100 Best Foreign Shows on Netflix Right Now

100 Best Foreign Shows on Netflix Right Now

December 22, 2024

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As the biggest name in streaming, it won’t be a surprise to hear that Netflix has one of the biggest libraries of movies and shows. The American streaming service obviously hosts plenty of Hollywood blockbusters and indie hits, but viewers might be surprised at the variety of their library, with some shows acquired (and sometimes produced) by Netflix from all over the world. Depending on your algorithm, you might find some of them come up top in your home page, but if you’ve stuck with Hollywood films and want to start watching something out of your comfort zone, we’ve listed some of the best foreign series available on Netflix for you to start.

61. GOOD NIGHT WORLD

7.4

Country

Japan

Actors

Akio Otsuka, Aoi Yuki, Aya Endo, Daisuke Hirose

Moods

Action-packed, Character-driven, Depressing

With games creating whole virtual worlds, with stunning landscapes, powers, and storylines, it’s easy to escape into the fictional simulations, to the point of being addicted. Good Night World reimagines this idea in the present as a family drama, where video game addict Tachiro Arima struggles to relate with his family because of his addiction. As the show progresses, the game integrates with the real world, with real life-threatening consequences, but the show slowly uncovers how this game unraveled the Arimas’ family bonds, through neglect, depression, and shared trauma. It’s an interesting series about connection and video games, if you can get into the world of the series.

62. Divorce Attorney Shin

7.4

Country

South Korea

Actors

Cha Hwa-yeon, Cho Seung-woo, Han Eun-seong, Han Hye-jin

Moods

Character-driven, Discussion-sparking, Emotional

There are plenty of divorce-related Korean dramas, but Divorce Attorney Shin is a gem among them. Based on the webtoon with the same name, the show is centered on an eccentric lawyer, whose trot-dancing ways and unconventional handling of clients doesn’t detract from his winning cases. Instead of the ruthless and collected attorneys we’ve seen previously, Shin Sung-han has a human side, a side that enables him to empathize with his clients. And like the lawyer, the show does the same, handling multiple cases, without discarding them by the end of the episode, and embracing its nuances in a well-rounded way.

63. The Snow Girl

7.4

Country

Spain

Actors

Aixa Villagrán, José Coronado, Loreto Mauleón, Milena Smit

Moods

Challenging, Character-driven, Dark

Child kidnapping is any parent’s nightmare, and it’s the nightmare that drives the events of Spanish crime thriller The Snow Girl. Based on the 2020 novel of the same name, the limited series takes a unique double-pronged approach to the case at hand. The show goes through the regular police investigations we’ve seen previously, but it also comes mainly from the perspective of journalist Miren Rojo, whose previous trauma understandably limits her trust with the authorities. As the show moves the story from New York to Malaga, and switches between perspectives, and timelines, The Snow Girl adeptly maintains the novel’s original suspense, without over sensationalizing the crime at hand.

64. Cigarette Girl

7.4

Country

Indonesia

Actors

Aksara Dena, Ario Bayu, Arya Saloka, Dian Sastrowardoyo

Moods

Character-driven, Dramatic, Emotional

Netflix is no stranger to adapting novels, nor to period dramas – Cigarette Girl is one of many, but it’s one from Indonesia that stands out due to its unique premise and excellent execution. Based on the novel by Ratih Kumala, the show is a slow-burn, smoldering period romance set amidst Indonesia’s kretek cigarette industry, booming in the 1960s, but it’s framed within the 2000s, where the man’s family uncovers his lost love before he dies. The alternating timelines keep the mystery fresh, as each new revelation uncovers what really happened between the two, as well as what would happen with the fate of their families. This intriguing structure, along with excellent writing, and stunning sets and costumes, make Cigarette Girl a compelling show to watch.

65. VIVANT

7.4

Country

Japan

Actors

Fumi Nikaido, Hiroshi Abe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Masato Sakai

Moods

Action-packed, Binge-Worthy, Gripping

With an accounting mistake leading to being stranded in the desert, it’s hard to predict where VIVANT would lead us to. As corporate employee Yusuke tries to undo his supposed accounting error, he gets into a series of surprising events including having to negotiate with a terrorist, being accused of a bombing, and escaping to a Japanese embassy… and that’s just in the first episode. But rather than feeling overly complicated, the story feels exciting, like something akin to a spy thriller, with its large-scale sets, multi-country stakes, and the mystery of a secret organization. Vivant feels totally unexpected and out of left field, but it’s definitely a unique and entertaining watch.

66. Like Flowers in Sand

7.4

Country

South Korea

Actors

Jang Dong-yoon, Kim Bo-ra, Lee Jae-joon, Lee Joo-myung

Moods

Character-driven, Discussion-sparking, Lovely

Do we need to convince you about the spectacle of half naked, handsome, buff men wrestling? Like Flowers in Sand has plenty of that, with Jang Dong-yoon at the helm, but it’s more than just eye candy. It’s a warm, down-to-earth sports drama celebrating Korea’s traditional wrestling, set in the county that is known for ssireum. It has an intricate web of relationships that realistically depict the small town friend groups of childhood. And the cast is excellent, making each ordinary slice-of-life moment still feel compelling. Like Flowers in Sand may not have the crazy fantastical premises other K-dramas are known for, but it still feels unique with its straightforward passion of ssireum.

67. A Round of Applause

7.4

Country

Turkey

Actors

Aslihan Gurbuz, Cihat Süvarioğlu, Fatih Artman, Settar Tanrıöğen

Moods

Challenging, Funny, Grown-up Comedy

A Round of Applause is just so darn weird. We’ve seen stories about people remembering their past lives, but we’ve never seen them able to recall and yearn for their life as pulp in an orange, of all things. We’ve seen fetuses as characters, but we’ve never seen them as a neurotic chainsmoker, tugging at the umbilical cord in complaint. These strange, existential ideas get to amusingly absurd paths, leading to punchlines that aren’t expected but pulls out unexpected laughter while making us contemplate the lives we’re currently living. Even if the offbeat humor isn’t to your taste, A Round of Applause just feels so original that it’s worth a look.

68. To the Lake

7.3

Country

Russia

Actors

Aleksandr Robak, Aleksandr Yatsenko, Anton Krasovskiy, Kirill Käro

Moods

Binge-Worthy

This new Russian thriller show has an immaculate production value that can rival the biggest Hollywood shows.

It’s about a deadlier flu pandemic than the one we’re living through; one that kills anyone who becomes infected. It strikes Moscow first, quickly throwing the city into chaos as criminal gangs take over.

The show follows two families who live in a wealthy Moscow suburb as they try to reach a safe haven. Based on the famous book by Yana Vagner.

69. Reporting for Duty

7.3

Actors

Digão Ribeiro, Jefferson Schroeder, Leandro Hassum, Luciana Paes

Moods

Easy, Funny, No-brainer

Reporting for Duty is a delightfully chaotic workplace comedy that seeks nothing more than to entertain, and it fulfills this mission by packing each of its 30-minute episodes with lovable characters and silly plotlines. This alone makes it worth the watch, but it has layers to it that give it more heart and nuance than you’d initially expect. For instance, both the show and the precinct are led by the soft-hearted Suzano (Leandro Hassum), who proves to his team that you don’t always have to be tough and violent to get results. His presence also inspires the precinct to adopt a wider perspective and appreciate life outside the grind-and-hustle culture expected of them. To be sure, Reporting for Duty is a breezy, lighthearted watch, but I appreciate the underlying ideas that fortify its comedy.

70. Who Were We Running From?

7.3

Country

Turkey

Actors

Eylül Tumbar, Melisa Sözen

Moods

Binge-Worthy, Dark, Gripping

Fear and paranoia are the hallmarks of plenty of thriller series, but Who Were We Running From? takes this paranoia on a whole other level. Based on a 2007 novel, the Turkish mystery series is centered around a mother-daughter duo with a codependent relationship. Flitting from hotel to hotel, what’s normal for Bambi is an unhealthy bond with her mother, to the point where they personally believe that it’s them against the world. Yet, on some level, as they attract scrutiny, this paranoia feels almost justified. Through cinematic visuals, contrasts between them and everyone else, and near silence from the mother’s perspective, Who Were We Running From? creates a compelling mystery that stands out from other crime series available on the platform.

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