Something I’ve recently noticed with Netflix’s new feature is just how twisted the minds of Malaysians are. At a first glance, things look normal, nothing out of the ordinary. These are the top 10 shows and movies that are trending in Malaysia right now:

Like I said, it’s normal. Kind of. There’s a few Korean dramas, a new Netflix original movie, Fifty Shades (a movie about BONDAGE) and then placing in 7th and 9th, is a movie and documentary about pandemics. That was already a little concerning, but is telling about the current viewing patterns in Malaysia.

I guess Malaysians need to live out their fantasies somehow? Maybe a pessimistic look at the COVID-19 pandemic, looking a the worst-case scenario? I don’t know. I really can’t tell why people are watching what they watch.

But then, as I was searching for something new to watch, I came across something a bit more sinister.

On Netflix’s mobile app, when you go to type something in the search bar, you get a list of “Popular Searches”.

Of these “Popular Searches”, the first 20 was already very telling about what people are looking for these days.

Of the 20, at least 12 of them featured a pandemic or something a bit more risque. I mean look at the lineup.

Starting from the second most popular searched titles, three of them in a row are quite literally about a pandemic, quarantine, or something related to a disease that wipes out humanity. I assume this considering I haven’t watched all (or any of them), but the titles are very telling.

There’s literally a movie called “Quarantine”, so that should pretty much tell you what the movie’s about.

And if it’s not about a pandemic, it’s titles about sex. Fifty Shades Freed, Toy Boy, Easy, Hot Girls Wanted, Perfume, Amar, are all about sex, or romance. Whatever you’d prefer to call it. There’s literally a bunch more, so I guess I’ve been watching the wrong stuff on Netflix?

While this isn’t exactly concrete evidence that this is all people think about, it’s an insight that I think is humourous. I mean come on, we’re literally living through pandemic right now, and all people want to watch about ARE PANDEMICS?? And if not that, then sex. That one, I still do understand and it’s a universally accepted fact that people are inclined to things of sexual nature.

But movies about pandemics?? You not scared ah?? I guess sex and fear really does sell after all.