‘Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area’ is the newest TV series from the Asian nation to take Netflix by storm. The heist series, which released on June 24, has topped the Global Non-English Top 10 this week.
In the new Top 10 list, which covers global audiences from June 20 to June 26, ‘Money Heist: Korea’ debuted at No 1 with 33.7 million hours viewed.
The Korean remake of hit Spanish series ‘La Casa De Papel’ hit the top of the global watchlist in just three days and was the No 1 show in South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.
“As a big fan of the original Spanish series, I felt intrigued to tell this vibrant story in a Korean context,” said writer Ryu Yong-jae.
According to Netflix, ‘Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area’ follows eight thieves as they stage a heist at a mint in the newly unified zone between North and South Korea.
“The geopolitical element of a North and South Korea on the verge of reunification adds to the powder keg of tension that makes the original so beloved,” said Keo Lee, Director of Content, Netflix Korea, at an earlier panel. “We were very lucky when we received this pitch from Ryu and the producing team, which felt like the right framework for a remake that would be respectful to the original while bringing something new that fans in Korea and globally would appreciate.”
‘Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area’ is one a rich collection of Korean shows that have taken the lead on Netflix’s global Top 10 list. In the first half of 2022, shows such as ‘All Of Us Are Dead’, ‘Juvenile Justice’ and ‘Business Proposal’ all reached the No 1 spot.
The gory survival drama ‘Squid Game’, which released in September 2021, was also a global hit and still remains Netflix’s most-watched non-English series. The show was renewed for a second season in June, and is expected to release in late 2023 or early 2024.
