Please wait...
Please wait...

Netflix reveals US foreign-language boom

Netflix’s Money Heist was a top 10 show in 92 countries

Netflix has revealed non-English-language content saw some of the biggest gains in 2020 among its US subscribers as people “sought love, escape and connection through the pandemic.”

The streamer said viewing of foreign-language titles was up over 50% in 2020 in the US compared with 2019, pointing to content such as The Platform (Spain), Barbarians (Germany) and Rogue City (France).

Money Heist: Part 4 (Spain) hit the top 10 in 92 countries, Barbarians (Germany) in 91, #Alive (Korea) in 90, Ragnarok (Norway) in 89 and Lost Bullet (France) in 89.

Meanwhile, viewing of Korean dramas including Kingdom and The King: Eternal Monarch almost tripled and anime more than doubled in the US.

Netflix said in the three weeks that followed the murder of George Floyd in May, viewing of titles that helped people better understand the black experience in the US soared.

Based on total viewing hours in the US between January-November 2019 and January-November 2020, 13th was up over 5,000%, LA 92 up over 1,300%, Dear White People up over 700%, Time: The Kalief Browder Story up 500% and American Son up 270%.

Meanwhile, Dave Chappelle’s 8:46 video, which was shared online by Netflix Is A Joke, became the top trending video of the year on YouTube.

Documentaries, reality TV and romance were also in demand in 2020 in the US. Netflix said Tiger King, Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, American Murder: The Family Next Door, The Social Dilemma, Floor is Lava, Love is Blind and Too Hot To Handle were among its most popular releases of the year.

All Netflix’s ‘most popular’ title stats are based on properties that premiered on the streamer between January 1 and November 30, 2020.

There was a “huge” jump in viewing of stand-up comedy between March and April compared with February, while October was the biggest month for comedy viewing generally, Netflix said.

Netflix added Hubie Halloween, The Wrong Missy, Space Force, Holidate and Kevin Hart: Zero F**ks Given were the most popular comedies of the year.

In March, searches on Netflix for ‘home baking shows’ went up almost 50% over the previous month, and it also saw people searching for DIY and home shows.

Netflix said its most popular food and home shows in the US in 2020 were Get Organized with The Home Edit, Nailed It!, Million Dollar Beach House, The American Barbecue Showdown and Crazy Delicious.

Extraction, Spenser Confidential, The Old Guard, Project Power and Cobra Kai were among Netflix’s most popular action titles of the year, it said.

Please wait...