‘Our Sticky Love’ tops Netflix non-English chart amid controversy over Ha Young’s alleged pro-Japanese family
The romantic comedy became Netflix’s most-watched non-English series worldwide in its second week, despite controversy surrounding Ha Young’s family history.
Actors Jung Hae-in and Ha Young, right, pose for photos during a press conference for Netflix series “Our Sticky Love” at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Aug. 5.
NEWS1
The Netflix series "Our Sticky Love," starring Ha Young — who recently faced backlash over her great-grandfather's alleged pro-Japanese activities during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea — has become the platform's most-watched non-English show worldwide in its second week of release.
The series drew 7.5 million views, a metric based on total viewing hours divided by runtime, from Aug. 10 to Sunday, and ranked No. 1 among non-English titles, according to Netflix’s official Top 10 chart. The show premiered globally on Aug. 7 and opened at No. 5 in its first week before climbing to the top spot a week later.
"Our Sticky Love" follows an ambitious prosecutor who loses her memory, Go Eun-sae, played by Ha Young, and her boxing coach who also claims to be her boyfriend, Jang Tae-ha, played by Jung Hae-in.
The romantic comedy ranked No. 1 in 26 countries, including Korea, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Indonesia, and entered the Top 10 in 68 countries.
The series had drawn attention even before its release for casting Jung, known for his roles in romantic dramas. Its blend of comedy, action and noir elements helped draw viewers in.
But the show's success has been overshadowed by controversy surrounding its lead actor. Ha Young has come under fire after recently revealing on a television program that she comes from a family of doctors spanning four generations — a remark that drew scrutiny to her great-grandfather's activities during Japan's colonial rule and led to the cancellation of scheduled cast interviews.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [kim.hayoon1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
