Korea Herald correspondent
HONG KONG — Disney+ on Thursday unveiled its upcoming slate of titles, a mix of global releases and a strong lineup of Asia Pacific originals, during a major showcase event held in Hong Kong.
The event largely spotlighted the streaming platform's upcoming Korean originals for 2026, headlined by “Made in Korea,” starring two of Korea’s top actors, Jung Woo-sung and Hyun Bin. The highly anticipated series is set to premiere Dec. 24.
“‘Made in Korea’ has a certain power in its story. By blending fiction into a historical backdrop it created something both new and solid. I think that was the biggest reason I wanted to be part of this project,” said Hyun, at the Disney+ Originals Preview event held in Hong Kong, Thursday.
The actor added, “Each character has their own story and common threads that connect them. I hope viewers enjoy watching how their individual desires clash as they go through life.”
Disney+ confirmed that “Made in Korea” has already been renewed for a second season, which will premiere in 2026.
Another major title is “Gold Land,” starring Park Bo-young and Kim Sung-cheol. The series follows a group of people who discover gold worth 150 billion won ($102 million) and fight to claim it for themselves.
“We wanted to explore human desire in its rawest form — how vast it can be, and how we deal with it,” said director Kim Sung-hoon.
Park added, “I think I’ll be showing a very different side of myself this time — running, getting dirty and struggling. My character didn’t want the gold at first, but once it’s in her hands, desire inevitably grows. That internal conflict between right and wrong, between resisting and giving in, is what drives her transformation.”
The hit action thriller “A Shop for Killers” will also return for Season 2, with Lee Dong-wook and Kim Hye-jun reprising their roles. One of the biggest surprises, according to Disney+, is the return of Jung Jin-wook (Lee), a character largely presumed dead in the first season.
“There were some stories we couldn’t tell in Season 1, and I finally got the chance to explain them this time. I’m very satisfied,” said Lee.
Among the streamer’s most ambitious projects is “The Remarried Empress,” one of Disney+ Korea’s largest productions to date. Based on the global hit webtoon, the fantasy drama stars Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Se-young and Lee Jong-suk in a tale of scandal and self-discovery set within a royal castle.
“I was curious to see how a beloved original story would be adapted,” said Ju. “Regardless of race or background, people are drawn to fantasy worlds, and I was excited to be part of that expansion.”
Additional Korean originals introduced included “Perfect Crown,” starring Byun Woo-seok and Lee Ji-eun (IU), a modern romance set in a 21st-century Korean monarchy between a royal and a commoner. Another standout was “Portraits of Delusion,” a supernatural melodrama starring Hallyu sensations Bae Suzy and Kim Seon-ho. The series follows a mysterious woman believed to be a vampire (Bae) and the painter (Kim) who paints her image. The series is expected to debut both on MBC and Disney+.
Korean reality programming also continues to expand on the platform, with the second season of “Are You Sure?!” starring BTS members Jimin and Jung Kook set to premiere next year.
"Battle of Fates," led by the creators behind "Culinary Class Wars," will feature a reality competition, pitting fortune tellers and oracles against each other.
Disney+ also spotlighted its Japanese content lineup, which leans heavily into animation. Among the most anticipated projects is “Death Stranding Isolation” (working title), an animated series co-created by legendary game creator Hideo Kojima (“Death Stranding,” “Metal Gear”) and director Takayuki Sano. Set in the same world as the video game but telling an all-new story, the project aims to expand the “Death Stranding” universe.
Meanwhile, marking Disney+’s first cross-cultural romantic comedy, “Merry Berry Love” will bring together Korean star Ji Chang-wook and Japanese actress Mio Imada. Produced by CJ ENM, the series follows Yu-bin (Ji), a botched Korean designer, and Karin (Imada), a Japanese farmer, as they embark on a co-farming journey on an island in Japan.
“Our series has humanism and love,” said Ji. “One of the points to watch out for is how that love transcends cultural boundaries and realizes itself — so please watch how our story unfolds.”
On the global front, the streamer announced several upcoming projects featuring Hollywood A-listers, including “Road Trip to Remember” with Chris Hemsworth and “Pole to Pole” with Will Smith. Disney+ also unveiled FX’s “The Beauty,” starring Bella Hadid and Ashton Kutcher.
Returning franchise titles include “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” Season 2, “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland,” the fifth installment of the popular “Descendants” teen drama saga, and the highly anticipated second season of "Shogun," whose first season won a record-breaking 18 Emmy Awards.
“I’m proud that we’ve built a robust slate of over 155 Asia Pacific Originals, drawing new Disney+ audiences from around the world,” said Luke Kang, president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific. The showcase brought together roughly 400 reporters from across the APAC region to highlight Disney+’s 2026 content slate.
Kang emphasized that content from Japan and Korea continues to gain worldwide traction, citing the rising international appeal of anime and K-dramas.
“As we continue this creative journey, it’s clear to us that stories from Japan and Korea have deep and growing global resonance,” he said.
“Top anime titles consistently see 60 percent of global viewing hours come from outside the Asia Pacific region, with strong interest from audiences in the US and Europe," said Kang.
"And Korean storytelling — already beloved in the Asia Pacific and the US — is seeing significant growth and audience interest in Latin America, with the strongest engagement in Brazil and Mexico.”
He added, “Looking ahead, our long-term ambition is to scale originals from APAC into global franchises, leveraging our ecosystem of IP, talent and platforms.”
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
