Lee Byung-hun and Han Ji-min to Lead 'The Koreans,' Disney+'s Korean Remake of 'The Americans'

Lee Byung-hun and Han Ji-min are set to headline The Koreans, a Korean-language reimagining of FX's critically acclaimed spy drama The Americans, with Disney+ ordering the series as an original production for its Korean and global markets. The casting was confirmed by Disney+ in March 2026 via an official press release, with production now underway according to Variety. Imaginus and Studio AA will co-produce the series, which relocates the Cold War premise to early 1990s South Korea with North Korean sleeper agents replacing the original's Soviet operatives. Lee takes the role originated by Matthew Rhys, while Han inherits the part Keri Russell made iconic across six seasons. With both leads coming off major international projects and bringing decades of dramatic credibility, The Koreans represents Disney's most ambitious Korean original to date.

From Cold War America to 1990s Seoul

The Koreans transposes the original series' Reagan-era Washington D.C. setting to early 1990s South Korea, a period marked by rapid democratization and cultural modernization. The series follows a middle-class family concealing a treasonous secret: though appearing to be ordinary citizens to their friends, neighbors, and even their own children, both parents are elite North Korean operatives working to destabilize the South from within. The reimagining trades the Soviet-American standoff for the unresolved tensions of the Korean Peninsula, a conflict that never technically ended and remains one of the world's most volatile flashpoints. Director Ahn Gil-ho, whose credits include The Glory and Memories of the Alhambra, helms the series with screenplay by Park Eunkyo, known for Made in Korea and Mother, according to Disney+'s official announcement. That premise hits differently when the border in question splits families rather than ideologies, and when cultural assimilation isn't the challenge because the agents are already culturally Korean.

Why Lee Byung-hun Was the Only Choice

Lee Byung-hun's casting makes strategic sense for a production aiming at both Korean and global audiences. His Hollywood credits, from G.I. Joe to Terminator Genisys to his Emmy-nominated turn in Squid Game, give him rare crossover recognition as confirmed by his billing in Netflix's global top 10 data. Domestically, he remains one of Korea's most bankable leading men, with Emergency Declaration and Concrete Utopia both crossing 5 million admissions. According to BH Entertainment, his management agency, Lee was attached to the project before Disney+ formally greenlit the series, suggesting he was the creative anchor around which the production was built. The role demands someone who can sell suburban normalcy while concealing lethal capability, a balance Lee demonstrated in A Bittersweet Life two decades ago and has refined ever since.

Han Ji-min Brings Dramatic Gravitas

Han Ji-min's casting as the female lead pairs Lee with one of Korean television's most respected dramatic actresses. Her work spans prestige cable dramas like One Spring Night and Our Blues, both of which earned her critical acclaim for portraying complex women navigating impossible situations. As reported by Soompi citing BH Entertainment's official statement, Han was drawn to the role's moral ambiguity, describing her character as "a woman who loves her country and her family but can never fully belong to either." The Americans succeeded partly because Elizabeth Jennings was never a supporting player to her husband's arc. The Korean production appears to understand this, with early production materials positioning Han's character as co-lead rather than love interest. That's essential: the original worked because both halves of the marriage carried equal dramatic weight.

Supporting Cast and Production Details

Lee Hee-joon joins the cast as a National Intelligence Service handler who begins to suspect the couple, a role analogous to Noah Emmerich's FBI agent Stan Beeman in the original series, per casting announcements from the production. Principal photography has now begun in Seoul, with the series expected to premiere on Disney+ internationally and Hulu in the United States. The production budget has not been disclosed, but Korean industry publication Sports Chosun reports it will be among the largest for a Disney+ Korea original, reflecting the streamer's commitment to premium Korean content following the global success of Moving and Big Bet.

What This Means for Disney+ Korea

Disney+ has been aggressive in the Korean content space, but The Koreans signals a new level of ambition. Previous Korean originals targeted domestic audiences first with international appeal as a bonus. This project reverses the equation: it takes a beloved American IP, transplants it to Korea with A-list talent, and bets that the result will resonate globally without losing local authenticity. It's the same strategy that made Money Heist: Korea work for Netflix, but with source material that's more dramatically sophisticated. The Americans won the Golden Globe for best drama in 2019 and earned AFI TV Program of the Year honors in each of its first five seasons. Remaking it carries risk, but also enormous potential if the creative team can match the original's slow-burn intensity. With Ahn Gil-ho's direction and Park Eunkyo's adaptation of Joe Weisberg's framework, the pieces are in place for something genuinely special.