Non-English originals take the lead on Netflix for first time, Ampere reveals

Non-English-language titles made up the majority of Netflix’s original TV releases for the first time last year, new data from UK research firm Ampere Analysis indicates.

During 2025, 52% of the streamer’s originals were from territories such as Spain, Latin America, Japan and Korea. That figure represents the highest yearly share to date, up from 49% in 2024.

Spanish remains the leading local language for TV releases, accounting for 21% of new originals. However, the genre mix shifted significantly, with scripted content rising from 63% of Spanish-language titles in 2024 to 86% last year.

Comedy recorded the fastest growth, from just 6% in 2024 to 19% in 2025.

Korean-language originals gained the most ground, rising from 12% of non-English original TV releases in 2024 to 20% in 2025. That growth was driven by scripted hits such as Squid Game season three and When Life Gives You Tangerines, as well as multiple seasons of unscripted titles like Getaway and Go With Jangdobari and Screwballs.

Japanese was among the major languages to lose the most ground, with originals declining from 6% in 2024 to 4% in 2025. However, Netflix still picks up plenty of content from Japan, with 20% of all acquired seasons available on Netflix originating from there – second only to English (43%) and ahead of Korean (14%).

For context, while non-English-language originals accounted for the majority of new TV season releases in 2025, English-language productions still represent the lion’s share in terms of original content spend.

Rahul Patel, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, said: “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.

“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.”