The creator of a newly released new South Korean show about a female attorney hopes that it may have the same popular appeal as the “Squid Game.”
A South Korean television series about a young lawyer who is also on the autism spectrum has become a hit on the streaming platform. Netflix said that “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” was one of its most-watched non-English shows globally from July 4 to 17. The show ranked number one in that category in eight countries, and appeared in the top 10 for 22 countries, according to the company’s metrics. Shares of Astory Co., the South Korean studio that produced the show with Netflix and also created another hit for it, “Kingdom,” have surged 74% in Seoul since the debut of “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” in late June.
It is also good news for Netflix, which is increasingly specializing in international content across its shows and has focused on foreign markets. In a blog post yesterday, Netflix touted the show’s success, indicating that it had gained traction in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam after airing in 31 languages.
Netflix has been focusing more on international markets in recent years, particularly in Asia Pacific, where it continues to see growth help offset declines from other regions. Just Tuesday, the company reported earnings showing that its subscriber base in Asia grew by 1.1 million in the second quarter, even as it lost users in markets such as the United States and Canada. Korean content is especially important to the streaming giant after the massive success of “Squid Game” last year.
