SEOUL, October 06 (AJP) - Nearly three in four K-content viewers surveyed across eight countries said they wanted to visit South Korea, suggesting interest in Korean shows is extending beyond the screen into travel and cultural experiences, Netflix said Tuesday.
The survey, commissioned by Netflix from research firm 2CV, covered more than 11,500 people. Netflix presented the findings at the 2026 K-Expo Mexico in Mexico City, where it also said dubbed versions accounted for more than 40 percent of global viewing of its Korean original unscripted shows.
Netflix used the event to highlight what it calls the "Netflix Effect," or the spillover of Korean content into areas such as language learning, food, fashion and tourism.
The company also focused on localization, including subtitles, dubbing, audio description and captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, as a way of carrying Korean stories into overseas markets.
Localization is particularly important in Latin America, where dubbing is widely preferred over subtitles. Netflix said it treats dubbing as a "second production" aimed at preserving the tone, humor and cultural context of the original work.
The Mexico event, held from Sept. 24 to 27, was the third and final K-Expo program Netflix joined this year with the Culture Ministry and Korea Creative Content Agency, following events in Los Angeles and Paris.
Netflix and KOCCA have also jointly operated the "KOCCA x Netflix Production Academy" since 2024 to share production expertise and train local industry professionals.
AJP Takeaways
- Netflix survey shows 72% of K-content viewers wishing to visit Korea.
- The Netflix-commissioned survey covered more than 11,500 people in eight countries.
- Dubbed versions accounted for over 40% of global viewing of Korean original unscripted shows.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.