K-drama craze sweeps India as viewership jumps 48% in a year to 107.8 million

【New Delhi, India — Correspondent Pragya Awasati】Korean dramas (K-dramas) have moved beyond their past niche appeal among select fan groups in India’s entertainment market. They have built a broad audience through a range of OTT (over-the-top) platforms and are now becoming a major part of the country’s entertainment landscape.
According to an Ormax Media tally on the 6th, the number of Korean drama viewers in India rose 48%, from 72.9 million in 2025 to 107.8 million in 2026. Women accounted for a relatively large share of viewers, at about 60%; among women who watch OTT content, about 23% also watched Korean dramas. Among male OTT viewers, the figure was about 11%.
Analysts say this shows that K-dramas are no longer confined to a particular age group or a small fan base. A range of genres, from romance and family stories to thrillers and emotional dramas, is drawing interest from Indian viewers and broadening the audience for Korean content. A prime example is Netflix’s original series 'Squid Game,' considered the most-watched Korean drama in India to date. Its three seasons have recorded at least 20 million views combined.
As K-dramas grow in popularity, global OTT platforms are also increasing their investment in Korean content. Since the start of 2026, a total of eight Korean dramas have appeared in the weekly 'Top 50' rankings of major platforms, including Netflix, Amazon MX Player, Amazon Prime Video, and JioHotstar.
The growing number of platforms offering Korean dramas is also seen as a major factor behind their rising popularity. In the past, content was concentrated on certain platforms, but now a variety of Korean dramas are available across multiple OTT services, making them much more accessible to Indian viewers.
India has the world’s largest population and is one of the biggest video-viewing markets in the world. However, the economic value generated by its video content industry is still considered relatively low compared with its enormous audience. Media Partners Asia estimates the value of India’s screen economy at about $12.4 billion a year (approximately 16.6544 trillion won).
In this context, the growth of K-dramas could create new opportunities for both Korean content companies and India’s OTT market. With a broad consumer base taking shape, particularly among women, analysts say interest could also extend beyond Korean dramas to Korean films, variety shows, webtoons, and more. In India’s OTT market, K-dramas are becoming one of the rapidly growing global content genres, moving beyond being simply part of the Korean Wave.

[email protected] Correspondent Pragya Awasati Reporter