Compared to 2019, K-drama viewing in the Philippines went up more than 350% this year, according to Netflix.
“We dialed up the drama with our love for K-dramas,” the streaming service said in its “2020 on Netflix: The Year of Many Moods” year-end report for the Philippines.
Lee Min Ho’s ‘Eternal Monarch’ rules
Netflix said “The King: Eternal Monarch,” starring Lee Min-Ho, “reigns supreme as the most popular K-drama in the Philippines this year.”
Mental health-themed “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” was the most enduring title of 2020 on Netflix Philippines. It stayed in the Top 10 for 103 days.
Joo Ji-hoon’s historical zombie drama “Kingdom: Season 2” is also in the list of this year’s top K-dramas on Netflix.
‘Start-up,’ ‘Record of Youth’ in Netflix Philippines’ 2020 most popular list
“We were inspired by the passion and determination of Park Sae-Royi in ‘Itaewon Class,’ and capped the year debating over #TeamJiPyeong or #TeamDoSan in ‘Start-Up,’” Netflix added as it enumerated more top K-dramas this year.
Park Seo-joon played Park Sae-Royi in the webtoon-based drama “Itaewon Class.” It is about an ex-convict and his friends who fight an industry giant to realize their dreams for their bar.
In “Start-Up,” Kim Seon-ho plays the role of wealthy investor Han Ji-pyeong, who became a fan favorite. Meanwhile, Nam Joo-hyuk is Nam Do-san, a startup founder and Ji-pyeong’s rival for the heart of Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy).
Another Nam Joo-hyuk starrer, “The School Nurse Files,” also made it to Netflix’s list.
Coming-of-age drama “Record of Youth,” starring Park Bo-gum, Park So-dam, and Byeon Woo-seok, is also among Netflix Philippines’ top K-dramas.
Other popular K-dramas on Netflix Philippines this year include “The World of the Married,” “Extracurricular,” “VIP,” and “Hi Bye, Mama!”
Korean and Asian horror movies also topped the list in Netflix’s horror category: “Asian horror had us sleeping with the lights on, from Korean zombies in ‘#Alive’ and ‘Train to Busan,’ to the unsettling paranormal stories in Metamorphosis and The Maid.”
The zombie movie “Train to Busan,” which stars Gong Yoo, launched in Netflix Philippines last July. Meanwhile, “#Alive,” – which Hallyudorama reviewed in September – features Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye, whose movie “The Call” is also a top film in Netflix’s thriller category this year.
“Blackpink: Light Up the Sky,” a documentary about the South Korean girl group BLACKPINK, was also mentioned in the report.
Popular Filipino and Japanese titles on Netflix
Netflix also said Filipino stories ruled our screens this year: “We felt proud and celebrated Netflix Films from the Philippines – ‘Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story,’ ‘Alter Me,’ and ‘Finding Agnes.’”
However, it is “Through Night and Day” with Paolo Contis and Alessandra de Rossi “that proved to be the most popular Pinoy film on Netflix.”
Other popular Filipino titles on Netflix this 2020 include “Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap,” “Love the Way U Lie,” “Once Before,” “On Vodka, Beers, and Regrets,” “Ordinary People,” “The Hows of Us,” “Jowable,” “How She Left Me,” “Unforgettable,” “Just a Stranger,” and “Cuddle Weather.”
Meanwhile, Japanese animated romantic fantasy film “Weathering With You,” is this year’s most popular anime title on Netflix Philippines. In the report, Netflix also mentioned “Yu Yu Hakusho” – more popularly known as “Ghost Fighter” – and “A Whisker Away.”
Here’s the list of the most popular titles of 2020 on Netflix Philippines by genre:
- Romance: “Through Night and Day”
- Drama: “Enola Holmes”
- K-drama: “The King: Eternal Monarch”
- Comedy: “Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap”
- Kids & Family: “Over The Moon”
- Action: “Extraction”
- Thriller: “Money Heist: Part 4”
- Horror: “#Alive”
- Documentary: “American Murder: The Family Next Door”
- Anime: “Weathering With You”