Actor Kim Soo Hyun’s much-anticipated series Knock-Off has been indefinitely postponed, and Tempest, starring Jun Ji Hyun and Kang Dong Won, has failed to meet expectations. With these setbacks, all eyes are on whether Disney+ can reclaim momentum through its upcoming slate of Korean originals launching from late 2025 into 2026.
On November 13 (local time), the Disney+ Originals Preview 2025 event was held at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel Conference Center. The showcase unveiled Disney’s upcoming global originals, along with new APAC (Asia-Pacific) region content—highlighting Korea as a key production hub.
Disney+ has heavily invested in Korean content within its APAC strategy. Prior to Tempest’s release, Carol Choi, Executive of APAC Originals, emphasized Korea’s success since 2021, noting that 10 of the top 15 Disney+ titles in the region were Korean. She expressed high hopes for Tempest to lead a continued streak of strong performances.
However, Tempest fell short, failing to live up to the buzz surrounding its A-list cast. At the same event, Luke Kang, President of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, cited 2023’s Moving and Big Bet as the platform’s most representative Korean hits—highlighting the ongoing need for a new flagship series.
Meanwhile, Knock-Off was once positioned as a major release, spotlighted during last year’s preview event. But the series has been shelved due to controversies surrounding lead actor Kim Soo Hyun’s personal life. Disney+ commented earlier that “After careful internal review, we decided to suspend the release, and no further updates have been provided since.” The title was also absent from the current and upcoming lineup announcements.
Despite the setbacks, the newly unveiled content slate reflects Disney+’s determination to turn the tide. Starting with the recently released The Manipulated, the lineup includes titles like Made in Korea, Battle of Fates, Perfect Crown, Gold Land, A Shop for Killers 2, The Remarried Empress, and Portraits of Delusion.
Leading this comeback effort is the high-profile tentpole series Made in Korea, set for a Christmas 2025 release. Set in the 1970s—a turbulent yet ambitious period for South Korea—the story centers on Baek Ki-tae (played by Hyun Bin), a man aiming to exploit the nation as a business model to reach the pinnacle of wealth and power, and Jang Geon-young (played by Jung Woo-sung), a prosecutor chasing him to the brink with unwavering determination.
Directed by Woo Min-ho, known for films like The Man Standing Next and Inside Men, this marks his first foray into OTT drama. Disney+ is promising “six episodes that deliver the cinematic experience of six feature films.”
Backing up this confidence, Made in Korea has already secured a second season, with filming underway and a release targeted for late 2026.
Additional highlights include the return of A Shop for Killers with its second season, and several high-interest adaptations of Korean webtoons, such as The Remarried Empress starring Shin Min-ah, Joo Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young, and the fantasy romance Portraits of Delusion featuring Suzy and Kim Seon-ho.
With such star-studded lineups and ambitious storytelling, the question remains: Which of these titles will become the savior Disney+ desperately needs?
Sources: Daum
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