Around the world in 80 streams

Streaming has made the world feel smaller — and a lot more entertaining. From Korean dramas that spark global fandoms to Brazilian telenovelas with generations of fans, Afrobeats chart-toppers to Icelandic thrillers, stories and sounds now travel faster than flights.

With the right Internet connection (and sometimes a subtitle track or VPN), your living room can double as a passport. Instead of circling the globe in 80 days, we’re taking you Around the World in 80 Streams — a curated list of shows, films, music, sports, and live feeds you can explore right here in the U.S.

1–18: Asia

Streaming in Asia is massive and trend-setting. Korean dramas (Crash Landing on You), Japanese anime (One Piece), and Bollywood films (RRR). These genres don’t just dominate locally — they shape global pop culture. 

Netflix, Viki, Crunchyroll, and Prime Video have plenty of licensed titles. For live sports (like cricket), ESPN+ and Willow TV carry international matches. Can’t find a show? Many regional apps (like iQIYI or Hotstar) are geo-restricted. That’s where VPNs help — they let you “travel” virtually, though always check terms of service.

• Crash Landing on You (Netflix, South Korea) – The gateway K-drama romance.
• Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Netflix, South Korea) – Feel-good legal dramedy.
• Hospital Playlist (Netflix, South Korea) – Warm ensemble, great music.
• Twenty-Five Twenty-One (Netflix, South Korea) – Youth, fencing, first love.
• RRR (Netflix, India) – Maximalist action-musical joyride.
• 3 Idiots (Prime Video, India) – Comedy with heart and social bite.
• Dangal (Disney+ Hotstar via Hulu bundle/Prime Channels may vary) – Uplifting sports drama (check availability; often rotates to Prime).
• Sacred Games (Netflix, India) – Stylish Mumbai noir.
• Spirited Away (Max, Japan) – Studio Ghibli classic.
• My Neighbor Totoro (Max, Japan) – Pure Ghibli comfort.
• Attack on Titan (Crunchyroll/Hulu, Japan) – Epic anime phenomenon.
• One Piece (Crunchyroll/Netflix, Japan) – Grand-adventure anime staple.
• Jujutsu Kaisen (Crunchyroll/Hulu, Japan) – Slick modern shōnen.
• The Untamed (Netflix, China) – Gorgeous wuxia fantasy.
• Ash Is Purest White (Prime Video, China) – Acclaimed modern drama.
• Bad Genius (Netflix, Thailand) – Heist meets exam caper.
• 2gether: The Series (Viki/YouTube, Thailand) – Sweet BL campus romance.
• Anghami Pop Playlists (Anghami/Spotify, Lebanon & Pan-Arab) – Upbeat, non-political pop curation.

19-34: Europe

Europe is the home of prestige dramas and passionate sports fandom. British crime dramas (Broadchurch), French thrillers (Lupin), Scandi noir (The Bridge), and, of course, soccer — LaLiga, Premier League, Champions League.

BritBox, PBS Masterpiece, and Netflix handle the dramas. ESPN+, Paramount+, and Peacock carry most top soccer leagues in the U.S. Want BBC iPlayer or Channel 4? They’re locked to the UK, but with a VPN you can explore their massive free libraries. Subtitles are your best friend for Scandi noir — don’t fear them, embrace them.

• Broadchurch (BritBox/Prime Channel, UK) – Small-town mystery with heart.
• The Crown (Netflix, UK) – Prestige period drama.
• Sherlock (Prime Video, UK) – Zippy detective reinvention.
• Taskmaster (YouTube/Amazon Freevee, UK) – Comedians + ridiculous challenges.
• Call My Agent! (Netflix, France) – Showbiz comedy with Parisian flair.
• Lupin (Netflix, France) – Suave heist fun.
• Dark (Netflix, Germany) – Time-twisting sci-fi noir.
• Babylon Berlin (Netflix, Germany) – Jazz-age spectacle.
• The Bridge (Bron/Broen) (Hulu, Sweden/Denmark) – Definitive Scandi noir.
• Trapped (Ófærð) (Prime Video, Iceland) – Icy, atmospheric thriller.
• Borgen (Netflix, Denmark) – Smart, human drama (character-driven).
• A Very Secret Service (Netflix, France) – Spy spoof with deadpan humor.
• Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) (Netflix, Spain) – Unputdownable caper.
• Elite (Netflix, Spain) – Glossy teen thriller.
• UEFA Champions League Highlights (Paramount+, Europe) – Club football’s best moments.
• HÖR Berlin DJ Sets (YouTube, Germany) – Club culture, performance-focused streams.

35-46: Africa

Africa is one of the fastest-growing entertainment powerhouses, from its movie industry to its music charts. Nollywood gem Lionheart (Netflix), South African teen mystery Blood & Water (Netflix), Burna Boy’s I Told Them (Spotify/Apple Music), and Serengeti (Disney+) for breathtaking documentaries. 

Nollywood is the second-largest film industry in the world, and Afrobeats has gone fully global. Netflix is investing in African originals. Spotify, Apple Music, and Disney+ cover music and wildlife. Platforms like iROKOtv offer massive Nollywood libraries, though some content is geo-restricted.

• Lionheart (Netflix, Nigeria) – Charming Nollywood family comedy-drama.
• The Wedding Party (Netflix, Nigeria) – Crowd-pleasing rom-com.
• King of Boys (Netflix, Nigeria) – Stylish crime saga.
• Blood & Water (Netflix, South Africa) – Cape Town teen mystery.
• Savage Beauty (Netflix, South Africa) – Fashion-world revenge drama.
• Silverton Siege (Netflix, South Africa) – Tense action drama.
• Queen Sono (Netflix, South Africa) – Slick spy series.
• Atlantics (Netflix, Senegal) – Haunting, poetic romance/fantasy.
• The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Netflix, Malawi/UK) – Inspiring true story.
• Burna Boy – Essentials (Spotify/Apple Music, Nigeria) – Afrobeats, non-political playlisting.
• Wizkid – Essentials (Spotify/Apple Music, Nigeria) – Smooth Afrobeats grooves.
• Metro FM (Johannesburg) (Radio Garden, South Africa) – Contemporary radio vibe.

47-58: South America

South America streams with passion, color, and rhythm. Brazilian telenovela Avenida Brasil (Globoplay), Mexican supernatural romp Diablero (Netflix), Colombian mystery Green Frontier (Netflix), Argentine Oscar-winner The Secret in Their Eyes (Prime Video), and Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (Spotify) highlight the region’s cultural reach.

• 3% (Netflix, Brazil) – Lean, addictive sci-fi.
• Invisible City (Netflix, Brazil) – Folklore-meets-modern fantasy.
• Sintonia (Netflix, Brazil) – Music, friendship, and favela life (character-driven).
• Bacurau (Criterion Channel/Prime, Brazil) – Genre-bending thriller.
• Central Station (Prime Video, Brazil) – Classic humanist drama.
• Wild Tales (Relatos Salvajes) (Prime Video, Argentina) – Darkly comic anthology.
• The Secret in Their Eyes (Prime Video, Argentina) – Oscar-winning mystery.
• Club de Cuervos (Netflix, Mexico) – Football-club family comedy.
• Diablero (Netflix, Mexico) – Supernatural fun.
• Green Frontier (Frontera Verde) (Netflix, Colombia) – Jungle mystery.
• Violetta (Concerts/Clips) (YouTube/Disney legacy content, Argentina) – Pop musical star power.
• CONMEBOL Libertadores Highlights (Paramount+, South America) – Club football highlights.
  
  

59-66: Oceania

Oceania might be small in population, but its streaming exports pack a punch. Kiwi mockumentary Wellington Paranormal (Max/Hulu), Taika Waititi’s heartfelt Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Prime Video), beloved family animation Bluey (Disney+), and Australian podcast The Teacher’s Pet (Spotify) all travel far beyond the region.

• Wellington Paranormal (Max/Hulu, New Zealand) – Deadpan supernatural mockumentary.
• Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Prime Video, New Zealand) – Taika Waititi’s heart-tugging comedy.
• Bluey (Disney+, Australia) – Smart, joyful family animation.
• Love Island Australia (Hulu, Australia) – Big, glossy reality escapism.
• The Teacher’s Pet (Podcast) (Spotify/Apple, Australia) – Influential true-crime series.
• Mystery Road (Acorn TV/Prime Channel, Australia) – Outback noir.
• All Blacks Rugby – Match Replays/Highlights (Peacock/YouTube, New Zealand) – Iconic haka + elite rugby.
• Triple J – Like A Version (YouTube, Australia) – Live cover sessions from top artists.
  
  

67-78: North America

North America may be home turf, but it offers more than Hollywood. U.S. prestige dramas like Succession (Max), Canadian comedy Kim’s Convenience (Netflix), Indigenous storytelling in Reservation Dogs (Hulu), and intimate Tiny Desk Concerts (YouTube) show off its range. Add NHL games on ESPN+ and you’ve got sports, laughs, and cultural depth in one region.

• Succession (Max, U.S.) – Razor-sharp family/business drama.

• The Last of Us (Max, U.S./Canada) – Prestige survival saga.

• Reservation Dogs (Hulu, U.S.) – Funny, heartfelt Indigenous coming-of-age.

• Abbott Elementary (Hulu, U.S.) – Whip-smart workplace comedy.

• Only Murders in the Building (Hulu, U.S.) – Cozy comedy-mystery.

• Kim’s Convenience (Netflix, Canada) – Warm, witty family sitcom.

• Schitt’s Creek (Hulu/Prime with add-on, Canada) – Comfort-watch gold.

• Great Canadian Baking Show (CBC Gem via VPN; U.S. viewers: look for seasonal availability on Roku/Prime Channels) – Gentle competition (note availability varies).

• NHL on ESPN+ (U.S./Canada) – Hockey nights without the ice rink.

• All My Relations (Podcast) (Spotify/Apple, U.S./Canada) – Indigenous storytelling & culture (non-political focus episodes).

• Tiny Desk Concerts (YouTube/NPR Music, U.S.) – Intimate live sets, all genres.

• KEXP Live Sessions (YouTube/Seattle radio stream, U.S.) – Performance sessions from global artists.

79-80: Antarctica

Streaming from Antarctica is less about entertainment exports and more about awe-inspiring access. Penguin Colony Live Cams (Explore.org) deliver pure, waddling joy, while time-lapse footage of McMurdo Station auroras and landscapes (YouTube) captures Earth’s last frontier.

• Penguin Colony Live Cams (Explore.org, Antarctica) – Zero plot, 100% charm.

• McMurdo Station Weather/Time-lapse Compilations (YouTube, Antarctica) – Glacial vistas, auroras, and science-camp life.

Final boarding call

Streaming isn’t just entertainment. It’s connection. It’s culture. It’s the thrill of stepping into someone else’s world — all without jet lag, currency exchange, or waiting in customs.