November 23, 2024 | 12:00am
Real Korean drama fans would know that a picture with Mickey Mouse is major.
More than 20 Korean superstars lead by Kim Soo Hyun, Ju Ji Hoon, Kim Hye Soo, Park Eun Bin and so much more took the spotlight at the two-day grand event at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore for the Disney Content Showcase of what’s to come in 2025 to 2026.
Though the last three years were already spectacular for Disney+ with “Moving,” “A Shop for Killers,” among many others, the streaming service is beefing up their Korean content in more ways than we could imagine.
Carol Choi, the executive vice president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Integrated Marketing & Original Content Strategy, told us, “With the global success we’ve seen with Korean originals, we have doubled down on our Korean slate.” She even told the crowd that APAC stories were what Disney was most excited about to push globally.
A whopping 21 APAC titles were revealed to be slated on Disney+, including those made in Korea, Japan and Australia. But mostly Korea.
The new Captain America Anthony Mackie shares what to expect from ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’
They just did not tell us the details, they also made us feel how major it was. The Disney Content Showcase was what Korean entertainment super fans only dreamt of and we were lucky to be at the front and center of it all to tell you what went down thanks to the Disney Philippines team.
Not only did the Korean superstars walk the blue carpet, they also did simultaneous fan meetings, sit-down interviews with content creators and select journalists, dinner parties, on stage appearances and individual press conferences for their upcoming shows in a span of two days! Wow!
It was really quite the event that we had a special moment with Kim Soo Hyun as he stopped to chat with us along with her new co-star Jo Boa and the director Park Hyun Suk of their upcoming project “Knock-Off,” which is streaming on the platform in 2025.
Kim Soo Hyun was gracious enough to do the heart hand gesture with us which meant a lot since we are such a big fan of his last massive hit series “Queen of Tears.”
With Filipino celebs at the Disney content showcase AC Bonifacio and Kyle Echarri.
During his press conference, he assured fans that his new project veers away from his last one as action and survival will take a major role in “Knock-Off” where his character navigates the world of counterfeits.
“I think the romance ratio is 15 percent. In my previous series ‘Queen of Tears,’ Baek Hyun Woo’s role was very sweet and warm but this time, Kim Sung Joon’s role is very cold and focused on survival,” he said.
On to the other titles that are being drummed up by Disney: There’s “Lightshop Keeper,” which is based on a Kang Full webtoon. The series portrays a touching human story with a hint of horror starring coming out on Dec. 4. Superstars Ju Ji Hoon plays as the light shop owner. Also starring in it are Park Bo Young, Um Tae Gu and more.
We noticed that Disney+ invests on Korean stories that mostly are offbeat and veer away from melodrama. They are going on that unique route at the moment.
Other titles to watch out for are “Nine Puzzles” starring Kim Da Mii and Son Sukku, “Low Life” starring Ryu Seungryong, Yang Sejong and Lim Soojung, “Hyper Knife” starring Park Eun Bin and Sul Kyunggu and “Unmasked” starring Kim Hyesoo and Jung Sungil.
The author shares a special moment — a heart hand gesture — with Kim Soo Hyun.
We also had the first dibs on major projects that are still in production! After “Gangnam B-side,” Ji Chang Wook is set to do another Disney+ project in “The Manipulated.”
Heartthrob Rowoon is doing an historical drama called “The Murky Stream” as well. There will also be a Hollywood and Korea collaboration via the project called “Tempest” starring Korea’s highest-paid actress Jun Ji Hyun and Hollywood actor John Cho.
Guess what? Hyun Bin also now has a project on the streaming platform as he is starring in and co-producing “Made In Korea.” These titles and the incredible lineup of talented A-list actors are surely going to fill up our watch list!
Besides all the Korean content we just did a roundup of, we are happy to feel that the Marvel fatigue is over. The new Captain America Anthony Mackie was greeted enthusiastically as he did a deep dive of what to expect in “Captain America: Brave New World.” He told us, “At the beginning, I felt a little bit of pressure just because Chris Evans was such a great Captain America. But then we had a great director and knew what to do then. I am more human and what I have different is my suit is more high-tech.”
“Captain America: Brave New World” hits cinemas this coming February.
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