Disney+ historical drama “Made in Korea” (2025–) is back for a second season. The series’ characters are nine years older, and, according to the cast, harder, more experienced and more determined in their pursuit of power, money and revenge — some in the name of family, others at its expense.
Or as director Woo Min-ho puts it, “If season one was a kids’ fight, season two is a fight among the adults.”
The political crime thriller series finds Ki-tae, played by Hyun Bin, who works for Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) as an operative embedded in criminal networks, now risen to second-in-command in the powerful government agency. Geon-young, played by Jung Woo-sung, returns as the strong-willed prosecutor who seeks to bring justice to statewide corruption — but after his downfall in season one, is perhaps motivated by something more than just a sense of public responsibility.
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“Geon-young is someone who has lost everything and been thrown to rock bottom. […] He doesn’t even realize that what is driving him is personal vengeance. Instead, he rationalizes it as a means of carrying out justice, pursuing Baek Ki-tae and trying to bring him down,” Jung said at a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, ahead of the series’ Sept. 9 premiere.
“From there, the question is where the tiger he has climbed onto is taking him. I think the character can show audiences something about human nature, the times and the dilemmas people face,” the actor added.
Ki-tae, meanwhile, has become increasingly ambitious, hungry for greater power and wealth
“There are moments when he feels isolated and lonely, and others when bold choices put him in dangerous situations. I paid a lot of attention to showing those different sides of him in a more layered way,” he said.
“Made in Korea” draws on real events in 1970s Korea, a period of political upheaval when the KCIA wielded sweeping power under authoritarian President Park Chung Hee. Season two moves the story to 1979, taking inspiration from Park’s assassination and the ensuing power vacuum and military turmoil that culminated in Chun Doo Hwan’s coup in December that year.
While the series is inspired by real events, its use of fictional characters lets it play out what may have unfolded beyond the historical record Season two asks how those tied to Park-era power might have reacted as the political order collapsed and new forces moved to seize control
“Season two began with the question: Would the KCIA really have just stood by and taken it?” Woo said.
It also gives the show greater freedom to explore the characters’ personal ambitions, relationships and moral choices. The second season brings more family drama, with Ki-tae’s younger brother Ki-hyun, an elite military officer played by Woo Do-hwan, taking on a more central role.
“In season one, a lot of people said Ki-hyun was like a kid going through his rebellious teenage phase,” Woo Do-hwan said. “Season two explains why he grew up the way he did, and what happened that made him cherish and love his family so deeply.”
“He’s become more grounded than he was in season one, but the stronger he becomes, the more intense his conflict with his brother gets,” the actor said.
“The emotions run much deeper this season. There are feelings we didn’t see in season one — they love one another because they’re family, but there’s also resentment. It’s a love-hate relationship, and I wanted to capture that tension,” director Woo Min-ho said.
