Could Netflix Move Away From the Binge-Watch Model?

Han So-Hee and Song Kang in Netflix K-Drama Nevertheless Photo: Netflix ... However, not all of Netflix's content follows this model. Skiptomaincontentarea Ad Home»CouldNetflixMoveAwayFromtheBinge-WatchModel? ByKaytiBurt|August17,2021|ShareonFacebook(opensinanewtab)ShareonTwitter(opensinanewtab)ShareonLinkedin(opensinanewtab)Shareonemail(opensinanewtab)| Commentscount:0 Photo:Netflix Netflixisknownforitsbinge-watchmodelinwhichthestreamerreleasesabulkofepisodes(usuallyaseasonor“part”)allatonce,allowingtheviewertomarathonmultiplehoursofTVinonesitting.However,notallofNetflix’scontentfollowsthismodel.MuchofNetflix’sincreasinglyexpansiveselectionofKoreandramascomeonaweeklybasis,moreakintothetraditionalbroadcastTVmodelthattowhatwe’vecometoexpectfromthestreaminggiant.Thissuggeststhata)thereissomethingaboutK-dramasthatencouragesweeklyviewingandb)Netflixisopentomovingawayfromitsbinge-modelstrategy.AsNetflixcontinuestogrowinternationally,couldweseemoreweeklyreleasesfromthestreamer?Let’sdiscuss! WhichNetflixShowsAreReleasedWeekly? ManyhavebemoanedtherelativedeathoftheweeklyTV-watchingmodel.Andwhilebroadcastandcablearefarfromdead,anincreasinglylargesegmentoftheviewingpublicisnowwatchingthingsinabinge-watchmodel,duetotheincreaseinstreamingplatformsthatofferbothnewandoldtitlesinbulkfashion. Thereareprosandconstoeachmodel,butoneofthemajordifferencesbetweenthetwoistheshapeofculturaldiscoursearoundahitshow.WhenaTVshowiswatchedinaweeklyfashion,theconversationisorganicallymoredrawnout,andusuallyallowsamorethoroughreactiontoindividualinstallments.WhenaTVshowisreleasedallatonce,theculturaldiscoursetendstoburnfastandbright,withanemphasislessonindividualepisodesandmoreonthelargerarcsoftheseasonandtheseason’sconclusion. It’sinterestingthatNetflix,astreamerknownforpioneeringthebinge-watchmodel,isnowexperimentingwithweekly“broadcasts”—andthatK-dramasrepresentabulkofthatstrategy.WhileNetflixhasamassivecatalogueofolderK-dramas,mostnewK-dramasreleasedonNetflixbecomeavailabletowatchonthestreamerjustafewhoursaftertheirbroadcastpremieresinKorea—suchasNevertheless,whichpremieredonNetflixonJune20thandwillwrapupitsrunlaterthismonth. Ad Ad–contentcontinuesbelow OutsideoftheworldofK-dramas,mostofNetflix’sexperimentswithaweeklyreleasemodelhavefallenintherealityprogrammingsectionofthestreamer.Earlierthisyear,NetflixchosetoreleasethesecondseasonsofbothTheCircleandTooHottoHandleinweeklyclumps,situatedsomewherebetweenthebinge-watchmodelandthetraditionalone-episode-per-weekschedule.ThismakessenseforunscriptedrealityTV,whichthrivesoffofthekindsofmelodramaticplottwiststhatmakeforperfectwater-coolerdiscussion(read:Twitterdiscourse).TheinclusionofK-dramasintothiscategorysuggeststhereissomethingabouttheirformatthatalsoencouragesweeklyviewing. ThenumberofTVshowsreleasedonaweeklybasiswillonlygrowasNetflix’sinvestmentinK-dramasgrows,whichitispoisedtodo.Atthebeginningof2021,Netflix releasedanofficialstatement announcingtheleasingoftwoproductionfacilitiesoutsideofSeoul,citingthemoveas“anotherimportantexampleofourcontinuedcommitmenttoinvestinginKorea’screativeecosystem.”Accordingtotherelease,Netflixinvestedover700milliondollarsinKoreancontentfrom2015to2020. Netflix’sExpansionIntoGlobalMarkets Netflix’sofferingsofTVshowsreleasedweeklycouldgrowasthestreamerexpandsintomoreglobalmarkets,especiallydependentonwhatkindsofdistributiondealsand/orregulationsNetflixencountersastheylooktogrowinvariousterritoriesaroundtheworld.ThoughmostanalystsseemtoagreethatNetflixhasmoreorlessreachedasaturationpointwhenitcomestoitsU.S.subscriberbase,there’sdefinitelyroomtogrowininternationalterritories,particularlyintheAsia-Pacificregion,whichsawmassivegainsin2020. Readmore TV TheBestKoreanDramasonNetflixtoWatchRightNow TV Live-ActionAvatarWillAdopttheSerial“NetflixFormat” AsNetflixandotherstreamersexpandinternationally,governmentsaroundtheworldarelookingtoregulatetheindustryintheirhomecountries.ThemostsignificantofthisrulesistheE.U.’sAudiovisualMediaServicesDirective(AMSD),whichsetsinvestmentobligationsforstreamerslookingtooperateinitsmembercountries.TheAMSDrequiresstreamersto“offera30percentquotaofEuropeancontenttoEuropeansubscribers…[and]allowsEUcountriestointroducenationallytailoredlegislationtomakestreamersdirectlyreinvestapercentageoftheirrevenuesineachEuropeancountrywheretheyoperateandalsoregulatetheirbusinessmodelsinindividualterritories.”Inotherwords,ifNetflixwantstooperateinEurope,ithastoinvestinthecountry’sexistingmediaindustryandinfrastructure,whichmeanssupportingexistingformats—andaudiences—thatthriveunderdifferentkindsofreleasemodels. WhyDoesNetflixReleaseK-DramasWeekly? It’sunclearhowNetflix’scontinuedexpansionintoglobalmarketscouldimpactitsmostlybinge-modelformat.Afterall,Netflixstillmostlyreleasesinternationalseriesinonego,ratherthaninthek-dramaweeklymodel.Thissuggeststhatthereissomethinguniqueaboutk-dramas—and/ork-dramafandom—thatmakestheweeklyreleasemodelasmartstrategyforNetflix. Ifyou’veeverwatchedak-drama,thismakessense.LikerealitycompetitionTV,K-dramascomeinaformatthatwasbuilttoencourageweeklyviewing.Mostepisodesendwithanemotionallycharged,dynamic-drivencliffhangerthatbothleavesviewerseagertofindoutwhathappensnextandalsomakesforagooddiscussionpointamongstfans.Fromthere,theepisodeusuallyfadesintostylizedsnapshotsofsomeoftheepisode’sbestmoments—which,again,encouragesconversationofwhatwasjustwatched.Finally,theinstallmentgoesintoabriefpromoforthecomingepisode.Thispromoisn’ttreatedassomethingseparatefromtheepisode,butisratherstitchedintothefabricoftheshow.ItwouldfeelstrangetowatchanepisodeofaK-dramathatdoesn’tendinthisrecognizableformat,andthisformatmakeslesssenseinthebinge-watchmodel,inwhichyoucansimplyclickovertothenextepisoderatherthandwellingonwhatyoujustwatchedanditsstorypossibilitiesmovingforward. Ad Ad–contentcontinuesbelow NotallTVshowsbenefitfromthebingemodel,justasnotallTVshowsbenefitfromtheweeklyreleasemodel.WhileNetflixhasmostlycommittedtotheformerintherolloutofbothitsnew,originaltitles,thestreamerhasshownawillingnesstofollowaweeklyreleaseshouldtheformat(anddistribution/productiondeal)warrantit.TheresulthasbeenandwilllikelycontinuetobeaconsistentandvariedofferingofTVdramasforNetflixuserswhomisstheweeklyTV-watchingexperiencebutwhoaren’tlookingtowatchserieselsewhere. Joinourmailinglist GetthebestofDenofGeekdeliveredrighttoyourinbox! Subscribe Wouldyouliketoseemoreweekly-releaseTVseriesonNetflix?Letusknowinthecommentsbelow. Ad Share:ShareonFacebook(opensinanewtab)ShareonTwitter(opensinanewtab)ShareonLinkedin(opensinanewtab)Shareonemail(opensinanewtab)|Comment: Commentscount:0 Tags:InternationalTVNetflix Writtenby KaytiBurt | @kaytiburt Kaytiisapopculturewriter,editor,andfull-timenerdwhocomesfromaworkingclassbackground.AmemberoftheTelevisionCriticsAssociation,shespecializes… ReadmorefromKaytiBurt MoreonInternationalTV TV TheBestKoreanDramasonNetflixtoWatchRightNow TV Kingdom:TrailerforKoreanMedievalZombieNetflixSeries Culture BTSTVandWebSeries:WheretoBeginWatching TV DidBTSInventStarTrek? Ad-contentcontinuesbelow Popular Movies UpcomingMoviestoWatchin2022 TV 2022TVPreview:TheBestNewShowstoWatch Games BestGamestoPlayin2022 Comics TheBestComicsof2021 Readthelatestissue Ad PrivacySettings