Made In Korea director Woo Min-ho revealed his thoughts on working with Hyunbin on two consecutive projects.
On the morning of Jan. 19 at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno District, an interview was held with director Woo Min-ho, who directed the Disney+ series Made In Korea.
Disney+ Made In Korea is set in South Korea in the 1970s, a period when turmoil and leap forward coexisted, and tells the story of corporate man Baek Gi-tae (played by Hyunbin), who aims to use the state as a revenue model to reach the apex of wealth and power, and prosecutor Jang Geon-young (played by Jung Woosung), who pursues him with terrifying determination, confronting monumental events that span the era. It is a big-budget production with 70 billion won invested, and it is director Woo Min-ho's first series work after making films such as Inside Men (2015), Decision to Leave (2020), and Harbin (2024). Hive Media Corp, which made the 10-million-attendance film 12.12: The Day, produced it, and in addition to Hyunbin and Jung Woosung, the strong lineup including Woo Do Hwan, Cho Yeojeong, Seo Eun-soo, Won Jian, and Jung Sung-il drew anticipation even before its release.
Made In Korea has continued to attract much attention even after the final episode was released on Jan. 14. It cemented its presence as it set a new domestic viewership record among Korean original contents released on Disney+ in 2025 (based on 14 days after release). As of Jan. 16, the tracking site FlixPatrol showed Disney+ TOP 10 TV shows ranking that the series held the No. 1 spot in Korea for 23 consecutive days, and it ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong and Taiwan and No. 2 in Japan and Singapore. According to the 'Jan. 3rd week OTT K-original content viewer evaluation report' released by Consumer Insight, it recorded a satisfaction score of 80, ranking first by an overwhelming margin among launching contents in the film & drama genre. K-content analysis platform Fundex also placed it high on major platforms, including No. 2 in drama buzz.
The early episodes 1–3 incorporated real reporting on incidents such as the Yodoho case and the murder of Jeong In-sook, and Woo Min-ho's works distinctly reveal prominent Korean history from the 1970s.
He said, "That's my assignment too. I don't know why I'm so fascinated; I accept it as destiny," and noted, "Korea is still in a period of upheaval and turmoil. On Dec. 3 two years ago, I felt we were living through an era no one had imagined. At that time I was filming Made In Korea season 1. I was curious about where the upheaval and turmoil unique to Korea, the dynamic images, begin — I wanted to know about the 1970s. So I keep digging into the 1970s."
After reuniting with Hyunbin following the film Harbin, director Woo Min-ho recalled, "Hyunbin played our country's hero Ahn Jung-geun in his previous work, but this time he plays a villain, so capturing a new face and working together is thrilling. In any case, we make it for many viewers, but I get to see Hyunbin's villain first. That thrill is indescribable," he recalled.
He added, "When he played General Ahn Jung-geun, I told him, 'I wish you didn't have muscles,' so he lost weight, but for Made In Korea the role was different and I didn't make any special demands. He himself gained 13–15 kg. He bulked up. As a result, Baek Gi-tae's desire looked grotesquely vivid," expressing great satisfaction.
When asked about the meaning of the title, director Woo Min-ho said, "It refers to that era of upheaval and turmoil itself," and explained, "It means Baek Gi-tae and the monsters made in Korea. Baek Gi-tae is a monster and is never satisfied. I thought Korea made this character, and Baek Gi-tae's brand is Korea. The ending scene wasn't in the script; I made it on the spur of the moment. It transitions from black-and-white to color; black-and-white represents the past, color represents the present. These kinds of monsters are not only in the past but can exist in the present. The Baek Gi-tae of the 1970s could pop up at any time now."
Meanwhile, Made In Korea season 1 concluded as a six-episode series, and season 2 is currently being filmed.
[Photo] Disney+
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