This New Korean Sci-Fi Film Is Shattering Netflix Viewership Records
The Great Flood is off to a huge start on Netflix and is already making headlines. The new Korean sci-fi movie quickly became one of the most watched titles on the platform just days after release.
Viewers around the world jumped in over the weekend, pushing the film straight to the top of Netflix’s global charts.
Data shows the movie opened at number one with more than 50 million hours watched in its first three days. That equals nearly 28 million views. Netflix also confirmed that the film now holds the title of “Best launch for an international film released on a Friday since the beginning of the ratings era.” The streaming service shared this milestone after comparing it to past international and Korean releases.
The strong start places The Great Flood ahead of every Korean movie that debuted on the same day of the week. None of those titles came close to its opening numbers. This early performance makes it one of Netflix’s biggest international movie launches to date.
The Great Flood is a South Korean science fiction disaster film released in 2025. It was written and directed by Kim Byung-woo and stars Kim Da-mi and Park Hae-soo. The story centers on people trapped in a flooded apartment building as the world faces total collapse. At its core, the film mixes survival drama with ideas about artificial intelligence and the future of humanity.
A catastrophic flood leaves a mother and son trapped. Their survival may impact all of humanity.
— Netflix (@netflix) December 20, 2025
The Great Flood is now playing. pic.twitter.com/tOtGlwBaZw
The movie first screened earlier this year at the Busan International Film Festival. It was shown in the Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere section, giving it early attention before its global release. After the festival run, Netflix released the film worldwide on December 19.
Critics have been split but mostly positive so far. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 60 percent of early reviews rated the film favorably. While reviews vary, audience interest has been clear based on the streaming numbers alone.
All viewership figures come from Netflix’s official rankings, while review data is sourced from Rotten Tomatoes and premiere details from the Busan International Film Festival.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
