The highly anticipated second season of “Made in Korea” arrives on Hulu and Disney+ on September 9, bringing the ambitious drama to its conclusion. With a combined budget of approximately $51 million across both seasons, the series stands among the most expensive Korean dramas produced to date. The new season’s six episodes advance the narrative to 1979, a pivotal moment when South Korean politics experienced dramatic upheaval within a span of just ten weeks.
The central storyline focuses on the fractured relationship between two brothers whose circumstances have shifted dramatically over nine years. Hyun Bin’s character Baek Ki-tae has risen to second-in-command at the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, fundamentally altering his worldview and interpersonal dynamics. Meanwhile, Woo Do-hwan portrays his younger brother, now ascended through military ranks with newfound confidence and stronger convictions, setting the stage for conflict between the estranged siblings.
Director Woo Min-ho deliberately chose 1979 as the endpoint, viewing the period’s political chaos as the natural culmination of his characters’ ambitions. Jung Woo-sung returns as prosecutor Jang Geon-young, poised to resurface seeking vengeance masked as justice. The second season adopts a more compressed narrative structure compared to the episodic storytelling of Season 1, with all six episodes functioning as parts of a unified cinematic experience rather than standalone stories.
The production reflects broader industry shifts, as streaming platforms increasingly recruit film directors for shorter prestige limited series rather than adhering to traditional Korean broadcast standards of 16-episode seasons.
Originally reported by Variety →
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