Jul 31, 2025
In recent years, Asian content has grown significantly, both in number and popularity. What was once considered niche content is now a significant part of the global mainstream, especially among younger audiences.
Asian Productions Gain Visibility in the U.S.A.
South Korea and Japan lead this shift. While Hollywood slows down due to rising production costs, these countries are producing more and faster, finding success across borders. The global turning point came when Parasite (2019) won the Oscar and Squid Game (2021) became a phenomenon. Since then, Asian productions have maintained a steady presence in global rankings. Series like The Glory (2022), Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022), My Roommate Is a Gumiho (2021), and Light Shop (2024) have gained strong international traction on streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.
Japanese cinema has experienced a remarkable surge in recent years, with titles achieving widespread global recognition. Films like Your Name (2016) marked a pivotal moment in Japanese cinema, standing out as one of the most significant productions in its genre. This success paved the way for other anime films to gain greater visibility in mainstream cinema. In this context, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (2020) became one of the most notable titles, reaching unprecedented popularity and surpassing other major Japanese productions such as Oscar-winning Spirited Away (2001).
This growth suggests evolving audience tastes and the arrival of new content hubs that may increasingly share the stage with Hollywood.
Japanese and Korean Titles Expand on U.S. Platforms
Between 2024 and 2025, Japanese and Korean titles increased across all major U.S. platforms:
Prime Video led growth, expanding both Korean and Japanese libraries. Japanese titles grew by 30%, while South Korean titles saw a 54% increase.
Netflix increased mostly in Japanese content, with a 21% growth in Japanese titles, compared to a modest 7% increase in South Korean content.
Disney+ showed modest growth, with a 0.7% increase in Japanese titles and a 13% increase in South Korean titles.
These trends reflect rising demand and show how platforms are adapting their content strategies to U.S. audience preferences.
Series vs. Movies: What U.S. Viewers Prefer
In 2025, series make up 64% of the Japanese and Korean content available in U.S. catalogs, while movies account for the remaining 36%. This aligns with global trends favoring serialized storytelling and long-term engagement. From 2024 to 2025, Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ increased their availability of series more than movies.
In fact, the percentage of U.S. households watching movies dropped 14% in the last year (from 77% in 2023 to 66% in 2024). Series viewership remained stable, reinforcing why platforms are prioritizing series over movies in their content strategies.
Who’s Investing Most in Original Asian Content?
Netflix is the leading investor in original Asian content. By 2025, it had produced over 510 original titles in South Korea and Japan. This surpasses other platforms significantly.
Its 2025 lineup includes 25 new Korean titles—11 series, 7 movies, and 7 variety shows—produced entirely in South Korea.
Most Popular Asian Series on Netflix U.S.A.
In 2025, 4 of the top 5 most-popular Asian series on Netflix U.S. were Netflix Originals. In addition, 3 of those were produced in South Korea:
Squid Game (2021)
When the Phone Rings (2024)
Squid Game became a global phenomenon upon its release in 2021, captivating audiences with its gripping storyline and unique take on survival games. As one of Netflix's most successful originals, it brought Korean content into the international spotlight, particularly in the United States. Given its massive success, it’s no surprise that Netflix invested in a third season, which premiered on June 27th. The season was a hit, maintaining its position as the most popular series in the United States for the three weeks following its release.
The top 5 is completed by two Japanese anime titles, Jujutsu Kaisen (2020) and Sakamoto Days (2025), the last one being one of Netflix’s own original productions. Another title with high popularity on Netflix U.S. is the K-drama When the Stars Gossip (2025), which is also an original production from the platform.
Leading Genres in Asian Streaming Content
When looking at the genres of Asian series available on major U.S. streaming platforms, sci-fi leads the way, representing 31% of all titles. It is followed by:
Animation (21%)
Drama (13%)
Action (11%)
Comedy (8%)
This differs from overall U.S. genre preferences in 2024, where comedy and drama ranked higher (62% and 55%, respectably) and sci-fi ranked lower at 35%. Netflix’s focus on sci-fi and animation suggests it's anticipating future shifts in audience interest.
Top Asian Movies on Netflix U.S. in 2025
All of the top 5 Asian films on Netflix U.S. in 2025 are Japanese productions. However, none are Netflix Originals. Standout titles include:
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Suzume (2022)
Netflix has temporarily acquired the rights to Grave of the Fireflies (1988) to introduce its audience to the world of anime and the universe of Studio Ghibli. This film serves as an excellent gateway for those who have yet to explore the studio's unique and captivating stories. On the other hand, South Korean titles like Parasite (2019) and Train to Busan (2016) also appear but remain non-originals.
One possible reason for Netflix’s relatively lower volume of original film production in Asia could be the decline in theatrical movie viewership, as previously mentioned. While Netflix released seven original films in Asia this year—a figure that’s not insignificant—series remain the primary focus. In many cases, films become available on streaming platforms shortly after their theatrical release, a strategy that helps minimize financial risk.
A clear example of this is the film Bogota: City of the Lost (2024), which was released in theaters on December 31 in South Korea and, just one month later, was made available globally on Netflix on February 4, 2025.
Film Genres in Japanese and Korean Titles
Among Asian films available on U.S. platforms, the top genres are:
Thriller (20%): being 202 Japanese productions and 182 from South Korea
Sci-fi (19%): being 316 Japanese productions and 43 from South Korea
Drama (14%): being 185 Japanese productions and 96 from South Korea
Animation (13%): being 216 Japanese productions and 33 from South Korea
Action (9%): being 118 Japanese productions and 57 from South Korea
Japan’s strong presence in these categories reinforces Japan’s consistent role in shaping global cinema preferences. These genres also align closely with those of the most popular Asian films on Netflix U.S. during the first quarter of 2025. The top titles featured a mix of animation, drama, thriller, action, and sci-fi. This supports Japan’s influence in shaping global content preferences.
Although sci-fi leads the way in Asian film availability on Netflix, it appears less dominant in general viewing preferences as already shown before, indicating Netflix’s strategic focus on diversifying its content. Animation, which is ranked lower in overall U.S. viewership (24%), is more prominent in the Asian film category on Netflix. This highlights the platform’s approach to curating content that appeals to niche audiences while still aligning with genre trends like drama and action.
Netflix’s Growing Commitment to Asian Content: New Korean and Japanese Originals Set for 2025
Netflix’s Upcoming Asian Originals for 2025
Netflix continues expanding its Asian catalog. Coming highlights include:
South Korea:
Aema (Q3 2025): a comedy and drama series
Can This Love Be Translated? (Q4 2025): a romance and drama series
The Great Flood (Q4 2025): an upcoming disaster thriller
Japan:
Alice in Borderland (September 2025): an action and drama series that is returning for its third season.
Last Samurai Standing (November 2025): drama and historical movie
10Dance (December 2025): a romance movie
These upcoming titles show Netflix’s long-term strategy to lead in Asian content production for global audiences. As viewing habits evolve and demand for diverse content grows, Asian productions continue to gain traction in the U.S.A. streaming market.
Platforms are expanding their catalogs, with Netflix leading the way in both availability and original production. As Korean and Japanese titles become increasingly mainstream, will 2025 mark a tipping point for Asian content as a global streaming powerhouse?
