Netflix app usage hits all-time high in Korea in January

Netflix app usage in Korea hit the highest ever in January amid the success of the streaming platform's original series “The Glory,” according to data analysis company WiseApp and Wise Retail ...

Total active viewer count for the Netflix smartphone application [WISEAPP, WISE RETAIL]

Netflix app usage in Korea hit the highest ever in January amid the success of the streaming platform's original series “The Glory,” according to data analysis company WiseApp and Wise Retail on Tuesday.

Analysis showed that there were a total of 12 million active viewers of the Netflix app among Korean smartphone users in January 2023. The analysis only took account of Apple iOS and Android smartphone viewers, excluding users who use other platforms such as web browsers or smart TVs to watch Netflix.

The active viewer count in January showed an increase of 15 percent compared to November. This was before the release of “The Glory,” which saw an average of 11 million active users.

The Netflix original series starring Song Hye-kyo is a revenge story about a woman who was bullied in her childhood. The show ranked first in 10 regions including Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Total cumulative Netflix smartphone app usage count [WISEAPP, WISE RETAIL]

The total cumulative app usage time in January was 4.9 billion hours, an increase of 24 percent compared to November last year, but it was a nine-percent decrease compared to the total cumulative app usage time in January 2022.

WiseApp and Wise Retail analyzed that there was a decrease in the Netflix app usage numbers and cumulative app usage time as the social distancing rules have been lifted, but believe that hit dramas such as “Reborn Rich” (2022) and “The Glory” helped increase both numbers later last year.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]