Netflix Data Reveals 67% of Members Want to Visit Korea After Watching Local Content

During a session at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, Netflix disclosed that 67% of its internationally surveyed members expressed an interest in traveling to South Korea. Sung Q. Lee, Netflix’s senior director of APAC production, presented the findings at the opening masterclass of Creative Asia on Oct. 10.

Lee emphasized that the draw for viewers is driven primarily by compelling narratives set in the country rather than its physical landscapes alone. The Creative Asia initiative, now in its third year, is a collaboration between Netflix, the Asian Film Commissions Network, and the Motion Picture Association.

Held at Dongseo University’s Centum Campus, this year’s program expanded to include workshops led by Netflix executives alongside traditional industry panels and masterclasses. The opening discussion, moderated by Busan Asian Film School professor James Bang, explored the intersection of location and storytelling.

The panel featured location manager Lauren Cooper and Kunieda Reiko, co-producer of the film “Perfect Days.” Cooper described her process of reading scripts as an audience member first before assessing logistical needs, noting that filmmaking requires significant flexibility and collaboration with production designers.

Kunieda referenced director Wim Wenders, stating that artificiality can detract from a film’s quality. She highlighted that on “Perfect Days,” which was filmed over 16 days, the production allowed the story to emerge organically from its settings. She also cited the Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” set in Jeju, to illustrate how universal emotions help audiences connect with unfamiliar locales.

“Location and storytelling are not separable,” Kunieda said, adding that the production’s role is to translate creative ambitions into the final cinematic product.