Disney+ Unveils Bold New Stories From Japan and Korea and Deepens Collaboration With Top Creators at Disney+ Originals Preview

The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific on Thursday previewed its upcoming slate of Korean and Japanese Originals for Disney+, highlighting the platform’s creative momentum and expanding collaborations with the region’s top creators and talent.

Held at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort for the first time, the Disney+ Originals Preview was a star-studded affair featuring talent from the U.S., Korea, and Japan. The event included exclusive previews and major announcements for award-winning titles, along with bold new Originals coming soon to Disney+.

Creative inspiration from Japan

A key highlight of the presentation was Disney’s announcement of a first-of-its-kind collaboration with legendary game creator Kojima Hideo on a Japanese anime series based on the post-apocalyptic action-adventure game series titled “Death Stranding Isolations” (working title). Set in the same world as the video game but telling a completely new story, the upcoming anime series will be directed by Sano Takayuki and produced by E&H Production.

Additional Japanese titles previewed included a first look at the second half of “Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation ‒ Episode of Heartslabyul”; a new romantic comedy starring Disney+ regular Ji Chang-wook and Imada Mio called “Merry Berry Love” (working title); and anime titles “Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titans Arc,” “Wandance,” “Cat’s Eye Part 2,” and “Medalist Season 2.”

A new unscripted docuseries titled “Travis Japan Summer Vacation!! in the USA” was confirmed to debut ahead of summer 2026. A comedy reality show from Chidori’s Daigo, “Daigo Project” (working title), was also announced.

Korea’s creative momentum

Details of the upcoming line-up of Korean Originals were also unveiled, including news that the gripping crime drama “Made in Korea,” headlined by Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung, will debut on Disney+ on December 24, with a second season confirmed and set to premiere in 2026.

Other Korean Originals showcased included “The Manipulated,” a now-streaming action drama starring Ji Chang-wook and D.O.; “Battle of Fates,” a high-stakes reality competition pitting fortune tellers and oracles against one another; and “Gold Land,” a gripping crime-action blend starring Park Bo-young and Kim Sung-cheol. Season 2 of “A Shop for Killers” was also previewed, once again starring Lee Dong-wook and Kim Hye-jun, with Okada Masaki and Hyunri joining the cast.

“Perfect Crown,” a new Korean romantic comedy starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, was confirmed for a 2026 release on Disney+. “Are You Sure?! Season 2,” featuring Jimin and Jungkook of BTS, was previewed ahead of its December 3 debut.

“Today’s preview reflects our deepening partnerships with the region’s next generation of creative talent — as we uncover new worlds and new stories for Disney+ audiences,” said Luke Kang, President, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific in his opening remarks.

“Our content team has collaborated with some of the region’s most talented and exciting storytellers, who have drawn creative inspiration from different places — including webtoons, manga, novels, video games, and music — all with the goal of delivering unforgettable entertainment in a way that only Disney can,” he added.

As The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific continues to draw creative inspiration from the region, the preview also featured creative teams discussing the journey of adapting Korean fantasy-romance webtoons into live-action titles — including “The Remarried Empress,” starring Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young; and “Portraits of Delusion” (working title), featuring Bae Suzy and Kim Seon-ho.

“Originality drives us to continually push the boundaries of storytelling — collaborating with the next generation of creative talent, drawing inspiration from multiple creative sources, and discovering new narratives that transport audiences to extraordinary worlds,” said Carol Choi, Executive Vice President of Original Content Strategy, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific.

“From premium dramas to unscripted comedy to anime, we are proud to bring great stories that live on Disney+ — timeless stories that will delight, surprise, and resonate with audiences across generations and geographies,” she added.

In 2021, the company embarked on original content production for Disney+ in the Asia Pacific region and has since launched over 155 APAC Originals on Disney+ to date, several of which have attained critical and commercial success.

Global content trends

A few global audience and content trends were also shared at the presentation, highlighting the deep and growing global resonance of stories from Japan and Korea. Top anime titles on Disney+/Hulu have consistently seen 60% of global viewing hours come from outside APAC, with strong interest from audiences in U.S. and Europe. Over the past year, anime audience growth has risen in France, Brazil, and Mexico, and Japanese live action is emerging as an extremely exciting category.

Korean storytelling, with deep fandoms already in APAC and the U.S., is seeing significant audience interest in Latin America, with the strongest engagement in Brazil and Mexico.

APAC Titles Unveiled at the Disney+ Originals Preview:

JAPAN

• “Death Stranding Isolations” (working title) – Somewhere in North America, as Sam Bridges is walking across the continent in order to save America, the someones are trying to deal with their isolation in their own way. An old man is trying to realize salvation through ways outside of the connection advocated by Bridges. A female warrior is trying to kickstart a world of constant fighting. A boy holds a grudge against Bridges, and a girl has embraced her loneliness. On the precipice of the end of humanity and the world, their fates and hopes converge, as another story of Death Stranding begins. And now, comes another explosion…
• “Merry Berry Love” (working title) – A Japan-Korea project by CJ ENM, the studio behind globally memorable content like the dramas “Crash Landing on You,” “Queen of Tears,” and “Marry My Husband,” as well as the Academy Award-winning films “Parasite” and “Past Lives.” A romantic comedy about a botched Korean designer, Yubin, and a Japanese farmer, Karin who begin an unlikely co-farming journey on a mysterious island in Japan.
• “Cat’s Eye” part 2 – Three sisters — Hitomi, Rui, and Ai — run a café during the day and work as a team of thieves at night called “Cat’s Eye” to recover their father’s art collection, which was stolen by an underground art broker syndicate. Balancing the two jobs becomes increasingly difficult because Hitomi is dating Toshio Utsumi, a detective in charge of investigating the Cat’s Eye cases who does not know his girlfriend is one of the thieves he is pursuing.
• “Daigo Project” (working title) – The first ever Disney+ Original Japanese variety show, this upcoming series is planned and produced by Daigo of the renowned Japanese comedian duo — Chidori. This upcoming project marks Daigo’s first time producing global content, sharing an all-new concept from Japan to the world.
• “Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titans Arc” – The fierce feud between the Tokyo Manji Gang and Tenjiku ended in a tragic conclusion. As each member carries their grief into the future, Hanagaki Takemichi finds himself in awe of the late Kisaki Tetta. After learning the full truth behind the time leaps, Sano Manjiro (Mikey) makes a fateful decision. Having left the past behind, Takemichi finally reaches the best possible future — one where his girlfriend, Tachibana Hinata, is alive. However, he is nowhere to be found. In a world now entering the “Three Titans Era,” where three powerful teams vie for supremacy, the final revenge begins.
• “Medalist” season 2 – Failed figure skater Akeuraji Tsukasa meets Yuitsuka Inori, a young girl whose parents are pushing her to give up on her dreams. Impressed by her determination to skate, Tsukasa takes Inori under his wing, and the two begin working together towards their dream of becoming medalists.
• “Travis Japan Summer Vacation!! in the USA” – The seven-member global group Travis Japan embarks on a 10-day summer vacation in America. Led by Kawashima Noel, a certified travel planner and member of the group, the trip takes them from Arches National Park to Durango, Monument Valley, Sedona, and more as they immerse themselves in the vast landscapes and rich culture of America. What discoveries await them on this unforgettable adventure?

KOREA

• “The Manipulated” – Imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, mild-mannered Tae-joong is thrust into a world of chaos orchestrated by Yohan, a man with a sinister agenda. Refusing to die as a pawn in his twisted games, Tae-joong fights for his freedom in a high-stakes game of vengeance.
• “Gold Land” – After landing a dream job at an international airport, Hee-ju finally escapes the sleepy backwater town she grew up in, determined to make a name for herself. But after a promising start, things suddenly go awry, and Hee-ju finds herself on the run from some of Korea’s most dangerous men with a van full of smuggled gold. Hurtling down the highway, she heads back to the one place she swore she would never return to.
• “A Shop for Killers” season 2 – After an epic first season that saw Jian defend her childhood home from murder drones and deadly assassins, “A Shop for Killers” returns with an all-new season following Jian and her uncle Jin-man as they turn the tables — going on the offensive against the mercenary group Babylon.
• “Made in Korea” – In turbulent 1970s Korea, Ki-tae lives a dangerous double life. Seduced by money and the power it affords, he works to expand his operations until an incorruptible prosecutor begins to investigate him, threatening everything he has built.
• “Perfect Crown” – Set in a reimagined 21st century where Korea operates under a constitutional monarchy, “Perfect Crown” is a romantic dramedy about a prince embroiled in a power struggle and the heiress to one of Korea’s biggest conglomerates. Driven by personal gain, the pair begin to scheme together only to later discover the meaning of true love.
• “Portraits of Delusion” (working title) – Based on the hugely popular Naver Webtoon “Delusion,” “Portraits of Delusion” is a romantic mystery series about a heartbroken vampire in mourning. Hidden away from the world for the past 50 years, Madam Song regularly commissions portraits of herself. One day, I-ho, a painter with a troubled past, arrives at the hotel to begin his commission — but what he sees shocks him.
• “The Remarried Empress” – A live-action adaptation of the hit webtoon, “The Remarried Empress” tells the story of Navier, a perfect empress whose world shatters when her husband returns home with a mistress and demands a divorce. Unwilling to let the Emperor ruin her life, Navier grants his request but, in return, asks to marry the rival prince of the Western Kingdom — igniting a tale of political intrigue, romance, and the fight to reclaim her stolen power.
• “Battle of Fates” – From the creators of “Culinary Class Wars” comes a new unscripted series that pits fortune tellers, shamans, and other oracles against one another as they try to prove they are the real deal. With participants including a shaman group, fate interpreters, physiognomists, and tarot readers, contestants must take on challenges designed to prove — or disprove — their abilities. Those who fail are eliminated, while those who succeed move on to the next round.