 9,900,000 |
| Kingdom Season 1 | 13,000,000 | 2,500,000 |
| Kingdom Season 2 | 8,900,000 | 1,900,000 |
The title we’re incredibly impressed by is King the Land, a popular weekly K-drama released in 2023 that amassed a fantastic 17.9 million views in 2024! Across 2023 and 2024, the series has seen an incredible 53 million views.
Picture: King the Land – jTBC
It is no surprise that the return of Squid Game would result in a resurgence in viewership for the first season.
Netflix has come a long way since 2017, and billions of dollars have been invested in South Korea’s meteoric rise in film and television. The future of Korean content continues to burn bright on Netflix, and there’s plenty to look forward to in the near future.
What was your favorite K-drama released on Netflix in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!
Rating: TV-MA
