Naver turns up the volume for Netflix in Korea

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Naver turns up the volume for Netflix in Korea

Published: 15 May. 2025, 09:47

Naver has seen an increase in subscribers and sales through the collaboration with Netflix. [NAVER]

Streaming giant Netflix has significantly increased user engagement in Korea over a short period, leveraging Naver’s powerful platform capabilities and strong connection with local users.

On April 28, Naver and Netflix held a “Nenet Meetup” to share the results of their six-month collaboration. Since last November, Naver has offered Netflix’s ad-supported plan as one of the digital content benefits of its Naver Plus Membership.

At the event, Netflix reported that its subscriber base had expanded across age groups, regions and genders. Notably, there was a significant increase in male users aged 30 to 40 — the key economically active demographic with high digital engagement. The partnership with Naver has helped secure this content consumption–leading group.

Industry experts also note that the collaboration has significantly enhanced Netflix’s accessibility. A Netflix representative described Naver as “a platform that communicates with users 365 days a year,” and praised it as a strategic partner with a vast user base, rich data and advanced content curation capabilities.

Choi Yoon-jung, director of business development at Netflix, said, “Naver was one of the partners our members were most excited to collaborate with,” calling the partnership a rare case even on a global scale.

Naver is increasingly seen as an attractive partner for global companies following the success of the collaboration with Netflix. [NAVER]

The partnership also led to increased viewership not only for new releases but for past hits such as “The Glory” (2022), “Squid Game” (2021-present) and “Hellbound” (2021-present). Choi described this as “the result of expanding Netflix’s value — allowing customers to watch what they want, when they want, on any device.”

Naver also saw growth in its membership through the collaboration. Jung Han-na, head of Naver Membership, said, “Since the partnership began, the daily average of new Naver Plus subscribers has grown by 1.5 times, and those who selected Netflix as a benefit spent over 30 percent more on shopping.”

On the marketing front, the collaboration yielded impactful results. Campaigns like “Nenet,” which integrated both brands’ identities, and initiatives linked to “Squid Game Season 2” —such as related content in Naver Search and Naver Map — demonstrated strong synergy.

“We observed connected consumption patterns, like users watching ‘Culinary Class Wars’ or ‘Squid Game,’ then using Naver to find restaurants, make reservations or shop,” said a Naver spokesperson.

Industry experts believe this case sets a precedent for future global partnerships. As Korea serves as a testbed for big tech, Naver is increasingly positioned as an attractive local partner.

“Naver Plus Membership will continue to enhance user experiences both online and offline,” the company added.

BY LEE YEBIN [[email protected]]

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