[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] Terrestrial TV dramas are captivating audiences both at home and on global over-the-top (OTT) streaming services simultaneously. Broadcasters, who once found themselves losing viewers to the rise of OTT platforms, are now leveraging OTT as a global distribution channel to expand their influence. The success of SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” is a prime example of how the relationship between broadcasters and OTT platforms is shifting from competition to collaboration.

According to the broadcasting industry on the 20th, “Doctor X,” starring Kim Ji-won, set a new series high with a nationwide viewership rating of 18.5% for its fourth episode, which aired on the 17th. Starting with 11.4% for the first episode, the ratings continued to rise with 14.9% for the second and 15.1% for the third. The peak viewership soared to 20.8%, drawing attention to the possibility of the show breaking the 20% national viewership barrier.
The response on Netflix has also been enthusiastic. According to Tudum, Netflix’s official tracking site, “Doctor X” ranked first in the global non-English TV shows category from the 5th to the 11th, recording 4.6 million views. This achievement came just three days after its premiere on the 9th. The series topped the charts in seven countries, including South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia, and ranked in the top 10 in 36 countries worldwide.
What’s noteworthy is that “Doctor X” is not a Netflix Original but a terrestrial broadcast drama. It airs at a set time on SBS, while on Netflix, viewers can enjoy the series whenever they choose. In essence, the success of the TV broadcast and additional viewership via OTT are occurring simultaneously around a single piece of content.
Behind this shift lies a strategic partnership between broadcasters and OTT platforms. In December 2024, SBS signed a six-year content supply agreement with Netflix. Under this agreement, SBS supplies not only new dramas, variety shows, and educational programs but also past hit shows, with some new dramas premiering simultaneously worldwide. This structure allows SBS to expand its reach beyond domestic broadcasts to international audiences, while Netflix continues to secure proven Korean content.

In fact, this year, SBS has produced a string of shows that have topped Netflix’s global non-English TV show rankings, including “Sold Out Again Today,” “Brave New World,” “Director Kim,” and most recently, “Doctor X.” This indicates that there is a growing body of evidence showing how a broadcaster’s programming competitiveness translates into content competitiveness on global OTT platforms.
This also has significant implications for the industry. Broadcasters can maintain their advertising competitiveness through traditional TV ratings while expecting additional licensing revenue and international exposure through OTT distribution. Conversely, OTT platforms can stabilize their content supply by leveraging new shows presented by broadcasters, rather than relying solely on their own original productions. This is a model in which a single piece of content expands its value through two distinct distribution channels: TV and OTT.
However, collaboration between broadcasters and OTT platforms does not necessarily lead to unconditional revenue growth. This is because, while securing a global distribution network, opportunities to utilize content on other platforms may be limited depending on overseas licensing terms or exclusive supply agreements. The licensing fees secured by broadcasters, the long-term value of their intellectual property (IP), and their level of dependence on OTT platforms are cited as key variables that will determine their future competitiveness.
A broadcasting industry official stated, “It has become difficult to evaluate the competitiveness of terrestrial TV dramas based solely on TV viewership ratings,” adding, “It is becoming increasingly important not only how many viewers a show attracts domestically but also how widely it is consumed overseas and whether this translates into actual revenue. Terrestrial broadcasters, which had been overshadowed by OTT services, are now leveraging OTT to find new growth opportunities.”