The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific unveiled its upcoming slate of Korean and Japanese Originals for Disney+, showcasing strong creative momentum and deeper partnerships with top creators across the region. Held at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort for the first time, the Disney+ Originals Preview gathered stars from the United States, Korea and Japan, and featured exclusive footage, major announcements and a first look at new titles coming soon to the platform.
Creative Inspiration from Japan
One of the biggest announcements of the day was Disney’s first collaboration with legendary game creator Hideo Kojima. The project is a Japanese anime series titled Death Stranding Isolations (working title), based on the hit post-apocalyptic action-adventure game franchise. Set in the same universe but introducing an entirely new storyline, the anime will be directed by Takayuki Sano and produced by E and H Production.
Disney also revealed more Japanese titles, including:
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A sneak peek at the second half of Disney Twisted Wonderland: The Animation Episode of Heartslabyul
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A romantic comedy titled Merry Berry Love (working title) starring Ji Changwook and Mio Imada
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New seasons or arcs of popular anime such as Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titans Arc, Wandance, Cat’s Eye Part 2 and Medalist Season 2
Two unscripted shows were also confirmed. Travis Japan Summer Vacation!! in the USA will premiere before summer 2026, and a new comedy reality series from Chidori’s Daigo titled Daigo Project (working title) was announced.
Korea’s Creative Momentum
Disney also revealed major updates on its upcoming Korean Originals. The crime drama Made in Korea, starring Hyun Bin and Jung Woosung, will premiere on Disney+ on 24 December. A second series is already in production and set to release in 2026.
Other Korean titles highlighted during the preview include:
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The Manipulated, an action drama starring Ji Changwook and Doh Kyungsoo
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Battle of Fates, a high-stakes reality competition featuring fortune tellers and oracles
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Gold Land, a crime and action series starring Park Boyoung and Kim Sungcheol
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A Shop for Killers Season 2, starring Lee Dongwook and Kim Hyejun, joined by Masaki Okada and Hyunri
Perfect Crown, a romantic comedy starring IU and Byeon Wooseok, was confirmed for a 2026 release. Season 2 of Are You Sure?!, featuring Jimin and Jungkook of BTS, was previewed ahead of its debut on 3 December.
Speaking at the event, Luke Kang, President of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, emphasised that these projects reflect Disney’s growing collaborations with the region’s next generation of storytellers. He highlighted how creators are drawing from diverse inspirations including webtoons, manga, novels, video games and music.
The preview also shone a spotlight on upcoming live-action adaptations of Korean fantasy romance webtoons. These include The Remarried Empress starring Shin Mina, Ju Jihoon, Lee Jongsuk and Lee Seyoung, along with Portraits of Delusion (working title) featuring Suzy Bae and Kim Seonho.
Carol Choi, Executive Vice President of Original Content Strategy at The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, noted that originality remains key in driving Disney’s storytelling. She added that the company is committed to delivering premium dramas, comedy, unscripted content and anime that resonate across regions and generations.
Since beginning its APAC original content strategy in 2021, Disney has released more than 155 APAC Originals, many of which have achieved both critical and commercial success.
Global Content Trends
The event also highlighted the continued global rise of Japanese and Korean content. Disney+ and Hulu data showed that top anime titles received 60 percent of their global viewing hours from outside the Asia Pacific region, especially from audiences in the United States and Europe. Anime viewership has also grown steadily in France, Brazil and Mexico, while Japanese live-action content is emerging as a fast-growing category.
Korean content continues to draw strong fandoms across APAC and the United States, with rapid audience growth in Latin America, particularly in Brazil and Mexico.
