'Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area' Pockets Global Top Spot

Korea's new heist series has stolen the hearts of audiences around the world, with Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area topping the Global Non-English Top 10 this week.

In the new Top 10 list released today, which covers global audiences from June 20 - June 26, Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area debuted at #1 with 33.7M hours viewed.

The Korean remake of La Casa De Papel, which premiered on Friday June 24, raced to the top of the global watchlist in only three days and made the Top 10 in 51 countries. The series was also the #1 show in South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.

In this new retelling, Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area follows eight thieves as they stage a spectacular heist at a mint in the newly unified zone between North and South Korea. Along with its new setting, the series has been praised by fans for introducing uniquely Korean elements such as the Hahoe mask that the thieves wear.

"As a big fan of the original Spanish series, I felt intrigued to tell this vibrant story in a Korean context," said writer Ryu Yong-jae.

Netflix worked closely with the creators to ensure the remake would feel authentic to Korea while also adding fresh nuances to the narrative of the characters and the social commentary of the original.

"The geopolitical element of a North and South Korea on the verge of reunification adds to the powder keg of tension that makes the original so beloved," said Keo Lee, Director of Content, Netflix Korea, at an earlier panel.

"We were very lucky when we received this pitch from Ryu and the producing team, which felt like the right framework for a remake that would be respectful to the original while bringing something new that fans in Korea and globally would appreciate."

Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area is the latest in a series of Korean shows to lead the global Top 10 list. In the first half of 2022, shows including All Of Us Are Dead, Juvenile Justice, and Business Proposal have all reached #1 with global audiences.