Picture this: The powerhouse of entertainment, Disney, is zooming in on Asia's dynamic creative landscapes, zeroing in on Korea and Japan to supercharge its streaming empire – but is this bold pivot sparking excitement or skepticism among global fans?
Ever since his notable exit from FX, Eric Schrier, the head of Disney TV Studios, has been deeply immersed in molding Disney+'s content lineup for the Asia-Pacific region. This role complements his position as president of Disney’s worldwide original television strategy. Alongside Carol Choi, who leads original content for Disney+ in APAC, Schrier shared insights during an interview with Deadline at the Disney APAC Showcase in Hong Kong. Their enthusiasm was palpable as they unveiled plans for Disney+ in Asia to adopt an intense concentration on Korea and Japan over the coming years. They also touched on the prospects of bringing ESPN+ and regional live sports broadcasts to the platform.
When Schrier first evaluated Disney+'s presence in Asia, his objective was to refine the content strategy from a scattered approach to something more targeted. 'We took a close look at our efforts,' Schrier explained to Deadline, 'realizing we'd been producing material everywhere without a clear strategic direction.'
He swiftly implemented a 'local-for-local' approach, which means creating content tailored specifically for local audiences using regional talent and stories – think of it as crafting shows that resonate deeply with people in their own backyards, rather than one-size-fits-all imports. This led to a major emphasis on Korean productions, which have gained international acclaim and, as Schrier put it, 'circulate effectively across the region.'
Two years into this strategy, with Disney+ firmly established in Asia, the team is now ramping up investments in unscripted programming (like reality shows or documentaries that don't follow a script), adaptations from one medium to another (such as turning comics into TV series), and live-action adaptations of Japanese stories. Schrier highlighted an increase in shows catering to female viewers, including travel and romance genres. 'By examining manga, webtoons in Japan and Korea, and anime, we've excelled in Korea with high-intensity male-oriented series,' Schrier noted, citing action-packed hits like The Worst of Evil, Light Shop, and Big Bet. 'Now, we're expanding into content that appeals more to women, particularly Korean styles that lean toward travel and romance.'
A prime illustration is the fantasy series The Remarried Empress, adapted from a popular webtoon. This romantic fantasy, starring Shin Mina (known from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha), Ju Jihoon (from Light Shop), Lee Jongsuk (Big Mouth), and Lee Seyoung (The Red Sleeve), tells the tale of an empress whose world is upended when her husband brings home a mistress and demands a divorce. It's the kind of story that blends drama with fantastical elements, making it accessible and engaging for a broad audience.
Choi echoed this expansion: 'We've broadened the range of genres for our upcoming shows this year. In Korea, we're delving into fantasy romance and increasing our unscripted offerings. Not every unscripted show will launch here, but it's an area we're actively growing.'
But here's where it gets intriguing: While Korea has been the shining example of Disney+'s APAC content, Schrier and Choi are fully committed to Japan as a key investment destination. Collaborating locally with Gaku Narita, Executive Director for Original Content Production and Development at Disney Japan, they held meetings with numerous producers in June to gauge the creative potential.
'I'm genuinely fascinated by the developments in Japan,' Schrier shared. 'Japanese live-action content hasn't fully blossomed yet, but there's an incredible wealth of untapped creativity and a promising market for Disney+, so we're eager to cultivate it.'
Choi elaborated on the evolution from 2024 to now: 'We're placing special emphasis on that elusive Japanese live-action genre, alongside unscripted shows and cross-medium projects, like adapting games or manga into series.'
She added, 'Japan's storytelling tradition is extraordinarily rich, and we're thrilled about the potential for cross-medium adaptations – from games to shows to manga. There's immense opportunity, especially with established intellectual properties that already have dedicated fanbases. Whether it's shifting from one format to another or reimagining manga-based IPs, these are areas we're targeting.'
And this is the part most people might overlook: When asked about Disney+'s other high-priority markets in the Asia-Pacific beyond Korea and Japan, Schrier pointed to Australia as 'a massive opportunity for us.' He noted that U.S. content performs exceptionally well there and highlighted local Disney+ originals such as The Artful Dodger, set to release its second season soon. With upcoming streaming content quotas in the country – regulations that could require a certain percentage of local programming – it remains to be seen how this will affect their plans.
Schrier also emphasized how Disney+'s core business in Australia is enhanced by ESPN's sports portfolio. 'Our sports division thrives there,' he said. 'We recently integrated ESPN into Disney+, and it's been a tremendous hit.'
Shifting gears to ESPN and the future of sports on the platform, Choi clarified that ESPN+ won't be rolling out in other APAC territories besides Australia and New Zealand just yet. 'Australia and New Zealand were the obvious starting points,' she explained, 'thanks to our strong sports rights, established ESPN presence, and a large sports-enthusiast community that aligns with our holdings.'
The primary hurdle in the APAC sports rights landscape? Choi described it as 'highly fragmented,' with soccer leagues dominating some nations and baseball taking center stage in others. 'We're continually evaluating what's out there and identifying mature markets where sports can integrate seamlessly into our lineup,' she added.
While Schrier kept details under wraps about potential new sports rights in the region, he teased upcoming announcements. 'Expect us to opportunistically venture into select sports in specific local areas,' he hinted. 'We have the expertise in live sports globally, so we're exploring opportunities that align with our overall goals.'
Meanwhile, Hulu – now functioning as an international brand for Disney+ – is introducing fresh elements to the content strategy outside the U.S. As Disney CEO Bob Iger stated during the company's earnings call: 'With Hulu taking over from the Star tile on Disney+ in non-U.S. markets, we're broadening our global footprint by focusing investments on our own originals and partnering with local studios to license high-quality, region-specific stories. We're adopting a strategic, disciplined approach to the markets we prioritize, confident in our long-term vision.'
Before we wrap up, let's address a potentially divisive angle: While Disney+ has honed in on Korea, Japan, and Australia, Schrier keeps options open for additional markets down the line. Just three years ago, the platform was actively producing content in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, before scaling back operations there.
'Outstanding narratives can emerge from any corner,' Schrier remarked, 'and we have talented creators throughout the region. We're exploring ways to blend them, perhaps by incorporating Korean actors into stories from elsewhere or shooting in varied locations. We're always scouting for the next big breakthrough.'
Choi built on this: 'We maintain numerous partnerships with free-to-air broadcasters. What sets us apart is our view of Disney+ not as an isolated service that dominates a market, but as a collaborator. We aim to work with local broadcasters and services through co-productions, original content, bundling deals, or even airing broadcast content on our platform the day after. We see our service complementing, rather than competing with, existing options in each region.'
As an example, she cited the recently announced Korea-Japan series Merry Berry Love, unveiled at the Disney APAC Showcase. It showcases how Disney+ facilitates connections between creators and partners across borders. CJ ENM sought regional distributors and Japanese talent to develop the show, and Disney+ leveraged its partnership with Nippon TV to unite Korean and Japanese teams.
Finally, touching on parks and merchandise, fans of Shogun might feel let down – Schrier confirmed no Shogun-themed ride is in the works for Disneyland anytime soon. Disney's parks and experiences division concentrates on 'children and families,' with Disney+ providing 'supportive' content for adult audiences.
'I doubt we'll see a Shogun attraction at Disneyland,' Schrier said, 'but there are avenues for significant collaboration with the parks. Locally produced shows perform strongly, yielding family-friendly merchandise, so we're crafting adult-oriented series that enhance that ecosystem.'
Yet, in a surprising twist, Schrier revealed his fantasy ride idea for Disneyland: one inspired by Sons of Anarchy. Maybe his FX roots will always shine through!
What do you think about Disney+'s razor-sharp focus on Korea and Japan? Is this the smart way to conquer Asia's streaming scene, or could it alienate fans in other regions? And here's a provocative one: Should streaming giants like Disney prioritize 'hot' markets over emerging ones, even if it means leaving some areas behind? Do you believe cross-medium adaptations are the future of storytelling, or are they just a trendy gimmick? Share your opinions, agreements, or disagreements in the comments – we'd love to hear your take!
