2020 on NETFLIX : The Year of Many Moods
What Malaysians watched and enjoyed on Netflix this year
This year, more than ever, how we watched has been a barometer of the full spectrum of moods and emotions we’ve experienced – from 😳 to 🙃, a solid amount of 😬, a generous dose of 😍, not forgetting 😭 and 🤯. Here’s a look at the Malaysia viewing trends on Netflix in 2020, the ‘Year of Many Moods’.
Malaysians love Asian love stories: We stayed up all night thinking about all the oppas that have won over our hearts in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Was It Love? and Record of Youth. It’s Okay not to be Okay stayed in the top 10 for over 100 days in Malaysia. Start-Up had us down with a serious case of second-lead syndrome thanks to #TeamJiPyeong. We also contemplated reaching out to Sima Aunty to find us a suitable match after watching her tell it like it is on Indian Matchmaking.
We rooted for the bold and daring: The excitement of racing through the streets of Dhaka with Chris Hemsworth made Extraction one of the most popular action films in Malaysia in 2020 along with Project Power, Spenser Confidential, Sangkar and Wira. We also found that Malaysians fell in love with all the leading ladies with strong characters such as Charlize Theron in The Old Guard, and Enola Holmes.
We longed for an escape from reality: Despite not being able to travel in 2020 due to the pandemic, our Malaysian members found new ways to travel across magical worlds with various Korean content and Kids and Family content. Lee Min-Ho’s long-awaited comeback, The King: Eternal Monarch, Mystic Pop-up Bar, The School Nurse Files are some of the most popular K-Drama that Malaysians loved in 2020. Malaysians also went Over The Moon with Fei Fei, Gobi and Chin as they embraced the Moon Goddess Chang’e and were captivated by the candor and croissants in Emily In Paris, so much so that Malaysians showed their appreciation by taking her around Perlis.
We caught up with our favourite anime: As we look back at the year, we can see that all countries in Asia watched 2X (100%) or more anime in 2020 compared to 2019 including Malaysia. We joined Ash and Pikachu on their hunt for the Mythical Pokémon Mew in Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution. We battled the Olympian gods in Blood of Zeus, and lived like a cat in A Whisker Away.
We had our minds blown: 2020 was a year of learning and exploration. Viewing for documentaries went up 2X or more in Asia, including Malaysia in 2020, compared to 2019. We were introduced to the world of cool cats and kittens with Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness We waved our lightsticks and learned what it takes to be a K-pop girl group in Blackpink: Light Up the Sky. And staying in the comfort of our homes this year, Malaysians were inspired by their favourite celebrities and Studio McGee to spruce up their humble abode with Get Organized with The Home Edit and Dream Home Makeover. Also, how can we ever forget the thrill of seeing the G.O.A.T. basketball icon, Michael Jordan, in action in The Last Dance?
We fuelled our fears: Asian horror had us sleeping with the lights on, from Korean zombies in Kingdom and #Alive, to screaming in terror alongside Park Shin-hye The Call. The Korean zombie film #Alive was in the Top 10 list in 90 countries, including Malaysia making it one of the most-loved titles on Netflix in 2020.
2020 also saw Malaysians enjoying Netflix in Bahasa Melayu as members can navigate the UI, read title names and synopses, and watch shows and movies with Bahasa Melayu subtitles and dubs.
