Shows: Lady Dua at No. 1 — Drama Dominates as Variety Sustains Long-Term Popularity
In the 'Shows' category of Saudi Arabia's Netflix chart for the third week of February, the drama Lady Dua (directed by Kim Jin-min, written by Choo Song-yeon) claimed the top spot. The series entered the chart at No. 6 immediately after its release on 13 February before climbing to No. 1 the following week. Starring Shin Hye-sun and Lee Jun-hyuk, Lady Dua is a mystery drama centred on the confrontation between Sara Kim — a woman who sought to become the ultimate counterfeit — and Detective Mugyeong, who relentlessly pursues her true identity. The series drew viewers in with its tautly constructed exploration of desire and identity.
▲ Saudi Arabia Netflix Shows Top 10 No. 1 — Lady Dua (Week 3, February) — Source: Tudum by Netflix
Solo Hell Season 5 (directed by Kim Jae-won et al., written by Ji Hyun-sook and Lee Jung-hwa), released on 14 January, held positions of No. 4 in the fourth week of January, No. 3 in the first week of February, and No. 7 in the second week of February, remaining in the Top 10 for more than a month. While its ranking fluctuated somewhat, the series maintained a stable viewership over an extended period. Meanwhile, the twelve-episode drama Can This Love Be Translated? (directed by Yoo Young-eun, written by Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran) entered the chart at No. 2 immediately after its 16 January release, subsequently recording No. 5 in the fourth week of January and No. 9 in the first week of February. It generated strong buzz in its opening period before gradually settling to a lower position.
▲ Saudi Arabia Netflix Shows Top 10 (Week 1, February) — (Left) No. 3: Solo Hell Season 5; (Right) No. 9: Can This Love Be Translated? — Source: Netflix
This data indicates that Korean content consumption on Saudi Arabia's Netflix continues to be led by dramas and variety programmes. Episode-based content appears to work in favour of higher chart positions by extending viewers' time on the platform.
Films: Limited Presence in the Top 10 — Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight Enters at No. 8
In the films category, Korean titles had a relatively limited presence. The only Korean entry was the youth romance film Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight (directed by Kim Hye-young), which entered the chart at No. 8 in the first week of February. Starring Choo Young-woo and Cynthia, the film follows the story of a girl whose memory resets every day and the boy who loves her. Based on the novel of the same name by Japanese author Ichijo Misaki, the story was also adapted as a Japanese film in 2022. Given that films are consumed as single units rather than ongoing series, they tend to have a shorter chart lifespan than serialised content. This month's figures again reflect the relatively stronger performance of Korean dramas and variety programmes over films.
▲ Saudi Arabia Netflix Movies Top 10 No. 8 — Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight (Week 1, February) — Source: Tudum by Netflix
