Disney Hotstar pulls back the curtain on an action-packed 2024 Korean Slate
SHARIFAH SHAHIRAH
Building on the success of award-winning shows like "Big Bet" and "Moving," which became the most viewed local original of the year, Disney Hotstar announced a major expansion of its 2024 Korean slate.
The announcement comes amidst a strong year for the platform's APAC originals, solidifying their commitment to premium storytelling and collaboration with the region's best storytellers and take home a steady stream of international awards.
Commenting on today’s announcement, The Walt Disney Company APAC Original Content Strategy, Executive Vice President, Carol Choi expressed her pride in the new additions.
“The new Korean originals announced today really build on the positive momentum and success of our APAC content slate last year.
“We will continue to scale our creative ambition with a curated collection of APAC originals, centered on quality storytelling and top talent, in collaboration with the region’s most exciting storytellers,” she said.
Today’s announcement unveiled an exciting lineup of Korean titles for 2024, including "Blood Free," "Unmasked," "The Tyrant," "Gangnam B-Side," and the highly anticipated third season of "The Zone: Survival Mission."
This expansion adds to an already thrilling slate of local releases on Disney Hotstar, further amplifying excitement for the platform's upcoming year. Other notable titles include "Uncle Samsik" and "Light Shop," the latest creation from Kangfull, the visionary behind the breakout hit "Moving."
In addition to showcasing stills from the new shows, today's announcement provides brief synopses, offering fans a glimpse into the exciting world of these upcoming titles.
Blood Free
Starring Ju Jihoon (Kingdom) and Han Hyojoo (Moving), Blood Free follows a former bodyguard haunted by the failures of his past. After diving down a rabbit hole of tangled leads, he finds himself recruited to protect the CEO of a controversial lab-grown meat company who is also a survivor of the fateful attack that changed his life.
Unmasked
Set in modern-day Seoul, Unmasked follows a crack team of investigative journalists who are fighting for their careers after broadcasting a controversial story. With time running out, the team is given an impossible task if they want to save their jobs – solve a twenty-year-old cold case involving a famous actor who disappeared without a trace. Unmasked stars Kim Hyesoo (Under The Queen’s Umbrella).
The Tyrant
The Tyrant follows a U.S. government agent as he tries to recover a deadly new virus stolen from the South Korean government. With everything at stake, this action-packed series sees global intelligence agencies battle against nefarious parties to prevent the virus spreading across the world.
Gangnam B-Side
A thrilling crime drama, Gangnam B-Side follows a pariah detective pulled back into the game after his daughter’s friend goes missing. The latest in a long line of women to go missing in the Gangnam area of Seoul, the detective will delve back into a world of vice, drugs and corruption to uncover something that threatens to topple some of the city’s wealthiest elite.
The Zone: Survival Mission – Season 3
The popular Disney Korean variety has been renewed for its third season with Kwon Yuri and Yoo Jaesuk returning alongside new hosts – former UFC fighter Kim Donghyun and popular YouTuber Dex. Together, the foursome will get up to more hijinks than ever before as they try to survive an increasingly complex range of challenges.
Uncle Samsik
Starring Parasite star Song Kangho, and Byun Yohan (Mr. Sunshine), Uncle Samsik is a societal drama set in 1960s Korea that follows an idealistic politician, and a mysterious political fixer called Uncle Samsik who operates in the shadows. Together the pair form an uneasy partnership with the goal of transforming a struggling post-war Korea into a prosperous country where everyone can afford three meals a day.
Light Shop
An adaptation of the hit webtoon of the same name, Light Shop follows a group of strangers, each struggling to come to terms with a traumatic event in their past. Going about their daily lives, each individual is mysteriously drawn to a light shop that sits at the end of a seedy alleyway. Guarded by a vigilant shopkeeper, the light shop could hold the key to the strangers’ pasts, presents and futures.
Starring Ju Jihoon (Kingdom), Lee Jungeun (Parasite), Park Boyung (Oh My Ghost), and Bae Seongwoo (Veteran), today’s sizzle gave the first look at this eagerly anticipated new series from Kangfull, the visionary behind 2023’s breakout hit series Moving.
Get ready to dive deeper into the world of Korean storytelling! Disney Hotstar is gearing up to unveil even more captivating local titles in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned and prepare to be enthralled for more captivating Korean content!
