Netflix’s Hottest K-Drama Flops on the Global Stage—What Went Wrong?

Despite holding the No. 1 spot on Netflix Korea for five consecutive days, a newly released K-drama has failed to gain traction in the global market. Given that a show's first-week performance often determines its long-term success on Netflix, this unexpected outcome has sparked discussion.

Melo Movie, which premiered on Netflix on February 14 with all 10 episodes, overtook The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (starring Ju Ji-hoon and Choo Young-woo) within two days to claim the top spot on Netflix Korea’s "Top 10 TV Series in South Korea" ranking, where it has remained for five days.

However, when Netflix’s official ranking site Tudum released its weekly global non-English TV series Top 10 on February 20, Melo Movie was nowhere to be found. Currently, the only Korean dramas on the global chart are The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, ranking No. 7 with 2.8 million views, and Squid Game Season 2, ranking No. 8 with 2.7 million views.

Melo Movie failed to surpass even the 1.8 million views recorded by the Brazilian drama Sintonia Season 5, which secured the No. 10 spot. This stark contrast between the drama’s strong domestic reception and lukewarm international response is highly unusual.

For a Netflix original series, missing the Top 10 in its debut week is a rare occurrence. Only a handful of Korean originals, including The Fabulous, Somebody, Glitch, Chicken Nugget, and Mr. Plankton, have faced similar struggles. However, most of these shows failed to generate buzz even in Korea, making Melo Movie’s overseas underperformance particularly surprising, given its domestic success.

Melo Movie marks the much-anticipated reunion of actor Choi Woo-shik and writer Lee Na-eun after their collaboration on SBS's romance drama Our Beloved Summer. That 2022 series gained significant popularity both in Korea and across Asia, peaking at a 5.3% viewership rating. However, their latest project has failed to recreate that same level of excitement.

Some viewers have expressed disappointment, saying that Melo Movie feels like a spiritual sequel to Our Beloved Summer, with similar character dynamics and a slow-paced, drawn-out narrative over 10 episodes. Critics argue that the lack of a compelling storyline and sluggish pacing have contributed to its weak global reception—especially given the historical success of Korean romance dramas overseas.

The drama’s lackluster international performance could also put pressure on lead actress Park Bo-young. Her previous project, Daily Dose of Sunshine, won Best Drama at the Blue Dragon Series Awards but failed to enter Netflix’s global Top 10. With Melo Movie following a similar trajectory, concerns are growing over her recent track record in international streaming rankings.

Melo Movie, directed by Oh Choong-hwan (Hotel Del Luna, Start-Up), follows a group of young adults navigating love and ambition. Choi Woo-shik plays Go Gyeom, an aspiring film critic who started as a minor actor, while Park Bo-young stars as Kim Movie, a woman entering the film industry while grappling with mixed emotions about her late father’s cinematic legacy.

With a strong domestic following, all eyes are on whether Melo Movie can leverage its Korean success to make waves globally.