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Woo Min-ho's 'Made in Korea' reshapes actors, modern Korean history in popular Disney+ series

Published: 20 Jan. 2026, 15:43 Updated: 23 Jan. 2026, 15:33

The Disney+ series “Made in Korea,” released on Dec. 24, 2025, marked actor Hyun Bin’s return following the film “Harbin” (2024). The actor is pictured in a still from the period political series. [WALT DISNEY COMPANY KOREA]

Director Woo Min-ho has built a career on reshaping familiar faces, using physical transformation as a way to explore characters and history alike.

From Lee Byung-hun’s icy political fixer in “Inside Men” (2015) to Song Kang-ho’s flamboyant drug kingpin in “The Drug King” (2018), Woo has repeatedly reimagined Korea’s modern past through familiar faces made strange.

He continues that approach with Hyun Bin in the Disney+ series “Made in Korea” (2025), casting the star as a morally corroded intelligence officer in 1970s Korea.

“I like changing actors’ appearances when I work on a project,” Woo told reporters at an interview in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Monday. “That’s where it begins.”

For Woo, physical transformation is not about novelty. It is a way to reset expectations. By stripping stars of their established images, he invites viewers to see them anew, embedded in the political and social realities he explores. This method has become a defining aspect of his work, particularly in stories about ambition, power and ethical compromise.

Director Woo Min-ho, left, and actor Lee Byung-hun are seen on the set of the film “The Man Standing Next” (2020), in which Lee portrayed Kim Gyu-pyeong, the man who assassinates the president. [SHOWBOX]

Actor Song Kang-ho appears in the film “The Drug King” (2018) portraying Lee Du-sam, a character who rises to prominence through drug exports in the 1970s. [SHOWBOX]

Actor Hyun Bin portrays independence activist Ahn Jung-geun in the film “Harbin” (2024). [CJ ENM]

“Made in Korea,” released on Disney+ in December, follows the same philosophy. With slicked-back pomade hair and a tailored suit, Hyun Bin plays Baek Ki-tae, an intelligence director within the Korean Central Intelligence Agency driven by an insatiable desire for wealth and power.

The performance marks one of the actor’s sharpest departures to date, drawing reactions from viewers who described the character as someone they found themselves rooting for despite his moral collapse.

The series, which completed the release of its first season last Wednesday, is set against the backdrop of the 1970s, a decade defined by political repression and rapid economic transformation in Korea. The story centers on the collision between Baek and prosecutor Jang Geon-young, played by Jung Woo-sung, as two men pursuing opposing ambitions while becoming entangled in major historic events from the era.

Actor Hyun Bin appears in director Woo Min-ho’s series “Made in Korea″ (2025). [WALT DISNEY COMPANY KOREA]

Woo said the project was conceived from the outset as a long-form narrative.

“It was a story too expansive to fit into a film,” he said, explaining that the 12-episode structure was planned early on. Production constraints ultimately led to the series being divided into two seasons, with all six episodes of season one now available.

“Made in Korea” marks Woo’s first series after a filmography that includes “Inside Men,” “The Drug King,” “The Man Standing Next” (2020) and “Harbin” (2024). Combined with a cast rarely assembled in a single project, the series drew significant attention ahead of its release.

Alongside actors Hyun Bin and Jung, the ensemble includes Cho Yeo-jeong, Woo Do-hwan and Jung Sung-il, as well as Japanese actor Lily Franky, known internationally for his collaborations with director Hirokazu Kore-eda. Following its debut, “Made in Korea” ranked No. 1 in Disney+’s Top 10 TV Shows category for nearly 20 consecutive days, according to industry tracker FlixPatrol.

The title itself reflects Woo’s view of the characters as products of their time and place.

“If Baek Ki-tae had a brand label, I think it would say ‘Made in Korea,’” the director said, noting that the phrase applies not only to Baek but to the entire cast of characters shaped by the country’s political and social conditions.

Actor Jung Woo-sung portrays prosecutor Jang Geon-young, who pursues Baek Ki-tae, in the series “Made in Korea.” [WALT DISNEY COMPANY KOREA]

The opening episodes of season one draw directly from real historic events that occurred in 1970, including the hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351, the killing of a drug dealer linked to U.S. Forces Korea and the unresolved murder of Jeong In-suk, also known as Jeong Geum-ji, a case long believed to have ties to high-ranking political figures. By weaving these incidents into the narrative, Woo grounds the series’ fictional power struggles in documented history.

As with his previous films, Woo said he was careful in how violence was portrayed. Rather than presenting brutality head-on, he focused on the psychology of ambition and the seductive pull of power. The result is a series that invites viewers into the mindset of its central figure, even as it charts the inevitable collapse that follows unchecked desire.

Season two, currently in production, is scheduled to wrap filming in March, with a release planned for the second half of the year.

Below are edited excerpts from the interview.

Director Woo Min-ho's “Made in Korea” (2025) marked his first series project for Disney+. [WALT DISNEY COMPANY KOREA]

Q. You have returned to the 1970s with this series following “The Drug King” and “The Man Standing Next.” Why do you keep revisiting this era?

A. It’s a kind of homework for me. I’ve come to accept it as fate. Korea is still going through periods of upheaval and confusion. I’ve always wondered when that dynamism began, and for me, it was the 1970s. That’s why I keep digging into it.

Was there a specific story you wanted to tell through 'Made in Korea?'

I wanted to portray a group of people charging headlong toward their desires. Why do those in power behave the way they do? Are they simply feeding their own greed while wrapping those actions in the language of patriotism? Those were the questions I wanted to raise.

The 1970s were also an era of repression and violence. Were there aspects you were especially careful about in portraying that period?

I try not to show violence directly. Violence should never become entertainment. In that sense, I think 'Made in Korea' portrays villains in a compelling way. If you look at 'The Godfather' (1972), you find yourself rooting for Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone. I wanted viewers to climb aboard the train of desire that Baek Ki-tae is riding, and to feel the emptiness waiting at the end of that journey.

Director Woo Min-ho answers questions during a media conference for the Disney+ series “Made in Korea” (2025) at InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 15, 2025. [YONHAP]

This is your first time directing a TV series. How did that experience differ from making films?

I don’t separate my thinking into only making films or only making series. As long as my directing doesn’t lose its core, I believe I can work in any format. While making 'Harbin,' I regretted not being able to shoot the actors’ faces up close. On an online streaming service, there are many opportunities to do that, and I finally satisfied that longing.

There has been some controversy surrounding Jung Woo-sung’s performance. How do you respond to that?

I’m someone who makes the work. Judgment afterward belongs to the viewers. I think Jang Geon-young, as portrayed by Jung Woo-sung, may become a different person in the second season. In the first season, he loses to Baek Ki-tae because he expresses his emotions too honestly. In season two, which takes place nine years later, he will return armed with weapons of his own.

What changes can viewers expect in the second season?

Please look forward to seeing what versions of Baek Ki-tae and Jang Geon-young return in the second season. Filming is about two-thirds complete. We plan to wrap in March and release it in the second half of the year.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI HYE-RI [[email protected]]