Pictures: Netflix
One of the best things about Netflix is its international list of titles from around the world. In fact, they are unrivaled in this department and already, in 2023, they have provided some excellent entertainment. Below are our picks for the best new international series launching on Netflix in 2023.
We’ll be revisiting this list throughout 2023, so keep it bookmarked.
Now, without further ado, here are some of our favorite new international series coming to Netflix in 2023.
The glory
Country of origin: South Korea
Language: Korean
Cast: Stars: Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Ji-yeon Lim
Image: Netflix
We were wondering if the Korean drama boom was over, since no recent addition has garnered attention like we are all dead, Infernaleither squid gameThe greatest of all.
How wrong were we?
The glory it came out of nowhere late last year and knocked everyone down, and earlier this year we got the second installment. Since that second installment, the show has entered Netflix’s all-time list of the most-watched international series.
For those unfamiliar with the show, the series follows a woman’s quest for revenge against her childhood bullies.
Copenhagen cowboy
Country of origin: Denmark
Creators: Sara Isabella Jonsson Vedde and Nicolas Winding Refn
Cast: Angela Bundalovic, Andreas Lykke Jørgensen, Li Ii Zhang
Image: Netflix
Nicolas Winding Refn is behind this ambitious and artistic Scandinavian crime thriller that Netflix had high hopes for when it premiered in early January 2023.
While it never set Netflix’s top 10 on fire, those who stuck with the show were treated to a uniquely engaging crime thriller that is clearly Refn and comes with all the quirks and quirks you’d expect from the creator.
The premise of the six-episode series is that a woman with mysterious supernatural abilities seeks revenge against those who have wronged her.
woman of the dead
Country of origin: Austria
Language: German
Cast: Anna Maria Muhe, Felix Klare, Yousef Sweid
If there is one genre of series that Europe as a whole stands out the most, it is crime drama and mystery. woman of the dead (also know as totenfrau) certainly meets those criteria.
Originally from Austria (one of the region’s first solo originals), the show follows a woman’s quest to find out who killed her husband, and in doing so, exposes her small community’s deepest and ugliest secrets.
In his review of the series, The decider gave him a STREAM IT The rating added that while it is a «fairly straightforward thriller», it has a «spectacular backstory and a main character with a tragic backstory and some personality quirks.»
women at war
Country of origin: France
Language: French
Creator: Cecile Lorne
Cast: Audrey Fleurot, Julie De Bona, Camille Lou
Image: TF1
While Netflix original titles from international territories are usually produced in-house, Netflix still continues to get big hits from the regions that air elsewhere. That’s what they did with Women at War, which aired on TF1 before hitting Netflix everywhere in January 2023.
The miniseries is set during World War I and follows the paths of four women who come across each other from different backgrounds.
The series, also known as Les Combattantes, scored impressive numbers in the top 10 on Netflix, with excellently written female characters. At the same time, the background setting of the series, along with plenty of twists and turns, keeps you hooked until the very end.
The world according to Lidia Poet
Country of origin: Italy
Language: Italian
Creators: Guido Iuculano and Davide Orsini
Cast: Matilda De Angelis, Eduardo Scarpetta, Pier Luigi Pasino
Image: Netflix
Netflix has had some big changes outside of Italy so far in 2023, but so far, none of us have impressed more than The world according to Lidia Poet, which is a mix between Enola Holmes, Bridgerton and The company.
Here’s the official synopsis for the series:
“A woman, banned from practicing law, prepares an appeal to overturn the court’s decision in this true story of Lidia Poët, Italy’s first female lawyer.”
It is a well-crafted period drama with great characters, sublime costumes, and an enjoyable story set in a fascinating time period.
Class (Season 1)
Country of origin: India
Language: Hindi
Cast: Zeyn Shaw, Moses Koul, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee
Class – Picture: Netflix
One trend that we will see continue in the coming years is international adaptations of other Netflix original titles. Perhaps one of the best is Class, based on the Spanish success Elite.
Class has the basic premise and themes of its cousin Elite follows three students from a slum who join an exclusive high school where murder and secrets abound.
The series clearly hit the right mark in India, consistently charting in the top 10 after its release and earning a Season 2 renewal order. The Brown Daily Herald also commented that the series stands a notch above its source material, calling it «a class apart», and we’re inclined to agree.
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
Country of origin: Japan
Language: Japanese
Cast: Nana Mori, Natsuki Deguchi, Ai Hashimoto
Image: Netflix
Sadly, Netflix’s anime slate has so far not delivered in our book, so we’re going to highlight Japan’s excellent The Makanai.
Ultimately, the series is about friendship, telling the story of two friends who move to Kyoto to pursue their dreams of becoming a Maiko, but have different approaches to getting there.
teacher in blue (Season 1)
Classification: TV-MA
Country of origin: Greece
Language: Greek
Gender: Mystery, Romance, Crime, Drama
Director: Christophoros Papakaliatis
Cast: Christoforos Papakaliatis, Haris Alexiou, Maria Kavoyianni, Fanis Mouratidis, Marisha Triantafyllidou, Yannis Tsortekis
Image: Netflix
Also known simply as Maestro, this miniseries is Netflix’s first Netflix Original title to originate in Greece, and it’s an absolute hit.
Set on the picturesque island of Paxos, Greece, this series is the story of a mocked musician, Orestis, who moves to an island to revive a forgotten music festival. While he is there, the Greek sunlight shines too bright and his life takes an unexpected turn when he falls in love with Klelia, the daughter of the island’s all-powerful mayor.
What has been your favorite international series added to Netflix so far in 2023? Let us know in the comments.