[비즈한국] In South Korea, many people wind down their day by browsing through various OTT platforms before heading to bed. This year, countless original contents were released through OTT services; some garnered buzz while others were ignored, and some received critical acclaim while others faced harsh reviews. From the industry titan Netflix and the local OTT services chasing it, to Disney+ which had a stellar year, we have compiled a 2023 OTT year-end wrap-up by platform.
Netflix: A Grand Start, But a Feeble Finish
One-line Review: Netflix, show us content worthy of your reputation!
Netflix Korea released 14 original drama series in 2023, including Part 2 of "The Glory." The start was promising. Since Part 1 of "The Glory" was released on December 30, 2022, it effectively marked the real beginning of 2023. Immediately after its release, "The Glory" took the No. 1 spot in Korea and numerous Asian countries, and upon the release of Part 2, it became a bona fide mega-hit, reaching No. 1 on the global Netflix TV show charts on March 13. According to the Engagement Report released by Netflix for the first time on December 12, "The Glory: Season 1" accumulated 622.8 million viewing hours, ranking 3rd in cumulative viewing time for the first half of the year. However, if you ask whether many of the subsequent works received high scores for both quality and commercial success, the answer is "not really."
It was particularly disappointing to see works that seemed more focused on satisfying dopamine cravings with provocative content rather than building a solid narrative. While "Queenmaker" indulged in "excessive consumption" of the acting talents of heavyweights Kim Hee-ae and Moon So-ri to boost dopamine, "Celebrity" was a collection of weak probability, clichés, and awkward acting that only induced stress. "Black Knight" starring Kim Woo-bin, "Bloodhounds" with the duo Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi, and "Song of the Bandits" with Kim Nam-gil and Seohyun were also disappointing. "Gyeongseong Creature," released at the end of the year, felt like it put an end to the string of disappointments from Netflix.
Of course, just as flowers can bloom and rain can fall in the desert, there were good works besides "The Glory." "Mask Girl," featuring three actors—Lee Han-byul, Nana, and Go Hyun-jung—playing the same character, was a hit and received glowing reviews. It was a work where the actors' passionate performances were so outstanding that there was little disagreement on their quality, even if opinions on the work itself varied. "Daily Dose of Sunshine" established itself as a rare healing drama these days with a solid script, featuring detailed research and realistic depictions of mental illness. "D.P. Season 2" did not quite reach the popularity of its predecessor, but it was praised as a satisfying conclusion to the series.
When it comes to films, it's hard to give high scores. Netflix released "Jung_E," the posthumous work of Kang Soo-yeon, along with "Unlocked," "Kill Boksoon," "Ballerina," and "Believer 2." Except for "Kill Boksoon," which gathered attention thanks to Jeon Do-yeon's action scenes, few works received favorable reviews. However, in variety shows and documentaries, titles like "Physical: 100," "Siren: Survive the Island," "Hit and Run," "The Devil's Plan," and "In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal" gathered significant public attention.
Disney+ & Coupang Play: Proving ‘Quality Over Quantity’
One-line Review: One well-made piece of content is better than ten from Netflix!
Although their scale cannot be compared to Netflix, it is fair to say that Disney+ was the one that focused on substance and smiled this year. The Korean-style hero drama "Moving," based on the webtoon of the same name, had a production budget of 65 billion won and a star-studded cast including Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo, Zo In-sung, Cha Tae-hyun, Ryu Seung-bum, Kim Sung-kyun, Moon Sung-geun, Go Youn-jung, Lee Jung-ha, and Kim Do-hoon. It lived up to expectations, capturing both box-office success and critical acclaim. Immediately after the release of "Moving," the number of active users for Disney+ in Korea jumped by 46%. It ranked 1st in the "Korean Favorite Video Programs" by Gallup Korea in September, and topped the 2023 consolidated rankings released by the content community KinoRights on December 28, surpassing "The Glory."
Disney CEO Bob Iger even mentioned "Moving" as the only non-US work alongside "Elemental" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" when explaining the reasons for Disney+'s growth. "Moving" is evaluated as the savior that brought a dying Disney+ back to life at a time when there were rumors that the company would stop producing original content in Korea. Beyond this, "Big Bet," which showcased Choi Min-sik's passionate performance, and "Shadow Detective," featuring Lee Sung-min, concluded with their second seasons this year. Although opinions varied, crime action dramas "The Worst of Evil" and "Vigilante" also received attention.
Coupang Play, which released only two original dramas this year—"Decoy" and "Boyhood"—is also ending the year on a high note thanks to one well-made piece of content. "Boyhood," which ran from November 24 to December 22, highlighted Im Si-wan's surprising comedic talent; word-of-mouth about how entertaining it was led to a rapid increase in viewers. Furthermore, Coupang Play is currently No. 1 among local OTT platforms, surpassing TVING and Wavve. With Coupang Play set to exclusively broadcast the Major League Baseball (MLB) Seoul Series, which will mark Shohei Ohtani's official debut for the LA Dodgers in Korea next year, its stature is expected to grow even further.
Hang In There—That Is the Way to Win! TVING & Wavve
One-line Review: You worked hard this year, let’s see what happens after you merge next year!
TVING and Wavve, considered the leading local OTT services, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a merger on December 5. According to Mobile Index, as of the end of October, TVING had 5.1 million Monthly Active Users (MAU) and Wavve had 4.23 million. If the two merge, they would have a combined user base of nearly 10 million. While they are smaller than Netflix, which has over 10 million MAUs, they have showcased meaningful works.
This year, TVING released original dramas starting with "Island Part 2," followed by "Duty After School," "All That We Loved," "Cruel Intern," "A Bloody Lucky Day," and "Death's Game." Among these, "A Bloody Lucky Day," which highlighted Yoo Yeon-seok's acting transformation, garnered attention in the second half of the year. "Death's Game," starring Seo In-guk and Park So-dam, which released Part 1 on December 15, entered the Top 10 in 43 countries, providing momentum for Part 2 to be released next year. In variety, "Witch Hunt 2023" achieved the No. 1 spot for weekly paid subscriber contribution among TVING originals for two consecutive weeks. "EXchange," returning for its third season on December 29, is set to solidify its reputation as the definitive "obsessive dating reality show." Wavve released the mid-form drama "One Day Off," starring Lee Na-young, and "The Deal," starring Yoo Seung-ho and Kim Dong-hwi, both receiving favorable reviews. However, they took on many unique challenges, such as documentaries like "National Investigation Headquarters" and "The Evil Coverage," and the variety show "Bloody Game Season 2," all of which generated good buzz.
About the writer, Jung Soo-jin:
After working at various magazines, I have covered and written about film, travel, and pop culture. While I don't want to fall behind on trends, I have become an old-timer who predicts obvious clichés while watching the latest dramas. I am currently trying to regain my sense of the industry while drifting through the vast world of OTT, and my current wish is for a unified OTT subscription plan.