The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Announces Star-Studded Original Content from Korea and Japan

Kapanlagi.com - The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific announced a lineup of upcoming APAC Originals on Disney+ Hotstar, featuring the best talents and storytellers from the region. Announced on the second day of the star-studded APAC Content Showcase, today’s announcement dazzled the audience with major reveals, premiere photos, and appearances from some of the biggest stars in Korea and Japan showcasing the incredible strength and appeal of Disney's creative excellence.

Today’s presentation included the latest news on the upcoming Korean series “The Murky Stream” starring Rowoon and Shin Yeeun; “The Manipulated” starring Ji Changwook and Doh Kyungsoo; “Tempest” starring Jun Gianna, Gang Dongwon, and John Cho, as well as “Made In Korea” starring Hyun Bin and Jung Woosung.

The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific also confirmed that the second season of “Moving” is in production, following the successful collaboration between The Walt Disney Company and the creators of “Moving” and “Light Shop,” Kangfull. First released in 2023, “Moving” became a global hit on Disney+ Hotstar and Hulu, ranking first as the top local original title globally on Disney+ Hotstar last year, with over 10 industry awards to date. In 2021, The Walt Disney Company began producing original content for Disney+ Hotstar in the Asia Pacific region, and since then has released over 130 APAC Originals on Disney+ Hotstar, some of which have achieved critical and commercial success.

Last year, out of the 15 best-performing international original titles released on Disney+ Hotstar, nine of them were Korean titles (based on viewership). This year, the Korean action drama “A Shop For Killers” became the most-watched series on Disney+ Hotstar in the Asia Pacific region. Anime continues to attract viewers as well, with standout titles like “Tokyo Revengers” Season 2 and “Sand Land: The Series” by “Dragon Ball” creator, Akira Toriyama. This year, the travel reality show “Are You Sure?!” starring Jimin and Jung Kook from BTS, also became the most-watched unscripted title on Disney+ Hotstar in the Asia Pacific region and performed strongly internationally.

“Stories produced in the Asia Pacific have become an important part of entertainment consumption overall – all these stories are world-class productions with a growing global appeal and a deep, passionate fan base from all over the world,” said Carol Choi, Executive Vice President of Original Content Strategy. “Our content strategy remains focused on curating premium Originals content supported by talents from this region --- high-quality standout titles with the best names in the entertainment world.”

Latest Japanese anime titles were also introduced today, including “BULLET/BULLET,” “Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation,” and “CAT’S EYE.” The second season of the award-winning Japanese original series, “Gannibal,” which is one of the first APAC Originals live-action series to continue into a second season, will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on March 19, 2025.

To complement the lineup of live-action and anime from Japan on Disney+ Hotstar, The Walt Disney Company also announced its expansion into unscripted Japanese content, collaborating with Nippon TV as a partner. One of its projects is the latest travel reality show, “Traveling with Snow Man” (working title) featuring the Japanese pop group Snow Man, represented by the talent agency Starto Entertainment. This new show is built on the growing enthusiasm among Japanese audiences for unscripted content and reflects the shared ambition of Disney, Nippon TV, and Starto Entertainment to showcase the most exciting talent from Japan to a global audience, as well as to collaborate in new innovative ways.

Choi continued: “As we have learned from the global success of “Shōgun,” the most compelling stories can come from new and unfamiliar worlds, in different languages and new formats. However, at the core of all this are stories rooted in fearless authenticity in storytelling, with outstanding production quality. It is very exciting to see APAC become a hub of creative inspiration for the best storytellers in the world, with a deep storytelling legacy, rich culture, and a wealth of diverse original content in the region.”

1. JAPAN

"Medalist" – This anime series tells the story of figure skating coach Tsukasa, a man haunted by his past failures, working tirelessly to train his newest student to become a championship medalist. "Medalist" will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar in January 2025.

"Go!Go!Loser Ranger!" Season Two – The mighty Dragon Keepers and the Villainous Army of Evil return for Season Two of this thrilling animated series, set to premiere in April 2025 on Disney+ Hotstar.

"WANDANCE" – A shy and quiet boy makes a life-changing decision to win the heart of a free-spirited girl full of zest for life in this upcoming anime series.

"BULLET/BULLET" – From the director of "Jujutsu Kaisen", Sunghoo Park, this anime series follows a team of hired thieves who get into big trouble after completing their last job. "BULLET/BULLET" will air in the summer of 2025 on Disney+ Hotstar.

"Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation" – Like its popular game and manga, this upcoming anime series will take viewers to the prestigious Night Raven College, a mysterious academy where magic lives in every corner. The series will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar in 2025.

"CAT'S EYE" – The latest anime adapted from the original manga series, "CAT'S EYE" tells the story of three sisters who run a café by day and secretly work as art thieves by night. The series will air on Disney+ Hotstar next year, featuring Japanese pop sensation Ado performing a new version of the popular theme song "CAT'S EYE".

"Gannibal" Season 2 – After leaving viewers with a cliffhanger and terrifying story, "Gannibal" returns to take the audience back to the frightening world of Kuge Village. Will police officer Daigo manage to escape and stop the responsible cannibal? Find out on March 19, 2025.

"Traveling With Snow Man" (Working Title) – Members of the J-Pop idol band, Snow Man, will embark on an exciting adventure in an upcoming travel reality series.

2. KOREA

“The Murky Stream” – Starring Rowoon, Shin Yeeun, and Park Seoham, this upcoming historical drama is directed by Choo Changmin, the person behind “Masquerade”, and written by Cheon Sungil from “All Of Us Are Dead”.

“The Manipulated” – Wrongfully imprisoned for a brutal crime, the calm-natured Taejung (Ji Changwook) discovers that a mysterious figure named Yohan (Doh Kyungsoo) is the one who orchestrated his downfall. Driven by revenge, Taejung embarks on a journey to make Yohan pay for his actions.

“Light Shop” – Starring Ju Jihoon and Park Boyoung, and scheduled to premiere on December 4, 2024, this upcoming story from the creator of “Moving”, Kangfull, follows six strangers trapped in the void between life and death with no memory of how they got there.

“Unmasked” – A group of investigative journalists (Kim Hyesoo, Jung Sungil, and Joo Jonghyuk) who have made a name for themselves by exposing some of the worst crimes in society find themselves caught up in their latest story – a 20-year-old cold case involving a famous actor who disappeared without a trace.

“Hyper Knife” – A tormented neurosurgeon, Seok (Park Eunbin), who was once accustomed to performing surgeries in her field, finds herself neglected by her mentor (Sul Kyunggu). Seok continues to carry out illegal surgeries until her mentor reenters her life.

“Knock-Off” – Starring Kim Soohyun and Cho Boah, “Knock-Off” tells the story of a bankrupt man who turns to the dark world of counterfeiting in an attempt to rebuild his life.

“Nine Puzzles” – Kim Dami and Son Sukku star in this upcoming series about a criminal profiler with a dark past, who becomes trapped in a horrifying game that is all too familiar with a serial killer.

“Low Life” – Starring Ryu Seungryong, Yang Sejong, and Lim Soojung, “Low Life” tells the story of an uncle and his niece rushing to save a newly discovered priceless treasure, before other treasure hunters arrive. Desperate to change their lives, the two will do anything to win.

“Tempest” – Featuring an impressive combination of top Korean and Hollywood talent, this series tells an unmissable story of an international special agent and a brilliant career diplomat, who work together to uncover the truth behind an attack threatening the future stability of the Korean Peninsula. The cast includes Jun Gianna and Gang Dongwon, along with John Cho, Michael Gaston, Spencer Garrett, Jacob Bertrand, Alicia Hannah Kim, and Christopher Gorham.

“Made In Korea” – Hyun Bin and Jung Woosung star in this 1970s-set drama about a man obsessed with wealth and power, and a tough prosecutor who stands in his way. Always at odds, the two become involved in an event that will define an era and change their futures forever.

(kpl/jje)