Hyun Bin and Woo Do-hwan Turn Against Each Other in Hulu and Disney+’s ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2
The Korean political thriller "Made in Korea" returns for a six-episode second season on Hulu and Disney+ from 9 September, continuing the KRW70 billion ($51 million) two-season production that ranks among the most expensive K-dramas made. The new season jumps forward nine years from Season 1's 1970s setting to depict the chaos of 1979, including a presidential assassination and military coups, while sharpening the rift between brothers Baek Ki-tae and Baek Ki-hyun, played by Hyun Bin and Woo Do-hwan, as their diverging paths in power pit them against each other.
Director Woo Min-ho, who previously covered related events in his 2020 film "The Man Standing Next", says the nine-year time jump reflects how dramatically the characters have changed, with Ki-tae now second-in-command at the Korean Central Intelligence Agency and his once-timid brother risen through military ranks. Jung Woo-sung's prosecutor character Jang Geon-young is teased to return seeking revenge, while Woo notes the tighter six-episode format makes Season 2 feel like one continuous film rather than the episodic structure of Season 1. The shift also mirrors a broader trend among Korean streamers, including Disney+, Netflix and others, moving away from traditional 16-episode series towards shorter, film-director-led prestige productions; a spin-off, "The Koreans", set in the 1990s, is already in the works for next year.
In short
- "Made in Korea" Season 2 premieres six episodes on 9 September
- Story jumps nine years to 1979's political turmoil and assassination
- Brothers Hyun Bin and Woo Do-hwan's characters become bitter rivals
Explained simply
South Korea’s modern history includes periods of military rule, when powerful security agencies and armed forces played a central role in politics. In the late 1970s, the country faced a presidential assassination and coups that reshaped who held power.
Made in Korea is a political thriller set against that turbulent period. Its central figures are brothers Baek Ki-tae, an intelligence official, and Baek Ki-hyun, a rising military officer; their different careers bring them into conflict. The series draws on real historical events, while its characters and family rivalry are part of the drama.
The story matters because it places personal ambition alongside a major turning point in South Korea’s history. Its shorter season also reflects a shift by streaming services towards more compact drama series.
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