Research: Non-English content takes the lead in Netflix Originals
February 17, 2026
Research from Ampere Analysis highlights the critical role local Originals have played in Netflix’s international success in penetrating new markets. Audiences worldwide continue to show a strong preference for locally produced content, and in 2025, 52 per cent of Netflix’s Original TV season releases were non-English-language.
Breaking into majority territory for the first time, this represents the highest yearly share to date, up from 49 per cent in 2024. Movies, however, remain more English-language focused, with non-English titles accounting for 44 per cent of releases.
Key findings
- Spanish remains the leading non-English language for Netflix Original TV releases, accounting for 21 per cent of new Original TV seasons in 2025. However, the genre mix shifted significantly: scripted content rose from 63 per cent of Spanish-language titles in 2024 to 86 per cent in 2025. Comedy recorded the fastest growth, increasing from 6 per cent (sixth place) in 2024 to 19 per cent (second place) in 2025. Crime & Thriller remained the most common genre.
- Korean and Japanese content saw some of the most notable year-on-year changes. Korean-language Originals gained the most ground, rising from 12 per cent of non-English Original TV releases in 2024 to 20 per cent in 2025. This growth was driven by scripted hits such as Squid Game: Season 3 and When Life Gives You Tangerines, as well as multiple seasons of unscripted titles, including Getaway and Go with Jangdobari and Screwballs.
- Ampere expects Korean content to continue growing in strategic importance for Netflix. 2025 was a banner year for Korean-language TV commissions, with 39 seasons announced.
- Japanese was among the major languages to lose the most ground. Japanese-language Original releases declined year over year, from 6 per cent of Original TV releases in 2024 to 4 per cent in 2025.
- Netflix is more reliant on acquired Japanese titles. Of all acquired TV seasons available on Netflix in 2025, 20 per cent were Japanese – second only to English (43 per cent) and ahead of Korean (14 per cent).
- Anime remains an exception to Netflix’s broader push towards Original self-sufficiency. In 2025, 67 per cent of acquired Japanese TV seasons available on the platform were animated, while only four Original animated Japanese TV seasons were released.
- While non-English-language Original titles accounted for a majority of new TV season releases in 2025, in terms of Original content spend, English-language productions still represent a majority.
Rahul Patel, Principal Analyst at Ampere Analysis, commented: “Crossing the 52 per cent 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. And 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.”
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