Hyun Bin headlines second season of Korean political drama 'Made in Korea'
The second season of Disney+ series 'Made in Korea' brings back Hyun Bin as Ki-tae, navigating the 1979 assassination of South Korean leader Park Chung-hee. The show continues a trend of Korean entertainment exploring the country's turbulent political history. Director Woo Min-ho, who previously depicted the assassination in another film, becomes the first to tackle the event twice on screen.
The upcoming season coincides with the release of *The Assassin(s)*, a period thriller covering the 1974 attempt on Park Chung-hee that resulted in the death of first lady Yuk Young-soo. Director Woo Min-ho previously helmed *The Man Standing Next* (2020), making him the first filmmaker to revisit this specific historical event twice.
Co-star Jung Woo-sung has also engaged with this era, having appeared in *12.12: The Day* (2023), which depicted the military coup following Park's death. This clustering of projects highlights a sustained commercial and critical interest in South Korea's political past.
The simultaneous release of multiple works tackling the same political era could saturate the market, potentially leading to audience fatigue. However, it may also deepen public engagement with South Korea's authoritarian past, offering younger viewers varied perspectives on pivotal events. This recurring focus could influence how historical figures are remembered, while also reinforcing the global appeal of Korean storytelling. The trend may prompt renewed discussions about the legacy of that period.