
Netflix viewers around the world continue to be drawn to South Korean storytelling, with "The Great Flood" proving to be one of the platform’s most talked-about films of the season.
The sci-fi disaster drama has now topped Netflix’s non-English movies chart for a fourth consecutive week, the streaming giant confirmed on Wednesday, cementing its position as a standout international hit.
Directed by Kim Byung-woo, the Netflix original pulled in 5.2 million views in the week ending 11 January. That figure comfortably surpassed the Indian courtroom drama "Haq", which recorded 4.5 million views during the same period.
Thanks to its sustained popularity, "The Great Flood" has also climbed to seventh place on Netflix’s all-time top 10 list for non-English movies, making it the only South Korean title to feature on the prestigious ranking.
Since its release on 19 December, "The Great Flood" has resonated with audiences for more than just its spectacle. At its heart is a deeply personal story. Kim Da-mi stars as An-na, a single mother caring for her six-year-old son.
Her ordinary night turns into a nightmare when she wakes to discover her apartment complex engulfed by a sudden and relentless flood, a disaster that soon spreads far beyond the building to threaten the entire planet.
Trapped by rising waters, collapsing structures and limited escape routes, An-na’s sole focus becomes protecting her child at all costs. Viewers have praised the film for grounding its large-scale destruction in raw emotion and relatable parental fear.
South Korean cinema also made another mark on the weekly chart with the arrival of "The Ugly", a mystery drama directed by Yeon Sang-ho.
The film entered at number five, drawing 2 million views in its debut week. While more restrained in scale than "The Great Flood", the film has gained attention for its haunting atmosphere and introspective storytelling.
Based on Yeon Sang-ho’s 2018 debut graphic novel of the same name, "The Ugly" follows Dong-hwan, portrayed by Park Jeong-min, the devoted son of blind seal engraver master Young-kyu, played by Kwon Hae-hyo.
Dong-hwan becomes consumed by unanswered questions surrounding his mother’s mysterious disappearance four decades earlier. As he searches for the truth, long-buried family secrets slowly surface, driving the emotional core of the film.
Together, the success of "The Great Flood" and "The Ugly" reflects Netflix’s growing role in introducing global audiences to the diversity, emotional depth and creative ambition of South Korean filmmaking.
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