Netflix is to double its output of unscripted Korean TV shows this year, in response to growing international success. An eight-title 2023 slate includes a third season for hit dating show “Singles Inferno” and the late-January released “Physical 100.”
“When we received the proposal for ‘Single’s Inferno’ at the end of 2020, there weren’t many dating programs in Korea. We set out to close the gap locally and ended up winning fans globally. The first season became the first Korean unscripted show to debut on the global top 10 non-English TV list. Season 2 featured in the global top 10 for four weeks, and pulled in even higher viewing hours,” said Yoo Ki Hwan, Netflix manager for unscripted content in Korea.
“One of the unique characteristics of our unscripted shows is that, unlike TV broadcasters that air an episode each week, the production of our entire season is complete before the drop. This enables us to deliver higher quality and provide localized subtitles, as well as dubbing in some countries, so that viewers in over 190 countries can enjoy the show at the same time.”
Other shows on the current year slate include:
- Female-led combat survival show “Siren: Survive the Island,” produced by Studio Modak, which launches in the second quarter;
- “19/20 (Nineteen to Twenty),” a reality entertainment show from Sizak Company, that tracks the lives of Generation Z-ers in the last week before they turn 20;
- Kakao Entertainment’s “Zombieverse,” which uploads in the third quarter of the year;
- “Devil’s Plan,” a mind game survival show from TEO Entertainment, that awards up to KRW500 million ($400,000) to the winner;
- and the third season of survival romance show “Singles Inferno,” which will air from the fourth quarter.
The streamer said that it is also readying a slate — two or three in 2023 — of midform-type contents. Midforms are 30-minute shows that require only three to four months of production. This enables the shows to stay relevant to current trends.
