Disney Plus bets big on Korean content to boost global presence

SINGAPORE -- Disney Plus, a global over-the-top (OTT) platform, is expanding its lineup of original Korean titles, buoyed by the popularity of K-drama series worldwide. The move suggests Disney's willingness to go up against Netflix Inc., which has been scaling up its offerings from Korean artists.

At the 2024 Disney APAC Content Showcase on Nov. 21, the US entertainment giant unveiled 10 new, star-studded Korean TV series, created by well-known directors and writers.

Its aggressive spending on Korean content followed the smash hit of Moving, a live-action adaptation of the eponymous hit webtoon by Kangfull, a pioneer of the digital comics boom. 

Released in 2023, the TV series ranked as the most viewed local original series globally on Disney Plus last year. The company confirmed that Moving Season Two is in development. 

In December, a new drama series Light Shop, based on Kangfull's another eponymous webtoon, will premiere on Disney Plus.

“APAC is an important and vibrant growth region for The Walt Disney Company. It’s a region with rich stories to uncover, a deep pool of talent and an undeniable passion for great storytelling,” Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, said in a statement.

During the preview, Disney Plus showcased its first Korean historical drama series: The Murky Stream.

The company has launched more than 130 originals in Asia Pacific on Disney Plus since it started producing original content for its channel in the region in 2021.

Of the 15 best-performing international original titles released on the streaming platform in 2023, nine were Korean titles.

This year Korean action drama A Shop for Killers became the most viewed series on Disney Plus in the Asia Pacific. Travel reality show Are You Sure?! starring BTS’ Jimin and Jung Kook also topped the list of the platform's most viewed unscripted titles in the region and was a strong performer globally.

“Stories produced in the Asia Pacific have become a staple in general entertainment consumption. They are world-class productions, with growing global resonance and deep passionate fandoms worldwide,” said Carol Choi, executive vice president of original content strategy at Disney Plus, in the statement.

Meanwhile, Netflix is scheduled to unveil Squid Game Season 2 next month, a sequel to the global sensation Squid Game released in 2021. The Korean original became the platform’s most-watched series of all time, reportedly sharply increasing Netflix's corporate value by close to $1 billion. 

Write to Da Eun Choi at max@hankyung.com

Yeonhee Kim edited this article.