By Kratagya Rathore and Manas Sen Gupta
Netflix’s contribution to revolutionising international content is undeniable. The streamer has shattered language barriers, captivating audiences worldwide with an array of non-English shows like Culinary Class Wars (South Korea), Berlin (Spain), and Queen of Tears (South Korea) demonstrating the power of compelling storytelling.
With subtitles and dubbing making content more accessible, viewers crave shows featuring diverse cultures, perspectives and talent. The impact is tangible. For instance, according to The Chosun Daily, Culinary Class Wars, one of the best foreign series on Netflix currently, has boosted Korea’s food industry, sparking a resurgence in traditional markets. Its debut season winner, Kwon Sung-jun (Napoli Matfia), claimed a KRW 300 million (approximately INR 1.8 crore) grand prize, elevating competing chefs to celebrity status and inspiring online meme fest, all owing to its huge popularity. It may not have made the cut to enter the top 10 of the best foreign series on Netflix yet, but it might soon, based on the rising number of views for the massively popular show.
Netflix’s bi-annual ‘What We Watched’ report offers a glimpse into the most watched shows of the first half (1 January – 30 June 2024) globally. The report was released on 19 September 2024. Notably, South Korea’s Squid Game remains the most popular non-English Netflix show of all time, based on its 265 million views within its first 91 days.
But, here, we are looking at the most popular foreign TV shows released in 2024. From romantic Korean dramas and sassy Spanish telenovelas to mesmerising French thrillers, Netflix’s global content has won hearts. In this article, we’ll explore the most-watched non-English Netflix shows in 2024.
10 best non-English TV shows of 2024 on Netflix with the most views
Jump To / Table of Contents
- Berlin
- The Asunta Case
- Queen of Tears
- Raising Voices
- Parasyte: The Grey
- Furies
- The Signal
- Bandidos
- Anthracite: Secrets of the Sect
- House of Ninjas
1 /10
Berlin
Country: Germany
No. of views: 48.5 million
Created by: Esther Martínez Lobato, Álex Pina
Cast: Pedro Alonso, Michelle Jenner, Tristán Ulloa, Begoña Vargas, Julio Peña, Joel Sánchez
Release date: 29 December 2023
Episodes: 8
Synopsis: Andrés de Fonollosa aka Berlin (Alonso), in his glory days, calls upon and leads a masterful gang consisting of Keila (Jenner), Damián (Ulloa), Cameron (Vargas), Bruce (Sánchez) and Roi (Peña Fernández) in Paris for one of his most ambitious robberies ever: stealing jewels worth EUR 44 million from 34 cities in one night.
About the show: Though released in December 2023, Berlin, a spinoff of the Spanish drama Money Heist (2017), is one of the most-watched non-English shows on Netflix in 2024. In February this year, Netflix renewed it for a second season.
2 /10
The Asunta Case
Country: Spain
No. of views: 30.7 million
Created by: Ramón Campos, Jon de la Cuesta, Gema R. Neira
Cast: Candela Peña, Tristán Ulloa, Javier Gutiérrez, María León
Release date: 26 April 2024
Episodes: 6
Synopsis: After Rosario Porto (Peña) and Alfonso Basterra (Ulloa) report that their 12-year-old adopted daughter Asunta is missing, the investigation soon turns against them and unravels an ugly truth.
About the show: The Spanish true crime thriller is based on the 2013 murder of Asunta Basterra, a 12-year-old girl whose body was subsequently found on the side of a road in Teo, Spain.
Country: South Korea
No. of views: 29 million
Created by: Jang Young-woo, Kim Hee-won
Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, Lee Joo-bi
Release date: 9 March 2024
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Hong Hae-In (Ji-Won), the third-generation heiress of the Queens Group, finds herself in love with Baek Hyun-Woo (Soo-Hyun), the son of a farmer from Yongdu-r. Over the next three years of their marriage, a remarkable love story develops as the couple navigates a significant crisis together. The revival of their love amidst adversity is a thing of beauty to watch.
About the show: The romantic drama Queen of Tears emerged as the most-viewed Korean show on Netflix in the first half of 2024, as indicated by the streaming service’s biannual report published in September. It not only led the rankings for non-English programming but also claimed the 14th position among the overall most-watched shows on Netflix.
4 /10
Raising Voices
Country: Spain
No. of views: 25.4 million
Created by: José Manuel Lorenzo, Miguel Sáez Carral
Cast: Nicole Wallace, Clara Galle, Aïcha Villaverde, Teresa de Mera
Release date: 31 May 2024
Episodes: 6
Synopsis: Alma (Wallace), a 17-year-old on the verge of graduating high school, shares a close bond with her two best friends, Greta (Galle) and Nata (Villaverde). Their friendship is marked by shared experiences and the common challenges of adolescence. However, the situation takes a dramatic turn when Alma posts a photo accompanied by the caption, “This is me the day before I was raped.” This revelation leads to an investigation that profoundly impacts Alma’s life and tests her connections with her friends and those around her.
About the show: The Spanish teen drama is based on the novel Ni Una Más written by Miguel Sáez Carral. The show addresses themes like assault and teen suicide.
5 /10
Parasyte: The Grey
Country: South Korea
No. of views: 25.4 million
Created by: Hitoshi Iwaaki
Cast: Jeon So-nee, Koo Kyo-hwan, Lee Jung-Hyun, Kwon Hae-hyo
Release date: 5 April 2024
Episodes: 6
Synopsis: Jung Soo In (So-nee) gets infected with an extraterrestrial parasite on her hand, leading to an unusual coexistence as the parasite fails to take complete control of her mind. Seol Kang Woo (Kyo-hwan) tracks down people who have been taken over by parasites in his quest to find his missing sister. Choi Jun Kyung (Jung-Hyun), the leader of the parasitic life team known as ‘The Grey’, is driven by the desire to eradicate the parasitic water after the loss of her husband. This group of individuals engages in a battle against the growing threat of unidentified parasitic life forms that feed on human hosts and seek to expand their influence.
About the show: Parasyte: The Grey is based on the manga Parasyte, written by Hitoshi Iwaaki. While it takes place in the same continuity as the manga, the Netflix K-drama is not set in Japan, but in South Korea. At the end of season one, Shinichi Izumi, the protagonist of the original manga makes a cameo appearance, sparking hopes for a season 2.
6 /10
Furies
Country: France
No. of views: 23.3 million views
Created by: Jean-Yves Arnaud and Yoann Legave
Cast: Lina El Arabi, Marina Foïs, Steve Tientcheu, Mathieu Kassovitz, Jeremy Nadeau
Release date: 1 March 2024
Episodes: 8
Synopsis: Lyna Guerrab’s (El Arabi) father falls victim to a mob-related homicide. After serving time in prison after her failure to disclose the identity of their killers to the authorities, Lyna embarks on a quest to seek vengeance for her father’s death. She is approached by Selma, known as The Fury (Foïs), a peacekeeper within the Parisian mafia, who enlists her to track down her dad’s assassin.
About the show: This dynamic and thrilling French TV series is filled with unexpected twists and intense action sequences. Due to its graphic violence, strong language, and sexual themes, it is intended for mature audiences. According to What’s on Netflix, the series has been renewed for a second season.
7 /10
The Signal
Country: Germany
No. of views: 19.3 million views
Directed by: Sebastian Hilger, Philipp Leinemann
Cast: Florian David Fitz, Peri Baumeister, Yuna Bennett
Release date: 7 March 2024
Episodes: 4
Synopsis: Paula (Baumeister), an astronaut, vanishes mysteriously while travelling in a plane days after returning to Earth from a space mission. Sven (Fitz), her distraught husband, and their nine-year-old daughter, Charlie (Bennett) begin an investigation which leads them to a possible planetary threat which appears to be the reason why Paula disappeared.
About the show: The Signal is a miniseries that falls in the sci-fi genre, whose plot may make some viewers draw parallels with the acclaimed series 3 Body Problem.
8 /10
Bandidos
Country: Mexico
No. of views: 16.1 million views
Created by: Pablo Tébar
Cast: Alfonso Dosal, Ester Expósito, Juan Pablo Medina
Release date: 13 March 2024
Episodes: 8
Synopsis: A gang of misfits band together to work for a con artist named Miguel (Dosal) to seek an ancient Mayan treasure believed to be long lost. They soon discover that they are not the only ones looking for it.
About the show: The heist caper is entirely fictional but contains references to real Mayan historical figures. Apart from Mexico City, it was filmed in some of the most beautiful places in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula – Mérida, Playa del Carmen, and Morelos.
Country: France
No. of views: 16.1 million views
Created by: Fanny Robert, Maxime Berthemy, Mehdi Ouahab
Cast: Noémie Schmidt, Hatik, Stefano Cassetti
Release date: 10 April 2024
Episodes: 6
Synopsis: When her journalist father goes missing during an investigation into a cult long thought to have disintegrated, web sleuth Ida (Schmidt) travels to a ski resort in the French Alps to investigate. There she meets a mysterious man named Jaro, who has a connection to the cult’s founder, Caleb Johannson (Cassetti).
About the show: The crime drama miniseries is reportedly based on the 1995 mass massacre of its members by a cult named Order of the Solar Temple in the French department of Isère.
10 /10
House of Ninjas
Country: Japan
No. of views: 15.9 million views
Created by: Dave Boyle
Cast: Kento Kaku, Yōsuke Eguchi, Tae Kimura, Kengo Kora, Aju Makita
Release date: 15 February 2024
Episodes: 8
Synopsis: Descendants of the great Hattori Hanzō, the Tawara family is the last ninja family of modern Japan. Years after a personal tragedy made them leave their traditional role, the family is united when a new threat emerges for Japan. But the family members are quite peculiar in their own ways and need to get along to counter the threat.
About the show: House of Ninjas is rated 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes and is the most-viewed Japanese show of 2024 on Netflix, making it one of the best foreign series on the streamer. It is expected to have a season 2, but nothing has been officially announced.
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which is the best non-English show on Netflix?
‘Berlin’, ‘Queen of Tears’, and ‘Parasyte: The Grey’ are some of the popular non-English shows on Netflix in 2024.
Which is the highest-rated non-English television show on Netflix according to IMDb?
The anime series ‘One Piece’, released in 1999, is the highest-rated non-English TV show available to watch on Netflix. The series has an IMDb rating of 9.0/10.
Which is the most-watched non-English TV show on Netflix?
As of July 2024, the South Korean show ‘Squid Game’ is the most popular non-English TV show on Netflix, with over 265 million views in its first 91 days.
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Netflix Berlin Queen of Tears culinary class wars Non english shows Most Watched