But today, there are growing signs that audiences are becoming increasingly open to discovering compelling stories from beyond their own borders. While local content continues to form the foundation of viewing on Viu, we've seen rising engagement with international genres — particularly Turkish dramas and dubbed content (in Afrikaans and English) — suggesting a growing receptiveness among audiences to exploring compelling stories from different parts of the world. 

Viewers are searching for the stories that share what makes us all human — the heart-fluttering thrill of romance, the tragedy of love lost, the pulse-quickening excitement of a race against time. One of the clearest lessons we've learned is that viewers rarely choose a show simply because of where it comes from. They choose it because the story resonates. Romance, family conflict, revenge, humour and suspense translate remarkably well across cultures — especially when supported by quality localisation.

While audiences have long enjoyed stories from beyond their own borders, streaming has made discovering international content easier than ever before. Social media, online communities, travel content and food culture have also exposed viewers to different countries and cultures in ways that would have been difficult to imagine 20 years ago.

Today, people can explore a new cuisine, follow creators from another continent or immerse themselves in a different culture without ever leaving home. They can scroll through assorted languages and ways of life on their phones and by the time they switch to their streaming app to watch a show or a movie, the world feels far less distant than it once did. 

Local viewers have become remarkably good at looking beyond language and geography to focus on what really matters: the story itself. This rising interest may not come as a surprise. South Africans have long embraced the kind of rich, character-driven, long-form storytelling that defined beloved soap operas such as Isidingo, Generations and other television favourites. Turkish series tap into many of those same strengths: family dynamics, romance, intrigue and emotional storytelling that keeps audiences coming back episode after episode. Korean dramas (K-dramas) offer another example of this.

However, this doesn't mean local relevance has become less important. Audiences still gravitate towards stories that reflect their own cultures, experiences and realities. The challenge for streaming platforms is balancing that desire for local connection with a growing appetite for international storytelling. 

This appetite doesn't simply emerge on its own; it is cultivated through thoughtful curation, localisation, dubbing and marketing. By helping viewers discover stories from different cultures, platforms are steadily expanding what feels familiar and relatable.

The future is unlikely to be a choice between local and international content. Local content is likely to remain central to South African audiences, but there is growing evidence that viewers are also willing to embrace high-quality stories from elsewhere when they are presented in ways that feel accessible and culturally relevant. Success will come from understanding how audiences move comfortably between both. 

With streaming platforms reaching global audiences, modern productions are being deliberately developed to span multiple markets, while remaining rooted in their own settings and cultures.

For more information, visit www.viu.com. You can also follow Viu South Africa on Facebook, X, Instagram, or on TikTok. 

*Image courtesy of contributor