A controversial South Korean sci-fi disaster film has become an unexpected hit for Netflix in the UK, soaring into the platform's top ten despite a wave of scathing reviews. 'The Great Flood' debuted on the streaming service in late December 2025 and has quickly captured audience attention, currently ranking as the seventh most-watched film in the country.
A Disaster Film With a Daring Twist
The movie, which offered a stark alternative to festive Christmas content, stars Kim Da-mi as Dr. Gu An-na, a widowed AI researcher living in Seoul. The plot centres on her desperate fight for survival with her six-year-old son, Jai-in (played by Kwon), when a cataclysmic global tsunami submerges their 30-floor apartment complex.
Forced to race upwards as floodwaters surge through the windows, An-na battles panicked neighbours and looters in a tense struggle to reach the roof. The stakes are raised when she receives a call from a mysterious man, played by Squid Game star Park Hae-soo, who claims rescue agents are en route by helicopter.
However, the film takes a sharp and ambitious narrative turn. After being separated from her son and rescued by Park's character, Hee-jo, An-na discovers his motives may not be altruistic. The story evolves from a straightforward survival thriller into what critics have labelled a speculative sci-fi saga, a shift that has polarised its audience.
Critical Backlash and Viewer Frustration
While UK audiences have a strong appetite for South Korean dystopian stories like Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead, the radical pivot in 'The Great Flood' has sparked significant criticism. Reviewers have been particularly harsh, describing the film's ambition as its downfall.
Ready Steady Cut stated the movie "almost becomes a disaster of a movie on the back of its own confounding ambition," while Screen Anarchy declared it "maddeningly asinine speculative sci-fi." Decider noted the film was "clearly trying to upend traditional disaster-movie narratives – a little too hard."
These professional critiques were echoed by subscribers on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes. One viewer, Dave, called it "more of a cinematic disaster than the flood itself," advising others not to watch "unless you need to punish yourself." Another, named Wari, expressed disappointment, feeling the film transformed from an epic survival story into an "unexpected sci-fi fever dream."
Directorial Vision and Enduring Appeal
Despite the divisive reception, the film's climb up the charts indicates a compelling draw. In an interview with The Chosun Daily, director Kim Byung-woo explained the core theme of the story revolves around human emotion and relationships.
"In the film, there’s a line: 'Humans must create emotions', and emotions are what form human relationships," he said. He highlighted the parent-child bond as one of humanity's strongest emotions, though he resisted simply labelling it a motherhood narrative. "Ultimately, this is a story about the human heart, and the relationship between a mother and child is where that can be best expressed," Kim concluded.
The combination of high-stakes disaster imagery, a beloved Korean cast, and a bold, if bewildering, narrative twist has proven irresistible to a significant portion of the Netflix UK audience. 'The Great Flood' demonstrates that even a film dubbed 'maddening' can generate enough buzz and curiosity to become a streaming success.
