A significant shift is reshaping the landscape of global entertainment, with Netflix reaching a pivotal milestone: for the first time, non-English-language titles now constitute the majority of its original television season releases. New research from Ampere Analysis reveals that in 2025, 52% of Netflix’s original TV season launches were in languages other than English, marking a historic crossing of the majority threshold. This figure represents a notable increase from 49% in 2024 and stands as the highest yearly share ever recorded for the streaming giant, underscoring a profound evolution in its content strategy and a growing recognition of diverse global narratives.
While the seismic shift is most pronounced in television, the film sector also reflects this trend, albeit with a slightly less dramatic margin. Non-English titles accounted for 44% of Netflix’s movie releases in 2025, indicating a broad strategic move towards international content across all formats. This pivot highlights Netflix’s sophisticated understanding of its vast global subscriber base, recognizing that a truly worldwide audience demands a rich mosaic of stories told in their native tongues, resonating with their unique cultural experiences.
At the forefront of this global content revolution is Korean-language programming, which has emerged as Netflix’s fastest-growing category. The year 2025 witnessed an extraordinary surge in Korean originals, escalating from 12% of non-English original TV releases in 2024 to a remarkable 20%. This explosive growth is not merely a statistical anomaly but a testament to the surging popularity and undeniable global appeal of K-content. The phenomenon, often referred to as Hallyu or the “Korean Wave,” has transcended geographical boundaries and cultural divides, captivating audiences with its compelling storytelling, high production values, and unique blend of genres.
The success of Korean originals in 2025 was propelled by a mix of highly anticipated scripted dramas and engaging unscripted series. Landmark releases included the much-anticipated *Squid Game* Season 3, which continued to build on the global phenomenon of its predecessors, captivating millions with its thrilling narrative and sharp social commentary. Alongside this juggernaut, *When Life Gives You Tangerines* offered a different flavor of Korean storytelling, likely appealing to audiences seeking nuanced character development and emotional depth. Beyond the realm of drama, unscripted hits such as *Getaway*, *Go with Jangdobari*, and *Screwballs* demonstrated the versatility of Korean content, proving that its appeal extends beyond fictional narratives into reality programming. These unscripted formats often offer a window into Korean culture, humor, and lifestyle, finding an eager audience curious about authentic experiences.
Ampere Analysis projects that Korean content will only continue to solidify its strategic importance for Netflix. The year 2025 was a banner year for Korean-language TV commissions, with an impressive 39 seasons announced. This robust pipeline signals Netflix’s long-term commitment to investing heavily in the region, recognizing South Korea not just as a market, but as a global creative hub. The strategic significance for Netflix lies in K-content’s proven ability to attract and retain subscribers worldwide, offering a fresh alternative to traditional Western programming and often driving conversations on social media and cultural commentary platforms. For women, in particular, K-dramas often feature strong, complex female characters navigating professional challenges, personal relationships, and societal expectations, resonating deeply with viewers seeking empowering and relatable narratives.
While Korean content leads in growth, Spanish remains the reigning champion among non-English languages for Netflix original TV. In 2025, Spanish-language originals accounted for a commanding 21% of all new original TV seasons. This enduring dominance speaks to the vast global footprint of the Spanish language, connecting audiences across Spain, Latin America, and significant communities in North America. Netflix’s early investment in Spanish content, exemplified by global hits like *La Casa de Papel* (Money Heist), laid the groundwork for this sustained success, proving that authentic local stories could indeed become international blockbusters.
Intriguingly, the genre composition within Spanish-language originals underwent a considerable transformation in 2025. Scripted content saw a substantial rise, climbing from 63% of Spanish-language titles in 2024 to 86% in 2025. This indicates a strategic emphasis on narrative-driven series, likely responding to audience demand for high-quality dramatic and comedic storytelling. Within this shift, comedy recorded the sharpest ascent, jumping from a modest 6% and sixth place among genres in 2024 to a prominent 19% and second place in 2025. This surge in comedic programming suggests a growing appetite for lighter, more humorous fare, perhaps reflecting a broader trend towards escapism and feel-good content. Despite these shifts, crime and thriller genres maintained their strong foothold, reaffirming their position as consistently popular choices within the Spanish-language content sphere. For a women-focused audience, Spanish dramas and comedies often explore themes of family loyalty, passionate romance, social justice, and female agency, frequently featuring multi-generational casts and strong matriarchal figures that resonate across cultures.
In contrast to the upward trajectories of Korean and Spanish content, Japanese-language programming experienced a decline in its share of Netflix’s original TV releases, moving from 6% in 2024 to 4% in 2025. This makes it one of the major languages to lose significant ground in the platform’s original content portfolio. However, this doesn’t diminish Japan’s overall importance to Netflix’s global strategy; rather, it highlights a distinct approach to its content acquisition and production. Netflix’s relationship with Japanese content continues to lean heavily on acquisitions rather than exclusive Originals. In 2025, a substantial 20% of all acquired TV seasons available on the platform were Japanese, placing it second only to English (43%) and ahead of Korean (14%).
The driving force behind this acquisition-heavy strategy for Japanese content is undoubtedly anime. A remarkable 67% of all acquired Japanese TV seasons available on Netflix in 2025 were animated. This statistic underscores anime’s colossal global appeal and its established position as a cornerstone of Japanese cultural exports. While Netflix released only four original animated Japanese TV seasons during the year, its vast library of acquired anime titles ensures a steady stream of content for its dedicated fanbase. This strategy allows Netflix to tap into pre-existing, highly engaged audiences for beloved franchises and acclaimed series without the often higher risks and costs associated with developing entirely new original animated productions from scratch. For many women, anime offers an incredibly diverse range of genres, from shojo romance and slice-of-life narratives to epic fantasy and action, often featuring complex character development, intricate world-building, and profound emotional depth.
Despite the undeniable milestone in volume, with non-English titles now forming the majority of TV season releases, it’s crucial to note that English-language productions still command the lion’s share of Netflix’s original content spend. This discrepancy reflects several factors: the typically higher production costs associated with major English-language markets like the US and UK, the star power often attached to these projects, and the perceived “tentpole” status many English-language series hold in global marketing campaigns. However, the shifting volume indicates a strategic rebalancing, suggesting that while the investment in English content remains robust, the platform is increasingly diversifying its budget to capitalize on the proven global appeal and often more cost-effective production in international markets.
Rahul Patel, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, eloquently summarized the significance of this evolving trend: “Crossing the 52% threshold is a meaningful milestone for Netflix. For the first time, non-English-language titles now form the majority of its original TV releases, highlighting how global and local content strategies are no longer peripheral, but central to the platform’s growth.” Patel’s insight underscores a fundamental reorientation of Netflix’s business model. What once might have been considered niche or supplementary content has now become a core pillar of its global expansion and subscriber acquisition efforts. The streamer has effectively moved beyond merely dubbing or subtitling English content for international markets; it is actively investing in and championing stories born from diverse cultural contexts.
Patel further elaborated on the economic rationale, stating, “And when non-English-language titles travel beyond their local market and perform well internationally — such as Korean-language ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’ and German-language ‘Cassandra’ — they provide stronger returns on content investment for the global streamer.” This highlights the “halo effect” of successful international titles. A hit like *Squid Game* not only draws in new subscribers but also cultivates a broader appreciation for K-content, encouraging viewers to explore other Korean dramas. Similarly, the mention of ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’ and the German-language ‘Cassandra’ exemplifies how diverse non-English productions, regardless of their origin, can achieve global resonance and deliver substantial value for Netflix. This strategy is particularly effective for a platform striving for ubiquitous presence, as it allows Netflix to offer unique, culturally rich content that often cannot be found on traditional linear television or competing local services. For a women-focused audience, this global content strategy offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore diverse perspectives, storytelling styles, and cultural nuances, expanding their worldview and connecting them with narratives that celebrate womanhood in all its forms across the globe.
