Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos Visits Seoul to Celebrate a Decade of Korean Content Success

Following a turbulent week of leadership changes at Netflix, co‑CEO Ted Sarandos traveled to Seoul over the weekend to celebrate one of the streaming giant’s most successful bets of the past ten years: its investment in Korean entertainment.

Sarandos attended a two‑day fan celebration organized by Netflix at Sangam Oil Tank Culture Park, a repurposed petroleum storage facility turned cultural venue in western Seoul. The trip occurred shortly after Netflix replaced chief content officer Béla Bajaria with Peter Rice and announced layoffs affecting about 1,000 staff, yet the atmosphere in Korea remained decidedly festive.

Named “Netflix Janchi,” the two‑day festival drew over 10,000 local fans to themed activity booths, interactive games, branded merchandise, live music, and appearances by stars of Netflix’s flagship Korean productions. Online streams of the event accumulated 3.58 million views in total.

On Saturday, Sarandos took the podium to commend the Korean creative community and unveil Netflix’s upcoming Korean roster, which includes Lee Chang‑dong’s Oscar‑nominated film Possible Love, the new K‑drama Tantara, and series such as Grand Galaxy Hotel, She, Wolf, the second season of All of Us Are Dead, and a live‑action version of the anime Solo Leveling.

“Ten years ago, we dreamed big, but none of us could have imagined that Korean stories would move hearts around the world, and land right at the center of global culture,” Sarandos said. “For Netflix, Korea is more than a market. It is where we discovered new possibilities, and where we learned how far a story can travel. And it is one of our most treasured partners for the future we are building together.”

To cap the anniversary, Netflix released fresh data highlighting the strength of Korean content on its platform. The streamer reports that Korean programming is now its most‑watched non‑English category, with over 80 % of members worldwide having streamed at least one Korean title. Since Netflix began publishing global Top 10 charts in June 2021, more than 200 Korean shows have appeared on the lists.

Squid Game’s three seasons hold the top three spots on Netflix’s all‑time most‑watched non‑English TV list, and the recent Korean hit Teach You a Lesson entered the ranking at No. 10. Korean productions delivered more than 12 billion viewing hours on Netflix between April 2025 and March 2026, ranking just behind U.S. content by country of origin.

Korean celebrities turned out in force to celebrate Netflix’s ten‑year milestone. Squid Game stars Lee Jung‑jae, Lee Byung‑hun and Park Hae‑soo shared memories of the series’ global breakout, while KPop Demon Hunters voice actor Ahn Hyo‑seop, and D.P. actors Koo Kyo‑hwan and Jung Hae‑in also took the stage. Cast members from other Netflix hits—Hellbound, Mask Girl, Culinary Class Wars and The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call—were also present.

The event showcased Netflix’s upcoming Korean lineup, featuring Jeon Do‑yeon, Sul Kyung‑gu, Zo In‑sung and Cho Yeo‑jeong in support of Lee Chang‑dong’s Possible Love, which earned the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice and will launch globally on Netflix on Nov. 6. Song Hye‑kyo, Gong Yoo and Kim Seol‑hyun introduced Tantara, a period drama set in Korea’s entertainment industry from the 1960s to the 1980s, slated for a Dec. 11 premiere.

Additional titles highlighted by Sarandos included the supernatural fantasy Grand Galaxy Hotel (Lee Do‑hyn and Shin Si‑a), the romance She, Wolf (Kim Min‑ju, Lomon, Moon Sang‑min) and the second season of the zombie hit All of Us Are Dead (cast: Park Ji‑hu, Yoon Chan‑young, Cho Yi‑hyun, Lomon). Actor Byeon Woo‑seok introduced the highly awaited live‑action Solo Leveling, in which he portrays Sung Jin‑woo; release dates for these four projects have not yet been disclosed.

Even as Netflix undertakes a broader strategic review, the Seoul anniversary underscored that one key element of its global content approach remains steadfast: the central role of Korean entertainment.

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