According to industry sources, Disney+ has entered the casting phase Moving 2the sequel to his biggest Korean hit to date. The move comes after the platform suffered a prolonged slump in Korea, during which several original series failed to gain traction.
After the success of Moving in 2023, Disney+ released several Korean originals that underperformed, resulting in a harsh reaction from audiences. Online reactions at the time included comments like “There’s nothing to look at” AND “Disney+ should just leave Korea.” Exit rumors have circulated widely as the platform’s local presence weakens.
Moving
" data-medium-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2023/10/13190156/moving-1-100123.jpg" data-large-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2023/10/13190156/moving-1-100123.jpg" alt="Moving" class="wp-image-521713"/>However, sentiment has changed in recent months. Disney+ has reportedly regained around 3 million monthly active users in Korea for the first time in nearly two years.
Moving tells the story of children with hidden superpowers and parents who carry with them painful secrets from their past. Upon its release in 2023, the series ranked first in total hours watched among Korean Disney+ originals during its debut week. In the month the series premiered, Disney+ saw a 48% increase in users.
The platform peaked at 4.34 million users in September 2023 following the success of Movingbefore suffering a steady decline throughout 2024.
Disney+ is now attempting a turnaround by releasing a series of big-budget originals with top-tier actors. Notably, several actors who previously helmed Netflix hits have chosen Disney+ for their upcoming projects, signaling a shift in industry dynamics.
This change is partly attributed to the fact that Netflix introduced a cap on appearance fees per episode, lowering them from a maximum of 800 million won to a maximum of 300 million won. As a result, demand from actors has started to spread more evenly across all OTT platforms.
Recent releases are showing promising results. Original Disney+ Made in Koreapremiering on December 24, it ranked first in Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, recording the highest watch time among the platform’s recent titles.
According to Mobile Index, Disney+ recorded 3.23 million monthly active users in Korea in December. Industry watchers are now watching closely to see if Moving 2 and upcoming original films can consolidate Disney+’s long-term recovery in the Korean market.
Sources: Herald Economy, Mobile Index
