Netflix’s Korean thriller Mousetrap more than doubled its weekly audience in its first full week and took the No. 1 spot on the global non-English TV chart. Here is how a webtoon-based identity-theft story won over viewers from Seoul to Kuala Lumpur.
Key Takeaways
- Mousetrap hit No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV chart for August 31-September 6, 2026.
- The series drew 4.4 million views and 41.5 million viewing hours in that week.
- Weekly views jumped 120 percent, from 2.0 million in the debut window to 4.4 million.
- Mousetrap ranked No. 1 in South Korea, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Pakistan, and it kept charting across Southeast Asia for weeks after.
- Ryu Jun-yeol plays both the novelist and his impersonator in this 10-episode thriller based on a Kakao webtoon.
Mousetrap Reaches No. 1 on Netflix
Mousetrap climbed to No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV chart for the week of August 31 to September 6, 2026. The series pulled in 4.4 million views and 41.5 million viewing hours during that period, according to Netflix Tudum. The show also entered the Top 10 in 45 countries during the same week, per Yonhap News Agency.
The result marked a sharp rise from where Mousetrap started. It premiered worldwide on Netflix on August 28, 2026, as a 10-episode limited series. Just days after launch, it had already secured a spot on the chart, but the true breakout came in its first full tracking week.
A 120 Percent Week-to-Week Jump
Mousetrap debuted at No. 5 on the Global Top 10 Non-English TV chart during its first partial tracking week, according to KBS WORLD Vietnamese. That three-day debut window brought in 2.0 million views, based on FlixPatrol data.
By the next full week, views reached 4.4 million. That is a 120 percent increase in a single week, and the jump pushed Mousetrap straight to the top of the chart.
Where Mousetrap Charted
Mousetrap did not just win globally. It topped the charts in four specific countries during its strongest week, and it kept a foothold in Southeast Asia well beyond that.
| Week | Country Rankings |
|---|---|
| August 31-September 6 | No. 1 in South Korea, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan |
| September 7-13 | No. 2 Thailand, Vietnam; No. 3 Indonesia, Philippines; No. 4 Malaysia; No. 8 Singapore |
| September 14-20 | Still charting in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam |
Malaysia stands out on this list. It was one of only four countries to place Mousetrap at No. 1, and the drama stayed in Malaysia’s Top 10 for three straight weeks. Thailand and Vietnam also held steady at No. 2 and kept the show charting into a third week, based on FlixPatrol rankings.
Cast, Episodes and Story
Mousetrap runs for 10 episodes and tells a psychological mystery and crime thriller centered on identity theft. A reclusive novelist has his identity stolen by a figure known only as The Rat, according to Netflix’s official synopsis.
Ryu Jun-yeol carries the dual role at the center of the story, playing both the novelist and his impersonator.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Ryu Jun-yeol | Novelist Je Moon-jae and The Rat |
| Sul Kyung-gu | Loan shark Noja |
| Lee Kyoo-hyung | Detective Park Sun-yong |
Director Kim Hong-sun leads the production, with Lee Jae-gon writing the script. The pairing brings a tight, tense structure to the show’s 10-episode run.
The Webtoon and Korean Folklore Behind the Thriller
Mousetrap is based on Ludvico’s Kakao webtoon Field Mouse. The source material gave the series its central mystery and its unsettling core idea.
The show reworks a Korean folktale about a rat that becomes human after eating a person’s clipped fingernails, according to About Netflix. That legend shapes the show’s identity-theft plot and gives the title Mousetrap its double meaning. Viewers unfamiliar with the folktale still follow the thriller’s mechanics, but the reference adds a layer of cultural weight for Korean audiences.
Will Mousetrap Continue?
Netflix lists Mousetrap as a limited series. The platform has not announced any renewal or continuation beyond the 10 episodes released in 2026.
Sources
- Korea.net · 2026-08-27
- Netflix
- Kakao Entertainment · 2026-09-11
- About Netflix · 2026-07-31
- KBS WORLD Vietnamese · 2026-09-09
- Netflix Tudum · 2026-09-08
- FlixPatrol
- Yonhap News Agency · 2026-09-09
- FlixPatrol