Kim Soo-hyun, star of the hit drama series “Queen of Tears,” takes on the role of a counterfeit king, and Park Eun-bin, known for “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” transforms into a genius doctor. At the Disney Content Showcase 2024, held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on Nov. 21, Disney unveiled six original Korean dramas slated for release on Disney+ later this year and in 2025.
The event featured top Korean stars such as Kim Soo-hyun, Park Eun-bin, Kim Hye-soo, Ryu Seung-ryong, Ju Ji-hoon, and Son Seok-gu. Journalists from 12 countries, including Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, lined up an hour early to secure front-row seats.
Kim Soo-hyun’s next project “Knock Off,” is a black comedy that follows the journey of an ordinary office worker who loses his job during the 1997 Asian financial crisis and ends up navigating the fake luxury goods market in Dongdaemun, eventually becoming a global counterfeit king. “In Queen of Tears, I played a warm, affectionate character,” Kim said. “This time, the character I portray is cold and purely focused on survival.”
When asked why he chose this series, Kim responded, “I was drawn to the story of an ordinary office worker transforming into a world-renowned counterfeit king.”
“It’s my first time portraying someone who builds his business, so I approached the character with the mindset of never letting go of my prey,” he added. “Compared to my real personality, I think the charisma I bring to work is somewhat similar (laughs).”
Park Eun-bin, known for her role as the quirky lawyer in “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” takes on her first villainous role in 28 years with the medical crime thriller drama “Hyper Knife.” She depicts Jung Se-ok, a once-promising doctor now working at an illegal surgery center. The trailer teased intense moments, including her lashing out at her mentor, played by Sul Kyung-gu.
“Instead of overanalyzing, I aimed to unleash raw emotional explosions by the moment,” Park said. “The complex dynamic between my character and her mentor in the series is unusual and bizarre, which makes for an interesting experience for audiences who will be able to see their psychological shifts firsthand.”
Kang Yun-sung, the director of the drama series “Casino” and the box office hit “The Roundup,” is bringing “Low Life,” a heist drama set in the 1970s, to Disney+. Based on Yoon Tae-ho’s webtoon of the same name, the story follows a group of villains scheming to steal artifacts from a sunken treasure ship buried off the coast of Sinan in the 1970s. The cast includes Ryu Seung-ryong, Yang Se-jong, and Lim Soo-jung.
Director Yoon Jong-bin, known for “Narco-Saints” and “Nameless Gangster,” returns with “Nine Puzzles.” The mystery thriller series revolves around a serial killer who leaves puzzle pieces at crime scenes and the detectives pursuing the killer. Son Seok-gu, who stars alongside Kim Da-mi, described his character as “a detective with a distinctive sense of style and a cartoon-like charm. It’s a fresh take on detective dramas we haven’t seen in Korea before.”
The first drama series to premiere is “Light Shop,” which will be available for streaming on Dec. 4. Based on Kang Full’s popular webtoon of the same name, the horror series unfolds in a mysterious light shop at the end of a dark alley, where customers teetering on the edge of life and death come seeking answers.
Ju Ji-hoon, who plays the enigmatic store owner, Won-young, described the drama as a web of mysteries. “Every character has a secret, and Won-young observes strange, inexplicable things. Viewers following his gaze will find the experience quite engaging.”
