Netflix’s Winners and Losers: The Trauma Code Thrives While Melo Movie Falls Short—Here’s Why

Korean medical drama The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call is proving to be a breakout hit worldwide, maintaining its position in Netflix’s global non-English TV show Top 10.

According to Netflix’s Top 10 Tudum website, for the week of February 10-16, The Trauma Code racked up an impressive 19.5 million viewing hours, securing the No.7 spot in the global rankings. Since its release on January 24, the gripping drama has sustained momentum, resonating with audiences far beyond Korea.

Meanwhile, Squid Game 2 also continues its reign, landing at No.8 with 19.2 million viewing hours. However, Netflix’s latest romance drama Melo Movie, which debuted on February 14, failed to make the global Top 10 despite its star-studded cast, including Park Bo-young, Choi Woo-sik, Lee Jun-young, and Jeon So-nee.

The Rise of Medical Dramas in K-Content

The overwhelming success of The Trauma Code signals a growing global appetite for medical dramas in K-Entertainment—a genre that has been noticeably underrepresented in Korean television. While romance and fantasy have long dominated the K-drama landscape, The Trauma Code stands out by delivering an action-packed, high-stakes narrative inspired by real-life medical professionals who operate under extreme pressure.

The series follows Baek Kang-hyuk (Ju Ji-hoon), a battlefield-trained surgeon, as he takes on the impossible task of reviving a failing trauma team. Combining adrenaline-fueled emergency room action with raw emotional storytelling, the drama presents the harsh realities of frontline medics, mirroring the kind of high-intensity, character-driven storytelling that has made American medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and Chicago Med so successful.

Why It’s a Hit in the West

Unlike conventional K-dramas that cater primarily to local audiences, The Trauma Code has tapped into Western audiences’ love for action-packed, high-stakes storytelling. Its gritty realism, life-or-death stakes, and intense emotional arcs give it the shock factor that many international viewers crave. The show’s fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat medical emergencies make it particularly appealing across North America, Europe, and Latin America, where medical dramas have long been a staple of primetime television.

Korea vs. Global Rankings

Despite The Trauma Code’s continued global success, Netflix Korea’s weekly ranking tells a different story. In South Korea, The Trauma Code reigns supreme at No.1, while Melo Movie has gained traction domestically, ranking at No.2. While the romance series struggles to break into the global market, its growing popularity in Korea suggests that local audiences are still drawn to classic melodramatic storytelling.

As the demand for high-intensity K-content grows worldwide, The Trauma Code could pave the way for more action-packed medical dramas in the future. With its unflinching realism, thrilling medical cases, and deeply human stories, it’s no surprise that this series is keeping audiences hooked across continents.