Netflix’s The Great Flood is a new Korean sci-fi disaster thriller directed by Kim Byung-woo that premiered on the streaming service on December 19, 2025.
The film stars Kim Da-mi as a scientist and single mother fighting to survive a cataclysmic, world-engulfing flood with her young son while grappling with a mysterious mission tied to humanity’s fate.
Plot & Premise
The story begins like a classic disaster movie: global floodwaters rise without warning, submerging Seoul and trapping people in buildings.
An-na (Kim Da-mi) must climb through the flooded floors of her high-rise with her son, Ja-in, to escape and survive.
But as the narrative unfolds, it shifts into sci-fi mystery territory, revealing that An-na’s role in a top-secret AI-related project might be key to humanity’s survival.
Why You Might Stream It
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Strong performances: Kim Da-mi anchors the story with a compelling central role as a desperate mother.
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Visually striking: The flood sequences and disaster visuals are intense and well-crafted for high-impact streaming thrills.
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Ambitious ideas: The blend of sci-fi, psychological twists, and disaster elements sets it apart from run-of-the-mill thrillers.
Why You Might Skip It
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Overcomplicated second half: Critics note that the film becomes confusing and loses emotional clarity as it dives into complex sci-fi layers, diluting the human stakes that make the first half gripping.
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Narrative coherence issues: The genre mash-up may feel chaotic rather than deep, leaving viewers unsure whether it’s a disaster story, sci-fi allegory, or something else entirely.
Verdict
The Great Flood delivers big visuals and dramatic intensity early on, but its shift into overambitious sci-fi territory waters down the emotional impact of what could have been a tighter, more focused survival drama.
If you’re curious about genre-bending films and don’t mind narrative detours, it’s worth a stream — otherwise, you might skip and save your watch time for a more coherent thriller.
The Great Flood is now streaming exclusively on Netflix worldwide.
