Luke Kang, president of the Asia-Pacific region of Walt Disney Company, speaks during the 2024 Disney Content Showcase APAC at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Wednesday. Courtesy of Walt Disney Company
SINGAPORE — Disney+ unveiled its highly anticipated 2025 global lineup, with a collection of new series and sequels of iconic Marvel series that are sure to captivate audiences worldwide.
With over 110 journalists from Korea, the largest group among 500 invited guests from 12 Asia-Pacific countries, Luke Kang, president of the Asia-Pacific region at Walt Disney Company, described this year as a "phenomenal year" for Disney+.
"Our storytelling is stronger than ever before, driven by the unmatched strength of our global and local creative studios across film, TV and streaming, and the wide appeal of our beloved brands and franchises," he said in his opening speech for the 2024 Disney Content Showcase APAC at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Wednesday.
He added that, thanks to exceptional storytelling, Walt Disney Studios became the first studio to surpass $4 billion in global box office revenues this year. He also highlighted the success of the original series "Shogun," which won 19 awards and set a new Television Academy record for the most awards received by a single series in one year.
"It was only three years ago when I announced our creative ambition to uncover and develop original stories from APAC for Disney+. A bold move at that time, but I'm proud of what we've achieved," he added.
Emphasizing the significant contribution of high-quality content produced in the region, he expressed strong expectations for the Korean original series "Light Shop," highlighting it as one of the key titles driving Disney+'s continued growth.
Set to premiere on Disney+ on Dec. 4, the webtoon-based supernatural mystery series "Light Shop" is written by Kang Full, the acclaimed writer behind the hit series "Moving." An action drama about children with superpowers, "Moving" became the most-watched Korean series on Disney+ last year.
The most anticipated shows and films include "Mufasa: The Lion King," "Snow White," "Zootopia 2," "Avatar: Fire and Ash," "Daredevil: Born Again," "Toy Story 5," "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" and "Captain America: Brave New World."
From left, Kang Full, the webtoonist and scriptwriter for the "Light Shop," actors Ju Ji-hoon, Park Bo-young and director Kim Hee-won are seen during a press conference held during the 2024 Disney Content Showcase APAC at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Wednesday. Courtesy of Walt Disney Company
Highly anticipated 'Light Shop' unveiled
Kang, both the original webtoonist and screenwriter for the "Light House," shared the pressures and excitement surrounding his latest work, following the immense popularity of "Moving."
"I can't deny feeling a sense of pressure. 'Light Shop' is different from 'Moving,' yet they share a common focus on their characters. While 'Moving' was a genre piece with a relatively low barrier to entry, 'Light Shop' delves into horror, a genre that's not as common in Korean dramas. I'm excited to see how Korean audiences will react," he said during a press conference, part of the showcase, the same day.
Reflecting on the adaptation, Kang added that the drama allowed him to explore aspects of the story that he couldn't fully realize in the original webtoon he created 13 years ago.
"The drama explores narratives that couldn't be depicted in the comics format and I'm grateful for the director and actors for bringing my vision to life. While it shares similarities with the original, the story has evolved and deepened. I'm particularly pleased with how the visual medium has captured emotions and ideas that were difficult to convey through drawings," he added.
The series follows a group of individuals with mysterious connections, who converge on a peculiar light shop. The drama, directed by Kim Hee-won, features a star-studded cast including Ju Ji-hoon, Park Bo-young and Kim Seol-hyun.
This drama marks the directorial debut of actor Kim Hee-won, who starred in "Moving." Kim recalled his first day on set as a director, noting how he was constantly focused on balancing what would engage and resonate with the audience while maintaining a sense of originality.
"It is a unique drama in that it requires audience empathy while also pushing creative boundaries. I strived to find that sweet spot where the uniqueness of the story wouldn't alienate viewers," Kim explained.
Joining the event, actor Park Bo-young said her character is "a figure on the precipice between life and death," and highlighted the drama's deep exploration of human nature, emphasizing that it's the perfect series to watch this December.
Anthony Mackie, right, star of "Captain America: Brave New World," speaks during the 2024 Disney Content Showcase APAC at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Wednesday. Courtesy of Walt Disney Company
New Captain America
On the first day of the showcase, Anthony Mackie, star of "Captain America: Brave New World," slated for February 2025 release, also took to the stage to fuel the excitement. He revealed that he learned he would be taking over as the third Captain America through a spoiler from Chris Evans, the previous Captain America.
"Evans gave me the last two pages of 'Avengers: Endgame' and when I read it we just hugged each other and jumped around in a circle," Mackie said, describing the moment they were reading the part that Steve Rogers (Evans) gives his shield to Sam Wilson (Mackie), making him the next Captain America.
When asked about how he feels about taking on such an iconic role, Mackie said, "It's exciting. There's nothing like it. I've seen the Marvel universe for almost 10 years now, and I've been in 10 of these movies, so to have Sam Wilson start off the way he did and grow into Captain America, it's very unique. No other character in the cinematic universe had that experience."