Hyun Bin as Baek Kitae in ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2
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Made in Korea—the gritty crime thriller that was Disney+ and Hulu’s most-watched Korean original last year—has returned for a second season, and the six-episode series wastes no time upping the ante with more suspense, more high-stakes confrontations and, yes, more drugs.
Season 1 followed Baek Kitae, a Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) official who also operates an underground drug network, and Jang Geonyoung, a zealous prosecutor hellbent on taking him down. Season 2 picks up nine years later with Kitae in a stronger position than ever before and amassing more power and wealth as he continues to lead a double life as a KCIA agent and drug trafficker.
Both seasons of Made in Korea are inspired by real events and give viewers a glimpse of what South Korea was like in the 1970s, with the second season taking place in 1979, one of the most turbulent years in modern Korean history. That was the year that President Park Chung-hee was assassinated and his subordinate Chun Doo-hwan, the commander of the Joint Investigation Headquarters, staged a coup that allowed him to seize control of the government.
“It was a period of tremendous political maneuvering and power struggles to seize the vacuum that was left behind,” Made in Korea director Woo Min-ho said during a recent press conference.
‘Made in Korea’ Season 2 press conference in Seoul
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Warning: Spoilers ahead for ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2!
At that same press conference, Director Woo revealed that the inspiration for the second season came from his own speculation of what could have transpired after President Park’s assassination.
“In actual history, after the director of the KCIA assassinated the president, power became concentrated in the Joint Investigation Headquarters,” he said. “But Made in Korea Season 2 began with the question: Would the KCIA really have simply sat there and allowed that to happen? Even if it wasn’t recorded in history, I imagined that the KCIA wouldn’t have just done nothing. Perhaps the KCIA would’ve launched a counterattack, and the leader of that counterattack would be Baek Kitae.”
With so much happening in every episode, Season 2 feels even more intense and fast-paced than the first, with the season finale less than a week away.
“I’m curious to see how viewers will respond to the ending of the story in Episode 6,” Woo said. “This series was filmed in a way that feels different from a typical TV series, so I’m excited to find out what emotions viewers will walk away with when they finish watching the series.”
Ready to dive into Made in Korea Season 2? Here are the main cast and characters you need to know, and what some of the actors said about their roles during the aforementioned press conference.
Hyun Bin as Baek Kitae in ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2
Courtesy of Disney+/Hulu
Baek Kitae (played by Hyun Bin)
Shrewd, suave and ambitious, Baek Kitae is a high-ranking KCIA agent who also moonlights as a drug smuggler. At a time when the KCIA has far-reaching powers, Kitae capitalizes on his position of authority to keep his drug trafficking business under the radar. He seemingly harbors an insatiable appetite for wealth and influence, but, as Hyun Bin explains, it all ultimately stems from his desire to “protect himself and his family.”
Hyun Bin, widely known for his roles in classic K-dramas like Secret Garden and Crash Landing on You and films like Harbin, won Best Actor at the 2026 Baeksang Arts Awards for his portrayal of Kitae.
Hyun Bin on Baek Kitae in Season 2: “One of the driving forces behind everything Kitae does is his family. But within that family, [younger brother] Kihyun suddenly begins emerging as a very significant obstacle. So although Kitae still has to deal with Geonyoung, his thoughts about Kihyun, their current relationship and how to handle that relationship going forward become an even greater obstacle for him.”
Jung Woo-sung as Jang Geonyoung in ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2
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Jang Geonyoung (played by Jung Woo-sung)
Veteran actor Jung Woo-sung (The Good, the Bad, the Weird; 12.12: The Day) stars as Jang Geonyoung, a former prosecutor in the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office and Kitae’s main adversary from Season 1. Geonyoung’s singular focus on tackling drug crimes and exposing Kitae’s illicit drug operations is rooted in his own family tragedy involving substance abuse.
By the end of Season 1, Geonyoung is outwitted and outmaneuvered by Kitae, but he stages a comeback nine years later, determined more than ever to bring Kitae down.
Jung Woo-sung on Jang Geonyoung in Season 2: “Jang Geonyoung is someone who lost everything and hit rock bottom. So in a sense, I think he changes from a person motivated by a sense of justice into someone driven by personal revenge, without even realizing that’s what’s driving him.”
Woo Do-hwan as Baek Kihyun in ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2
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Baek Kihyun (played by Woo Do-hwan)
Woo Do-hwan (Bloodhounds, Mr. Plankton) plays Kitae’s younger brother Baek Kihyun, a top graduate of the Korea Military Academy who tries to escape his brother’s shadow. In season 2 Kihyun returns as a more confident and mature man after serving over a decade in the military. Now a lieutenant colonel in the Defense Security Command, Kihyun begins to butt heads with Kitae more frequently, and the growing tension between the two brothers becomes a focal point this season.
Woo Do-hwan on Baek Kihyun in Season 2: “In Season 2 we gradually learn why Kihyun had no choice but to grow up the way he did, what happened to him, and why he has no choice but to love and care for his family so deeply.”
Seo Eun-soo as Oh Yejin in ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2
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Oh Yejin (played by Seo Eun-soo)
Last season saw Oh Yejin as a newbie investigator assigned to Geonyoung’s team. Nine years later, she’s risen to become the first female prosecutor in the narcotics division at the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office, commanding her own team of men with a newfound confidence and feisty demeanor.
Seo Eun-soo (Missing: The Other Side, Chief Detective 1958) on Oh Yejin in Season 2: “I thought a lot about how fiercely Yejin must have lived in order to become the first female prosecutor. She survived in a narcotics unit made up entirely of men. I thought she must have become a much tougher person, so I wanted there to be strength in her voice, her gaze and the way she speaks. Compared with Season 1, I wanted Prosecutor Oh to be stronger, a bit more confident and even a bit more reckless.”
Won Ji-an as Choi Yuji (Yuji Ikeda) in ‘Made in Korea’ Season 2
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Yuji Ikeda / Choi Yuji (played by Won Ji-an)
A Zainichi Korean who lost her parents when she was young, Choi Yuji (played by Won Ji-an of Squid Game and D.P. fame) was adopted by the yakuza boss Osamu Ikeda and given tremendous authority within his organization. Yuji harbors deep-seated ambitions to take over the Ikeda clan and finds an ally in Kitae, who helps her expand the yakuza’s drug business.
Won Ji-an on Choi Yuji / Yuji Ikeda in Season 2: “In Season 1, Yuji spent a lot of time laying the groundwork to achieve her goal. In Season 2, I hope viewers will look forward to seeing her charge toward that goal without holding back, through both her action scenes and the changes in her outward appearance.”
Jung Sung-il as Cheon Seokjung in ‘Made in Korea’ S2
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Cheon Seokjung (played by Jung Sung-il)
In Season 1, Cheon Seokjung (Jung Sung-il, best known for his role in The Glory) was the chief of the Presidential Security Service, locked in a power struggle with the president’s chief of staff. Now that he has successfully claimed the position for himself, Seokjung sets his sights even higher.
Jung Sung-il on Cheon Seokjung in Season 2: “In Season 2, the relationships he has with the people around him change quite a bit. I thought a lot about what he should do about Baek Kitae, who has become far too powerful.”
Roh Jae-won as Pyo Haksu in ‘Made in Korea’ S2
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Pyo Haksu (played by Roh Jae-won)
Formerly Kitae’s peer at the KCIA’s Busan branch, Pyo Haksu (Roh Jae-won of Squid Game) becomes his subordinate after Kitae is promoted to branch director. But Haksu rises through the ranks himself, eventually succeeding Kitae as head of the Busan branch before becoming the KCIA’s deputy director when Kitae takes over as acting director—all while losing a lot of hair along the way and eventually resorting to a toupée.
Roh Jae-won on Pyo Haksu in Season 2: “I thought I could probably portray Haksu up to the level of a section chief, but I wondered how I’d be able to play the role of a [KCIA] branch director. I talked about it with the director, and he was the one who suggested the wig.”
Cha Hee as Baek Soyeong in ‘Made in Korea’ S2
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Baek Soyeong (played by Cha Hee)
Perhaps no other character has undergone such a striking transformation—both in demeanor and appearance—between seasons 1 and 2 as Baek Soyeong, Kitae’s younger sister. After losing her lover Kang Daeil, Soyeong takes charge of operations at her brother’s drug-smuggling business. Season 2 also introduces the daughter she had with Daeil.
Cha Hee (Bulgasal: Immortal Souls, Dr. Brain) on Baek Soyeong in Season 2: “She returns looking completely different—180 degrees from the Soyeong we saw in Season 1. In the nine years since then, she has become deeply involved in her brother’s business, and I hope viewers will pay attention to how she changes through that process and what kind of ambition she develops.”
Hur Jung-do as Hwang Daesik in ‘Made in Korea’ S2
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Hwang Daesik (played by Hur Jung-do)
A character clearly inspired by former South Korean president Chun Doo-hwan (see above), Hwang Daesik (portrayed by Hur Jung-do, who’s appeared in many K-dramas like Reborn Rich and My Demon) is the Commander of the Armed Forces Security Command and the Joint Investigation Headquarters. He proves to be a formidable adversary to Kitae and Seokjung and gains even more power following the president’s assassination.
Jang Hye-jin as Madam Shin in ‘Made in Korea’ S2
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Madam Shin (played by Jang Hye-jin)
A mysterious fortune teller who serves as an unofficial advisor to both President Park and Hwang Daesik, Madam Shin (Jang Hye-jin of Parasite fame) is introduced to Kitae by President Park in the Season 2 premiere.
Jo Jae-ryong as President Park in ‘Made in Korea’ S2
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President Park (played by Jo Jae-ryong)
President Park (Jo Jae-ryong of Gyeongseong Creature and The Good Detective) is based on former South Korean president Park Chung-hee, who seized power in a 1961 military coup and ruled the country until his assassination in 1979. His authoritarian government presided over a period of rapid economic development while also suppressing political dissent and restricting press and civil freedoms.
Season 2’s depiction of President Park’s assassination—including the people with him at the time—also closely mirrors the actual assassination of Park Chung-hee on October 26, 1979.
‘Made in Korea’ Season 2 is streaming exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu, with two new episodes premiering every Wednesday through September 23rd.
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