No doubt hoping to capitalize further on the success of the supernatural hit series, Moving, Disney+ has unveiled an extended Korean Originals slate for 2024, with a focus on high-end Korean dramas.Los Angeles Entertainment attorney Brandon Blake, at Blake & Wang P.A., has further details for us.
A Varied Slate
These productions, all star-powered and with high-quality profiles, include everything from thrillers and mystery series to crime and period dramas, as well as a three-season renewal for the Korean reality show, The Zone: Survival Mission. These new series will join several 2024 tentpoles, including animated Lightshop. Disney has also announced that there will be more Korean offerings added throughout the year.
Quality Storytelling and Top Talent
Disney was also quick to position these new offerings as key new collaborations, rather than mere ‘filler’ content. Disney+ has only operated in the South Korean area since late 2021, and has been steadily ramping up its local content partnerships as the world, especially growing Asian markets, rides the so-called ‘K-wave.’ Well handled, and with the right properties on offer, this could be a critical step in helping the service gain further traction throughout the growing- and lucrative- Asian streaming arena.
Additionally, Korean storytelling has proven to be remarkably enduring in non-Asian markets, with several break-out hits stemming from local studios. No doubt, Disney is also hoping to uncover a few diamonds in the rough that will have wider market potential, especially in the growing Korean horror segment that has seen much critical acclaim as well as global traction.
With seven exciting new properties already announced, and the scope for even more to be added over time, it will be fascinating to see how well this content investment works out for them through their local partnerships. If you are a fan of the K-drama genre, this is certainly a space to watch.
Film and Television 