Ten years ago, Netflix launched in South Korea as one more streaming service in a crowded market. This weekend it threw a party to celebrate how much has changed since then. Netflix Janchi, a two-day fan festival held Saturday and Sunday in Seoul, brought together fans, actors, creators and executives to look back on a decade of Korean storytelling and, more importantly for viewers, to show off what is coming next.

The event took place at Oil Tank Culture Park in Seoul’s Mapo District, according to The Korea Times, and it featured familiar faces from the shows that turned Korean content into a global force, from “Squid Game” to “D.P.” and the animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters.”

A ‘Squid Game’ reunion

One of the most anticipated moments was a panel looking back at “Squid Game,” the 2021 survival drama that became one of Netflix’s biggest hits ever. Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun and Park Hae-soo attended, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and reflecting on the show’s reach.

Lee Jung-jae said the moment that touched him most deeply was when fans living overseas told him they were “so proud to be Asian, to be Korean.” He described it as “immensely gratifying” to receive that kind of emotion from starring in a single series.

Lee Byung-hun, whose masked character was unveiled in the first season, recalled getting a flood of calls from shocked acquaintances after that reveal. What surprised him most, he said, was that people from all cultures and countries connected with a story told in Korean, which showed him that “if a work is good, anyone in the world can enjoy it together through a streaming platform.”

‘Tantara’ opens the ‘What’s Next?’ showcase

The centerpiece of the festival was a “What’s Next?” presentation of upcoming projects. It opened with the stars of “Tantara,” the new series from veteran screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung: Song Hye-kyo, Gong Yoo and Kim Seol-hyun.

The drama is set in the Korean entertainment industry between the 1960s and the 1980s and follows Min-ja (Song) and Dong-goo (Gong) as they relentlessly push toward success. Kim described it as a story in which “reality is brutal and violent, but the dream of success and mutual devotion shine through the mud.” Song said that even though the show is set in a different era, she believes viewers around the world will relate to characters living passionately to achieve their dreams.

For K-drama fans, pairing Noh Hee-kyung with Song Hye-kyo and Gong Yoo is about as star-studded as a lineup gets, so expect “Tantara” to be one of the streamer’s most closely watched Korean releases.

‘Solo Leveling’ goes live-action

Another big draw was the live-action adaptation of “Solo Leveling,” based on the web novel and webtoon that, according to the Korea Times, have racked up 14.3 billion views worldwide. The story already has a huge international following thanks to its anime adaptation, which makes the live-action version a high-stakes project.

Byeon Woo-seok, who plays the hero Sung Jin-woo, told the crowd it was an honor to introduce a project that has received so much global love, and said the cast, director and crew are hard at work on filming. No release date was given.

A Lee Chang-dong film and the return of ‘All of Us Are Dead’

The showcase was not limited to series. The cast of “Possible Love,” the new film from acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong, also took the stage: Sul Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong. Sul admitted he signed on without reading the script purely out of trust in the director, while Zo talked about the warm reception the film received at festivals in Venice, Toronto and New York. Cho described it as a film that asks fundamental questions about love.

Then came the zombies. Cast members from “All of Us Are Dead” Season 2, including Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun and Lomon, greeted fans. Yoon, whose character Cheong-san’s fate was left uncertain at the end of the first season, drew cheers by declaring, “You might have thought I was dead, but Cheong-san is still alive.” Fans who have waited years for answers now have confirmation that he is back.

Ted Sarandos: Korea is more than a market

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos joined the celebration and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the country. “10 years ago, we dreamed big, but none of us could have imagined that Korean stories would move hearts around the world and land right in the center of the global culture,” he said.

He credited Korean creators, actors, crews and fans for the success, and said that for Netflix, Korea “is where we discovered new possibilities, and where we learned how far a story can travel,” calling it “one of our most treasured partners for the future.”

Outside the stage, the festival had the feel of a fan convention, with cosplayers dressed as Huntrix from “KPop Demon Hunters” and visitors posing in front of a wall listing Netflix’s Korean titles.

The takeaway

A decade in, Netflix is clearly betting that the Korean wave is far from over. With a prestige drama in “Tantara,” a franchise swing in “Solo Leveling,” a festival-tested film from Lee Chang-dong and a long-awaited zombie sequel, the next few years of K-content on the platform look busy. Release dates for most of these titles have not been announced yet, so keep an eye on Netflix’s official channels for trailers and premiere news.

Image: East Gate by Tomas Forgac via Flickr, Public Domain Mark 1.0