Eric Schrier, Disney’s head of international local originals, admits he was “a little hesitant” when he first heard the pitch to remake the hit FX series The Americans as The Koreans — a big-budget, local-language reimagining starring Lee Byung-hun and Han Ji-min as a pair of North Korean spies masquerading as a happily married couple in 1990s South Korea.
“I was the guy who developed The American...
This move represents Disney's strategy to boost the competitive position of Disney+ by producing local-language content in key markets such as South Korea, Japan, and Australia. The adaptation of "The Americans" could potentially resonate with Korean audiences due to its family dynamics and the presence of Lee Byung-hun, one of Korea's most recognizable stars. However, it remains to be seen how well this adaptation will capture the rich layered marital drama and espionage tradecraft that made th...