Netflix has shared an extensive report of its global viewership numbers for the first time. AFP
Netflix has shared an extensive report of its global viewership numbers for the first time. AFP
Netflix has shared an extensive report of its global viewership numbers for the first time. AFP
Netflix has shared an extensive report of its global viewership numbers for the first time. AFP

Netflix viewers spend one-third of time watching foreign-language productions


Faisal Salah
  • English
  • Arabic

Foreign-language productions account for almost a third of all Netflix content streamed, the platform says.

South Korean drama The Glory racked up 662 million hours of streaming between January and June this year, the third most-watched show on Netflix. La Reina del Sur was sixth with 429.6 million.

The top Arabic language show was The Exchange, which is set in Kuwait. It garnered 19.3 million hours. Meanwhile, UAE reality show Dubai Bling notched 18.6 million hours.

In the top 10 film category, French flick AKA was ninth, with 120 million hours streamed.

The data was revealed in the What We Watched, A Netflix Engagement Report, the platform's first biannual insight into viewership trends. It looked at 18,000 titles, which accrued 100 billion hours of viewing time.

The most popular show was The Night Agent (812.1 million hours) and the most popular film was The Mother (249.9 million hours).

K-drama The Glory was the third most popular Netflix show in the first half of this year. Photo: Netflix
K-drama The Glory was the third most popular Netflix show in the first half of this year. Photo: Netflix

Speaking about the report, Netflix's chief executive Ted Sarandos said licensed material accounts for 55 per cent of its viewership. Older shows such as Breaking Bad and Suits remain a strong pull for viewers.

Of the top 10 shows and films on the list, only six were released this year, while the others were from last year or 2021.

Korean shows and films lead the way among foreign language pr

oductions, with many placing in the top 50 including the reality show Physical 100 (in 15th) and the fourth season of dating show Love is Blind (in 17th).

Spanish shows and films also have a strong following.

Top 10 shows

1. The Night Agent, season one, 812.1 million

2. Ginny & Georgia, season two, 665.1 million

3. The Glory, season one, 622.8 million

4. Wednesday, season one, 507.7 million

5. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, season one, 503 million

6. You, season four, 440.6 million

7. La Reina del Sur, season three, 429.6 million

8. Outer Banks, season three, 402.5 million

9. Ginny & Georgia, season one, 302.1 million

10. Fubar, season one, 266.2 million

Top 10 movies

1. The Mother, 249.9 million

2. Luther: The Fallen Sun, 209.7 million

3. Extraction 2, 201.8 million

4. You People, 181.8 million

5. Your Place or Mine, 163 million

6. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, 142.9 million

7. We Have a Ghost, 124.4 million

8. The Pale Blue Eye, 120.5 million

9. AKA, 120 million

10. Minions: The Rise of Gru, 96.4 million

South and West: From a Notebook
Joan Didion
Fourth Estate 

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

The specs: 2019 BMW X4

Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800

Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces

 

  • Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
  • Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
  • Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
  • Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
  • Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

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What is the definition of an SME?

SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.

A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors. 

How being social media savvy can improve your well being

Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.

As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.

Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.

Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.

Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.

However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.

“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.

People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler

Price, base / as tested Dh57,000

Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine

Transmission Six-speed gearbox

Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm

Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km

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The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Updated: December 14, 2023, 5:48 PM`