SINGAPORE — Disney+ offered a sneak peek at its highly anticipated lineup of Korean originals for 2025 during a series of press conferences, giving fans of Korean content an early look at next year’s star-studded releases.
As part of the Disney Contents Showcase Asia Pacific 2024 event held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center on Thursday, the platform unveiled details about several upcoming titles, with the slate including “Unmasked,” “Hyper Knife,” “Knock-Off,” “Low Life” and “Nine Puzzles.”
“Unmasked,” set to premiere in January 2025, stars Kim Hye-soo, one of Korea’s most celebrated actors, and follows a team of investigative journalists uncovering society’s most heinous crimes.
“The story of people pursuing justice and truth might seem shallow at first glance, but our work incorporates realistic and serious episodes, including topics like fake news,” Kim said at the event. “To make the message accessible, we’ve infused wit and lightened the tone. Each episode offers a distinct mood, combining entertainment with purpose,” she added.
“Low Life,” featuring Ryu Seung-ryong and Lim Soo-jung, delves into the tale of men vying to recover a newly unearthed treasure. The series has drawn attention under the direction of Kang Yoon-sung, renowned for his work on acclaimed projects like “Roundup” and Disney+ original “Casino.”
“While working on ‘Casino,’ Disney gave me a great deal of creative freedom,” Kang shared, noting the new project reflected the creator’s vision throughout.
Kang highlighted the “living, breathing characters” as the heart of the series. “Our drama features a diverse cast of characters with unique stories. They assert themselves and move as if they’re alive. The actors worked hard to interpret and bring these roles to life, and I made sure not to overlook any of their efforts,” Kang said.
In “Hyper Knife,” Park Eun-bin, acclaimed for her role in “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” takes on the role of a rogue neurosurgeon performing illegal surgeries.
Speaking about the challenging role, Park noted, “Rather than relying on calculated precision, I aimed to evoke emotional outbursts instinctively on set.”
“Knock-Off” brings together Hallyu stars Kim Soo-hyun and Cho Bo-ah in a tale of a destitute man who dives into the world of counterfeit trade.
Cho shared that the series’ setting, spanning South Korea during the 1990s and 2000s, intrigued her and motivated her to join the project. Meanwhile, Kim expressed interest in his character’s evolution from an ordinary office worker to a salesperson and ultimately a renowned figure in the counterfeit goods industry.
“Nine Puzzles,” the final series that was introduced as part of Disney+’s slate of 2025 Korean releases, will star Kim Da-mi and Son Suk-ku in a gripping mystery. The story unravels as Son’s character becomes entangled in a chilling case involving a mysterious serial killer.
Yoon Jong-bin, the director of “Nine Puzzles,” had previously mentioned that he would not produce another series after the challenging experience of working on the Netflix series “Narco-Saints.” However, he decided to return to directing for this project because of the compelling power of the script.
“I was physically and mentally exhausted, so I initially didn’t plan on taking on another project. I was actually considering doing a film next when I was offered the script for ‘Nine Puzzles.’ …But the story was so immersive, and I couldn’t predict what would happen next. It’s about chasing a serial killer, and even I kept thinking, ‘This person must be the culprit,’ only to be proven wrong again and again.”
