When Netflix released the Korean sci-fi disaster film “The Great Flood” in mid-December, the movie quickly rose above the crowded holiday streaming slate. Within days, it claimed the No. 1 spot on Netflix’s global non-English movie chart and has continued to dominate rankings for multiple weeks, signaling another international breakthrough for Korean cinema.
Directed by Kim Byung-woo, “The Great Flood” stars Kim Da-mi and Park Hae-soo in a tense survival story set in a near-future Seoul overwhelmed by catastrophic flooding. The film follows An-na, an artificial intelligence researcher, as she fights to keep her young son alive inside a submerged apartment building while society collapses around them.
According to Netflix’s weekly Top 10 data, the film drew nearly 28 million views in its first full week of release. That number climbed to more than 33 million the following week, allowing “The Great Flood” to outperform several high-profile English-language titles on the platform, Netflix said.
The strong showing reflects Netflix’s continued success with Korean content, which has consistently attracted global audiences across genres ranging from survival thrillers to romantic dramas.
A Global Hit With an Uneven Critical Response
While viewership numbers tell one story, critical reaction has been more divided. Some reviewers praised the film’s performances and visual scale, particularly Kim Da-mi’s restrained portrayal of a mother under extreme pressure. Others criticized the screenplay for uneven pacing and familiar disaster movie tropes.
Screen Rant described the movie as a visually striking survival drama that benefits from its confined setting but struggles to balance spectacle with character development. IMDb News similarly highlighted audience enthusiasm while noting that critical reception has remained mixed.
In South Korea, the response to the film has also split opinion. Korea JoongAng Daily reported that “The Great Flood” has topped Netflix charts for a third consecutive week, even as some domestic critics questioned its narrative coherence. Despite those critiques, the outlet noted that international audiences have embraced the film’s emotional core and high-stakes premise.
The movie’s success comes at a competitive moment for Netflix, which has seen renewed interest in established franchises and original films alike. Deadline reported that major releases, including the final season of “Stranger Things,” have dominated Netflix’s most-watched lists in recent weeks. Even so, “The Great Flood” managed to maintain its momentum amid heavy competition.
Why ‘The Great Flood’ Resonates
Netflix attributed part of the film’s appeal to its universal themes of survival, parenthood, and ethical responsibility in the face of technological and environmental collapse. Netflix described the movie as a character-driven disaster story grounded in emotional realism rather than spectacle alone.
That approach appears to resonate with viewers worldwide, especially as climate anxiety and disaster narratives continue to shape popular entertainment. The film’s success also reinforces Netflix’s strategy of investing heavily in Korean productions with global crossover potential.
As streaming platforms increasingly rely on international titles to drive engagement, “The Great Flood” stands as another example of how non-English films can achieve mainstream dominance.
