Disney unveiled an extensive slate of upcoming titles during a major showcase event held in Hong Kong on Thursday, featuring a powerful mix of global releases and a robust lineup of Asia Pacific originals. The streaming platform particularly highlighted its Korean original series scheduled for 2026, demonstrating the company's continued investment in Asian content production.
The spotlight fell on "Made in Korea," a highly anticipated series starring two of Korea's most prominent actors, Jung Woo-sung and Hyun Bin. Set to premiere on December 24, the series has already secured a renewal for a second season, which will debut in 2026. Speaking at the Disney Originals Preview event, Hyun Bin explained the appeal of the project: "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."
Hyun Bin further elaborated on the series' character dynamics, noting that "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." The actor's enthusiasm reflects Disney's confidence in the project as a flagship Korean production.
Another major title generating significant buzz 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 subsequently fight to claim it for themselves. Director Kim Sung-hoon described the show's thematic focus: "We wanted to explore human desire in its rawest form – how vast it can be, and how we deal with it."
Park Bo-young shared insights into her character's transformation throughout the series, explaining: "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 popular action thriller "A Shop for Killers" will return for a second season, with Lee Dong-wook and Kim Hye-jun reprising their roles. One of the most significant surprises, according to Disney, is the return of Jung Jin-wook, Lee's character who was largely presumed dead in the first season. Lee Dong-wook expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity to expand the story: "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."
Among Disney's most ambitious Korean projects is "The Remarried Empress," representing one of Disney Korea's largest productions to date. Based on the globally successful webtoon, this fantasy drama features an all-star cast including 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. Ju Ji-hoon shared his excitement about the adaptation: "I was curious to see how a beloved original story would be adapted. Regardless of race or background, people are drawn to fantasy worlds, and I was excited to be part of that expansion."
The Korean lineup also includes "Perfect Crown," starring rising star Byun Woo-seok and popular singer-actress Lee Ji-eun (IU). This modern romance is set in a 21st-century Korean monarchy and explores the relationship between a royal and a commoner. Additionally, "Portraits of Delusion" features Hallyu sensations Bae Suzy and Kim Seon-ho in a supernatural melodrama about a mysterious woman believed to be a vampire and the painter who captures her image. This series is expected to debut simultaneously on MBC and Disney+.
Korean reality programming 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. The platform also announced "Battle of Fates," a reality competition series created by the team behind "Culinary Class Wars," which will feature fortune tellers and oracles competing against each other.
Disney's Japanese content lineup leans heavily into animation, with the most anticipated project being "Death Stranding: Isolation" (working title). This animated series is co-created by legendary game creator Hideo Kojima, known for "Death Stranding" and "Metal Gear," alongside director Takayuki Sano. Set in the same universe as the video game but telling an entirely new story, the project aims to expand the Death Stranding franchise across different media formats.
Marking Disney's first cross-cultural romantic comedy, "Merry Berry Love" brings together Korean star Ji Chang-wook and Japanese actress Mio Imada. Produced by CJ ENM, the series follows Yu-bin, a struggling Korean designer, and Karin, a Japanese farmer, as they embark on a co-farming journey on a Japanese island. Ji Chang-wook emphasized the series' universal themes: "Our series has humanism and love. 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, Disney announced several upcoming projects featuring Hollywood A-listers, including "Road Trip to Remember" with Chris Hemsworth and "Pole to Pole" with Will Smith. The streamer also unveiled FX's "The Beauty," starring model Bella Hadid and actor Ashton Kutcher. Returning franchise titles include "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Season 2, "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" as the fifth installment of the popular teen drama saga, and the highly anticipated second season of "Shogun," whose first season won a record-breaking 18 Emmy Awards.
Luke Kang, president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, expressed pride in the company's regional content strategy during the showcase, which brought together approximately 400 reporters from across the APAC region. "I'm proud that we've built a robust slate of over 155 Asia Pacific Originals, drawing new Disney audiences from around the world," Kang stated, emphasizing the global appeal of Asian content.
Kang highlighted the international success of Japanese and Korean content, noting that content from both countries continues to gain worldwide traction. "As we continue this creative journey, it's clear to us that stories from Japan and Korea have deep and growing global resonance," he explained. He provided specific metrics demonstrating this global appeal: "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."
Regarding Korean content specifically, Kang noted its expanding reach beyond traditional markets: "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 concluded by outlining Disney's long-term vision: "Looking ahead, our long-term ambition is to scale originals from APAC into global franchises, leveraging our ecosystem of IP, talent and platforms."
