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On September 19, 2024, Netflix released its Global Engagement Report for the first half of 2024, highlighting the worldwide appeal of Korean series, particularly Queen of Tears, which secured a prominent position among the most popular non-English programs.
Leading Netflix's Korean success story, Queen of Tears attracted a substantial 29 million viewers during this period. This notable viewership has placed the series at the 14th position in the global streaming service's overall Most Viewed Content ranking.
Fans of the Queen of Tears and K-drama celebrated this achievement. They promptly took to X to share their delight. One user on X wrote:
"AS IT SHOULD BEEE"
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The romantic comedy with heartwarming dramatic elements, featuring actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won in the lead roles, become a cultural phenomenon. Its narrative of love, humor, and emotional complexity resonated with a diverse international audience, making it one of the top 10 non-English series globally.
Fans conveyed their support and admiration for Queen of Tears through X.
"That's amazing for "Queen of Tears"! It’s great to see K-Dramas gaining such massive popularity on Netflix. The storytelling and production quality really stand out," an individual shared.
"THIS DIVA!! y’all don’t understand how crazy this is, qot is not a netflix origin the episodes aired on netflix 2hrs after they aired on tv with insanely high ratings btw, 70% of those people didn’t even watch on netflix this is a whole different group. drama of the year me thinks," an X user said.
"Deserved 🔥🔥, " another fan wrote.
Other fans shared that Queen of Tears has brought them back to K-dramas.
"QOT is really THAT drama. It got kdrama viewers outta their slump, had people of all ages tuned in every week with a box of tissues," another fan commented.
"Some ppl say, "It's 2024, ppl don't watch TV," but QOT broke TV ratings by 24.85% and is also at the top of the OTT platform. So, I have no hesitation in calling #QueenofTears the best K-drama of the year! 🫶," another user on X shared.
"deserved! QOT is THAT drama 😚," a fan wrote.
"living up to its name, QUEEN," an X user commented
Netflix’s First Half 2024 Report: Korean content leads global viewership amid diverse offerings
On September 19, Netflix released its Global Engagement Report for the first half of 2024, showcasing the platform's most-watched content. The report tracks viewing habits over six months, focusing on shows with at least 50,000 hours of watch time. During this period, the platform's viewers consumed around 94 billion hours of content.
Korean content has become a key part of the global streaming platform's non-English offerings, making up about 30% of global viewership. The report highlights the success of Korean dramas, thrillers, and romantic comedies, with Queen of Tears leading the charge.
Other strong performers include Parasite: The Gray (25 million viewers), My Demon (18 million), and Doctor Slump (14 million), all of which ranked among the top 10 non-English titles. Although only 15% of Korean content is fully owned by Netflix, the platform plans to expand its offerings through partnerships with local studios and increased localization efforts.
Additionally, four British series—Secret of the Secret, Baby Reindeer, Gentlemen: The Series, and One Day—ranked among the top 10 English-language shows. Reality hits like Love is Blind and family animations such as Super Mario Bros. also captivated audiences. Documentaries like American Nightmare and The Greatest Night in Pop Music maintained steady viewership.
Non-English content from Spain, India, France, Italy, and Japan accounted for one-third of total viewership. This reinforces Netflix's belief that great stories transcend borders.
About plot and cast of Queen of Tears
Queen of Tears is a South Korean romance drama penned by Park Ji-eun, known for hits like My Love from the Star (2013–2014), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), and Crash Landing on You (2019-2020). The series is co-directed by Jang Young-woo and Kim Hee-won and stars Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, exploring the complexities of a married couple facing a significant crisis.
The synopsis of Queen of Tears reads:
"The queen of department stores and the prince of supermarkets weather a marital crisis, until love miraculously begins to bloom again."
The story follows Hong Hae-in, a third-generation chaebol heiress and CEO of Queen's Department Store, played by Kim Ji-won. Her husband, Baek Hyun-woo, portrayed by Kim Soo-hyun, is the legal director of Queen's Group and the youngest son of farmers from Yongdu-ri.
Supporting roles include Park Sung-hoon as Yoon Eun-sung, a former Wall Street analyst and Hae-in’s college acquaintance. The talented cast also features Lee Dong-yeon, Lee Joo-bin, Yoon Bo-mi, Kim Kap-soo, Lee Mi-sook, Kim Jung-nan, Jeon Bae-soo, and Hwang Young-hee.
Netflix's report underlines a key trend: Korean content is no longer niche. It has become a driving force behind Netflix’s global success, delivering compelling narratives that resonate across languages and cultures.
