On September 9, 2026, the second season of the Korean original series «Made in Korea Season 2» (메이드 인 코리아 시즌2) premiered on the streaming service Disney+.

The project, originally conceived as a multi-season production, returns with a six-episode continuation.

The first season, which debuted in December 2025, became the most-watched Korean original on Disney+ worldwide in 2025 and received major awards at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

The second season will air two episodes per week, on September 9, 16 and 23.

The lead roles are played by Hyun Bin («Harbin», «Crash Landing on You»), Jung Woo Sung («Tell Me That You Love Me», «Delayed Justice»), Woo Do Hwan («Mr. Plankton», «Bloodhounds»), Seo Eun Soo («Chief Detective 1958», «Unlock the Boss») and Won Ji An («Squid Game 2,3», «Tempest»).

Woo Min Ho returns as director, known for the films «Inside Men» (2015), «The Man Standing Next» (2020) and «Harbin» (2024).

The second season is set nine years after the events of the first, in 1979. At the centre of the story is Paik Ki Tae (Hyun Bin), who has transformed from a double agent of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) – working for the intelligence service by day and running contraband by night – into the second most influential figure in the organisation. Dictator Park Chung Hee has been assassinated, chaos and a power struggle have erupted, and on December 12, a military coup took place.

Director Woo Min Ho noted that, unlike the first season, where each episode had its own tone, the second season is a single continuous narrative, akin to a feature film. «If the first season was like a brawl among children, the second is like a battle among adults», the director said at a press conference on September 2.

The protagonist Paik Ki Tae, according to Hyun Bin, is driven by even deeper and more insatiable ambitions. In the trailer, he says: «I lowered my body as much as possible, hid my claws and waited for this moment».

The actor spoke about the transformation of his character in an interview with Elle magazine: «He has become bolder and more decisive. The more power a person has, the more radical his methods become. Not only his manner of speech, his gait and his behaviour when interacting with people have changed, but even such details as the way he knots his tie and the collar of his shirt».

Hyun Bin also admitted that this is the first time he has worked on a single character for so long: «My feelings for Paik Ki Tae are truly special».

Jang Geon Yeong (Jung Woo Sung), the prosecutor who was defeated in the first season, returns after nine years to strike back. His character has undergone significant changes: from a man who pursued justice, he has turned into one obsessed with revenge.

Jung Woo Sung described his character as a man who has lost everything and hit rock bottom: «Having endured many hardships over these nine years, Geon Yeong has become tougher and gone on the offensive. However, in the second season it becomes absolutely clear: both Jang Geon Yeong and Paik Ki Tae are mere grains of sand caught in the turbulent current of that era».

Director Woo Min Ho explained that the changes in the prosecutor’s character were planned from the start: «In the second season, Jang Geon Yeong can no longer live as Don Quixote and will not express his emotions as openly as he did in the first season».

The central conflict of the second season is not only the confrontation with the prosecutor, but also with the protagonist’s younger brother – Paik Ki Hyeon, played by Woo Do Hwan. Watching his older brother’s growing ambitions, Ki Hyeon faces a difficult choice between family and beliefs. Woo Do Hwan noted that his character has received a promotion and matured over the nine years, with more responsibility resting on his shoulders.

Hyun Bin admitted that the conflict with his brother was particularly difficult for him: «In the first season, I fought against one person – Jang Geon Yeong – but in the second season, Paik Ki Hyeon became another serious challenge. Family was one of Paik Ki Tae’s driving forces, but his brother gradually turned into a significant obstacle. The relationship with him felt much heavier. There were many scenes where I had to stand up to others, and during filming I felt isolated».

The cast of the first season have all returned to their roles. Seo Eun Soo again plays Oh Ye Jin – the first female prosecutor in South Korea. Won Ji An plays Ikeda Yuji, the adopted daughter of the yakuza boss, who aims to become the head of the clan.

The project’s budget is estimated at 70 billion won (approximately US$58 million).

Ahead of the second season’s premiere, the project had already entered the top ranks of the FUNdex buzz chart, taking sixth place, which indicates growing anticipation among Korean viewers and media. Viewers note that the series is not aimed at a mass audience and is not easy viewing, but it is precisely this refusal to compromise that makes it worthy of attention.

The second season, according to the director, promises even harsher clashes and extreme conflicts.

Sources 1, 2, 3