Is Netflix Riding the Korean Wave or Vice Versa?| Reshaping Hallyu: Global Reception of South Korean Content on Netflix

Abstract

This study analyzes how Netflix, an emerging global subscription video on demand (SVOD) service, affects the global reception of South Korean content. In-depth interviews were conducted with 32 viewers of various ages, genders, and nationalities (Brazil, France, Japan, and the United States) who consumed Korean content through Netflix. The findings suggest that Korean content is expanding beyond fandom culture and into global media culture. This is due to the technological affordances that increase the possibility of Korean content being more universally received by the global audience, as well as Korean Netflix Originals creating new values, such as diversity and sincerity, that cater to the new generation. Furthermore, this study compares the audience who first encountered Korean content through Netflix with established Korean content consumers. By recontextualizing the findings within the changing discourses on the interplay between Hallyu and Netflix, this study provides a new perspective on the notion of Hallyu.