BRISTOL, UK, 28/04/26: Digital i has released a new report, Riding Netflix’s Korean Wave, exploring key audience and content trends from Netflix in South Korea, Japan and Australia during 2025.
The report, which you can read in full HERE, analyses the continuing international power of the ‘K-wave’ on the platform, the rapid adoption of ad-supported tiers in these countries, and the content driving highest engagement.
Digital i’s data reveals a striking cultural divergence within the APAC region. While Australia remains a stronghold for Western content, Japanese and South Korean audiences are increasingly turning toward domestic stories on Netflix.
This shift is not merely cultural; it is being accelerated by new platform economics, as viewers in these regions rapidly migrate to lower-cost, ad-supported tiers to access high-profile local ‘appointment’ viewing.
Key takeaways include:
· In Japan and South Korea, the number of active subscribers on ad-supported plans rose above 50% in both countries between 2024 and 2025
· Local programming accounted for less than 4% of viewing time on Netflix in Australia in 2025
· South Korean and Japanese subscribers engage heavily with local content, while Australia’s highest-reaching titles are dominated by U.S. imports
· Outside of its home market, South Korean content on Netflix generated 10 billion hours of viewing in 18 major international markets in 2025
· More than 15% (1.5 billion hours) of that viewing was to Squid Game, with the series acting as significant sign-up driver for viewers
"The 2025 data underscores the incredible resonance of local content in East Asia," said Matt Ross, Chief Analytics Officer at Digital i.
"While a global phenomenon like Squid Game can transcend borders to drive sign-ups in every market, the day-to-day engagement in Japan and South Korea is firmly rooted in home-grown programming. We are seeing a powerful synergy where ad-supported tiers lower the barrier to entry, allowing massive local hits to generate substantial viewing spikes.
“For streamers, the message is clear: to win in these markets, you must speak the local language - both culturally and economically."
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ABOUT DIGITAL I
Digital i is a global streaming media measurement company that tracks subscriber engagement and content consumption through privacy-compliant, opt-in panels and proprietary data capture technology. Offering deep insights into what, where, when, why, and how viewers watch, Digital i empowers major streamers and studios to understand audiences like never before.
Founded in 2003, the company started out as a linear analytics firm and has since expanded to measure streaming audiences in more than 20 countries.
Digital i’s clients include streamers, broadcasters and media brands, who use viewing data analytics to negotiate better deals, compete on a global level, and find their niche in an ever-changing market.
Mark Layton
Communications Lead
mark.layton@digital-i.com
