Disney+ adds Korean drama lineups as Tving aims to minimize local market risks and elevate Korea content in Japan.

South Korea’s leading OTT service, Tving, has joined forces with Disney to push into Japan, a key battleground in the global content race and a cradle of the Hallyu wave. The partners announced at a Tokyo press day that they have formed a strategic partnership with Disney+, and a dedicated ‘Tving Collection’ will launch inside Disney+ Japan, giving local audiences access to Korean dramas and variety programs. Korean hits such as Goblin and the Reply series are slated to roll out in sequence.

Disney+ Japan will open a localized Korean-content storefront for the first time, seeking to differentiate by adding Korean drama lineups to its catalog. Tving, meanwhile, aims to minimize market-entry risks while building recognition of Korean content as a leading global brand. On the 6th, the series ‘Dear X’ will premiere simultaneously in Korea and Japan, with Tving Originals also airing exclusively on Disney+ Japan.

Hiro Damotsu, President of Walt Disney Company Japan, said, “Japanese audiences will be able to meet Korean content for the first time on Disney+’s Tving Collection, and Disney+ will become Tving’s core hub in Japan,” and added that the partnership is a broad strategy to proactively respond to changing viewing trends among the young audience fueling the popularity of Korean dramas in Japan.

Choi Ju-hee, CEO of Tving, stated, “As Korea’s leading content powerhouse, Tving has chosen the best partner,” and, “We will introduce differentiated Korean content to Japan to bring new joy and inspiration to Japanese viewers.”

The press day included directors Lee Eung-bok and Jin Hyuk, CJ ENM Studios’ Oh Kwang-hee, and producer Lee Hye-young, who discussed the potential for cross-border exchange and the global competitiveness of Korean content. They noted that Korean works like Goblin and Descendants of the Sun resonated in Japan, and expressed optimism about collaboration. Tving plans to expand overseas markets starting with Japan and the Asia-Pacific region, then to the United States and Latin America.