10 Best foreign language TV Shows to watch on Netflix

Sayan
Money Heist (Image via Netflix)
Money Heist (Image via Netflix)

Netflix has been putting serious money into international TV shows, and the results speak for themselves. These shows don’t stretch out their seasons or waste time with filler.

They get straight to the point and keep things moving from the first episode. The acting is phenomenal, and the writing feels sharper than what you’ll find in a lot of TV shows. While some viewers may think subtitles are some chore, they aren't. Subtitles enable viewers to actually hear the voices and tone that make these stories work.

These shows come from all over the world and bring something different every time. You get sharp crime stories, emotional dramas, and some of the wildest romance plots you’ve ever seen.

The list here is not trying to impress anyone. It is just a roundup of shows that are worth your time. If you are tired of the same old stuff, then this is where to look. You might find your next favorite show in a language you don’t speak.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinions. Reader discretion is advised. Do let us know what TV should have made the cut in the comments below!


Best foreign language TV Shows to watch on Netflix

1) Dark (Germany – Sci-Fi/Thriller)

Dark (Image via Netflix)
Dark (Image via Netflix)

Dark works because it refuses to hold your hand. The timeline is dense, and every jump between years brings consequences that feel earned. What makes it stand out is how it uses silence and pacing to build dread. You feel the weight of every decision across generations.

It doesn’t explain itself twice. The actors deliver their lines in a way that reflects the time they are from. That’s why the original language matters. Subtitles let you hear those shifts. Dubs erase the tone and rhythm. If you want to follow the details, you need to hear the real voices.


2) Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) (Spain – Heist Drama)

Money Heist (Image via Netflix)
Money Heist (Image via Netflix)

The Professor holds everything together with logic and calm in Money Heist. His planning feels real because of how he speaks. That is what gives the team structure. The plan is long and detailed but never confusing. The tension inside the mint changes with every move, and the actors show that through how they talk and react.

The original Spanish adds sharpness that dubs cannot match. Every heated argument or whisper in this show depends on the tone.


3) Squid Game (South Korea – Thriller/Drama)

Squid Game (Image via Netflix)
Squid Game (Image via Netflix)

Episode six shows exactly why Squid Game became a global hit. The marble game isn’t just cruel. It breaks the trust between people you already started to care about. The cast makes every loss feel personal, and that works because their delivery carries emotion that no dub can copy.

The characters are not just scared. They are desperate and trying to hold onto dignity. That comes through in how they speak. The quiet scenes land just as hard as the loud ones. This show is worth watching.


4) Call My Agent! (Dix Pour Cent) (France – Comedy/Drama)

Call My Agent! (Image via Netflix)
Call My Agent! (Image via Netflix)

This show doesn’t work without chaos. The agents deal with celebrity meltdowns and office politics at the same time. The dialogue is fast, but the actors keep it grounded. What makes it special is how real the celebrities act while playing themselves.

You see them behave in ways you don’t expect. Watching this in French matters because the humor depends on timing and tone. The agents don’t speak like polished PR people. They panic and argue, and that feels true.


5) Crash Landing on You (South Korea – Romantic Drama)

Crash Landing on You (Image via Netflix)
Crash Landing on You (Image via Netflix)

This is not just a romance. It is about two people from different countries forced to depend on each other. Their differences are clear in how they speak and act. The show builds tension through quiet moments and guarded conversations.

It takes time, but you start to feel what they feel. Their accents and tone show the cultural gap in ways subtitles help you follow. The story lands because of the detail in how they talk. That is not something you should skip.


6) Borgen (Denmark – Political Drama)

Borgen (Image via Netflix)
Borgen (Image via Netflix)

Borgen shows how power changes a person without turning her into a symbol. Birgitte Nyborg becomes prime minister, and nothing stays simple after that. Every decision creates a new problem. Her home life breaks down as her public role grows.

The show pays attention to how people speak when they are trying to hold control. You hear doubt even when the words sound strong. Watching it in Danish lets you catch those shifts.


7) The Glory (South Korea – Revenge Drama)

The Glory (Image via Netflix)
The Glory (Image via Netflix)

The Glory works because it lets revenge feel slow and cold. Moon Dong-eun waits years to build her plan. She knows her enemies better than they know themselves. The best part is how she speaks without raising her voice. Her calm is not peace. It is control.

That makes her scarier than any violent outburst. Song Hye-kyo plays her like someone holding back a storm. You can hear the weight in her voice when she confronts each bully.


8) Lupin (France – Mystery/Heist)

Lupin (Image via Netflix)
Lupin (Image via Netflix)

Lupin depends on Assane Diop’s ability to stay unnoticed while doing everything in plain sight. He talks his way into museums, banks, and police offices without anyone catching on. Omar Sy uses charm as his main tool. The way he speaks makes people listen and underestimate him at the same time.

You hear the shift when he moves from one persona to another. That shift only works in French. The rhythm of his voice is part of the trick.


9) The 7 Lives of Léa (France – Supernatural Drama)

The 7 Lives of Léa (Image via Netflix)
The 7 Lives of Léa (Image via Netflix)

Léa wakes up in someone else’s body every morning, and every life teaches her something she did not know before. The show does not treat this like a stunt. It uses each switch to build empathy. The mystery matters, but the emotional weight is what makes it work.

You know who Léa is because each actor keeps something about her voice. That thread connects her to every new body. Watching in French helps you follow that thread.


10) Extraordinary Attorney Woo (South Korea – Legal Drama)

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Image via Netflix)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Image via Netflix)

Woo Young-woo, a lawyer with Asperger's syndrome, speaks with precision because every word matters to her. She notices things other people miss. She repeats phrases when she feels stuck. These are not just character quirks. They are how she makes sense of the world. Park Eun-bin plays her with care.

You can hear the shift when Young-woo starts to understand a case or when someone makes her feel safe. That shift is the key to her character.


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Edited by Abhimanyu Sharma
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