Netflix's 'Field Rat' Tops Global Chart With 4.4 Million Views, Wins Over the World With a Twist on Folklore

K-thriller reaches No. 1 among non-English titles two weeks after release, breaks into top 10 in 45 countries

Ryu Jun-yeol and Sol Kyung-gu lead Netflix mystery thriller 'Field Rat', which has emerged as the latest force behind a global streaming surge.

According to an announcement posted Thursday on Netflix's official Tudum site, 'Field Rat' recorded 4.4 million views from the 31st of last month through the 6th of this month, placing it at the top of Netflix's non-English shows chart. The series reached the milestone just two weeks after release, following a fifth-place debut in its first week.

Its reach has extended well beyond Asia. The series topped the charts in four countries, including South Korea, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Pakistan, and broke into the top 10 in 45 countries worldwide.

An adaptation of a popular webtoon of the same name, 'Field Rat' reimagines the Korean folktale 'The Field Rat That Ate Fingernails' through a modern lens. It follows the intense pursuit involving Je Mun-jae (Ryu Jun-yeol), a reclusive novelist whose entire life is stolen by an unidentified entity; No-ja (Sol Kyung-gu), a ruthless loan shark searching for a missing fortune; and detective Park Sun-yong (Lee Kyu-hyung), who probes the truth behind a bizarre series of events. The tightly wound suspense has captured the attention of viewers around the world.

The global dominance of K-content did not stop with 'Field Rat'. 'Four Hands', starring Song Kang and Lee Jun-young, made a splashy debut at No. 5 in its first week on Netflix. 'This Damn Love,' starring Jung Hae-in and Ha Young, has held a spot near the top at No. 7, while the romantic comedy 'Chilling Romance', starring Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong, ranked No. 10. Together, the three titles joined 'Field Rat' to give South Korea four entries in the non-English shows top 10, underscoring the remarkable strength of Korean productions.