Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

This article is by Kim Ji-ye and read by an artificial voice.

The pairing of Byeon Woo-seok and IU was enough to spark excitement when it was first announced in 2024. But with MBC's upcoming drama "Perfect Crown," the anticipation goes beyond star power as the two actors are finally reuniting to bring what they describe as decade-long chemistry to full bloom on screen.

"We have actually worked together twice before," said Byeon, the breakout star of "Lovely Runner" (2024), during the show's press conference in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Monday. The two previously crossed paths in "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo" (2016), where Byeon made a brief appearance as IU's cheating boyfriend, as well as in a teaser for IU's song "Between the Lips" (2013).

"So, there was already a sense of chemistry between us," he continued. "Because of that, it meant a lot to be able to finally showcase our 10-year-long connection through a full-length project."

Singer-actor IU echoed the sentiment, saying she easily felt comfortable working with Byeon. "It felt like we were people who had been preparing together for 10 years," she said. "And personally, since we ended up working together after 10 years, it made me feel like I'd love to collaborate again in another 10 years. That's how well we clicked."

Set in an alternate Korea where a constitutional monarchy exists, the show centers on IU's Seong Hee-ju, a commoner from a wealthy conglomerate family who has everything but status in a monarchy, and Byeon's Lee Wan, the King's second son, whose royal status constricts his potential.

Directed by Park Joon-hwa, who was behind "Alchemy Souls" (2022-23), he described the project as a series offering "a slightly more unique kind of excitement compared to others you've seen so far."

Actors Noh Sang-hyun and Gong Seung-yeon are also in the cast.

Prince Lee Wan is described in the series as a "21st-century Prince Suyang [1417–1468]," as his older brother, the crown prince, dies in a sudden accident, leaving him to ascend the throne.

The comparison, however, drew a qualification from Byeon, as Prince Suyang is currently viewed negatively in Korea, largely due to the portrayal of him in the film "The King's Warden," which depicts him as a ruthless uncle who torments his nephew, King Danjong (1441-1457).

The actor emphasized that Lee Wan is fundamentally different once his backstory is taken into account.

"Although the other characters in the series refer to him as Prince Suyang, I've never personally thought of him that way," Byeon said. "On the outside, he may seem very tough and a bit twisted, but on the inside, I saw him as someone quite lonely and [emotionally] hurt."

IU is set to showcase a completely different side of herself from her last project, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025), where she portrayed a more grounded and humanistic character.

She said that she genuinely enjoyed stepping into Hee-ju's world, although it took some time at first to fully immerse herself in the role.

"While there's definitely a focus on her being from a conglomerate family, with her glamorous outfits and accessories, Hee-ju also has this influencer or celebrity-like vibe," IU said. "She's someone whose every move draws attention and becomes the talk of the town wherever she goes. That added a lot of fun to the role."

"Also, she's not the refined, elegant figure we typically associate with a conglomerate. Instead, she's a mix of different qualities, which made her all the more enjoyable to portray."

Despite its fictional premise, the production team placed strong emphasis on realism, particularly in imagining how a monarchy might exist in modern-day Korea, according to the director.

"We put a lot of thought into the sense of realism, such as what kind of attire members of the royal family would wear, and what kinds of spaces they would inhabit in that context," Park said.

The show will also be streamed worldwide on Disney+. The cast emphasized that the s...

This article is by Yu Sung-kuk, Kim Ji-hye and read by an artificial voice.

The government and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) agreed Monday to abolish the oil industry's so-called post-settlement system, a pricing practice that gas station operators blame for rising prices because they have been forced to buy fuel without knowing its final cost.

Rep. Ahn Do-geol, a DP official leading the party's response to the Middle East conflict, announced the measures after a meeting with relevant ministries at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul.

Under the post-settlement system, refiners supply petroleum products to gas stations first and settle prices later based on fluctuations in international benchmark prices after a set period.

Gas station operators have long complained that they are required to make purchases without knowing the price of oil, which has soared since the beginning of the ongoing hostilities in the Persian Gulf.

Ahn said the settlement period, which previously took about a month, will be shortened to within one week.

The plan also includes lowering the exclusive dealing ratio, which had reached as high as 100 percent, to around 60 percent. This would allow gas stations to source fuel from multiple suppliers, potentially further reducing their costs.

A final announcement is expected in the second week of April.

The move comes as Seoul scrambles to stabilize energy supplies, with officials also pledging to mobilize all available diplomatic resources to secure alternative sources of crude.

Speaking to reporters, Ahn added that securing alternative supplies of crude is the party and government's most urgent priority.

"We will devote our full diplomatic efforts to securing crude oil from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Algeria, which are three countries that have alternative supply routes," he said.

To that end, the government and the party are pushing to deploy five Korean-flagged vessels to the Red Sea region and Saudi Arabia. They also plan to support making government stockpiles of petroleum available should private refiners secure alternative shipments from countries unaffected by the war.

Support measures for exporters hit by supply disruptions were also discussed at Monday's meeting.

To encourage firms to secure alternative supplies of petrochemical feedstocks such as naphtha, which are heavily dependent on the Middle East, the government plans to subsidize the price gap for imports from other countries.

Ahn noted that a budget of 470 billion won ($312.7 million) has already been allocated to cover 50 percent of the cost difference, but industry players are calling for the support rate to be raised to 80 percent.

"We will actively review this during the National Assembly's budget deliberations," he said.

He added that 25 billion won in emergency vouchers has been included in a supplementary budget to support logistics costs for exporters affected by the crisis.

Trade insurance coverage will be expanded by an additional 2 trillion won from the existing 3.9 trillion won, alongside a 50 percent reduction in guarantee fees, a doubling of loan guarantee limits and extensions of existing guarantees.

As the Iran war rages without a clear end in sight, fuel prices at gas stations across Korea have continued to rise despite a government cap on prices that was implemented 11 days earlier.

According to Opinet, the state-run fuel price information system, the nationwide average price of gasoline stood at 1,953.3 won per liter ($4.90 per gallon) as of 9 a.m. on Monday, up 4.9 won from the previous day. Diesel prices rose by 4.7 won over the same period to 1,943.9 won per liter.

In Seoul, where fuel prices are the highest in the country, the upward trend has also persisted, with gasoline prices nearing 2,000 won per liter. The average gasoline price in the capital reached 1,987.2 won per liter, up 3.4 won from a day earlier, while diesel prices climbed 4.6 won to 1,965.6 won.

According to the civic group Energy & Petr...

This article is by Jeong Jin-ho, Suk Gyeong-min and read by an artificial voice.

Since gaining the power to close cases on their own, police are dropping a growing number of criminal complaints with little explanation, leaving victims with few avenues for redress.

One woman, who spoke to the JoongAng Ilbo on condition of anonymity, filed a complaint accusing an acquaintance of fraud after the person allegedly impersonated her to cancel an insurance policy and pocketed the refund while also selling luxury goods — including Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton items — that had been entrusted to them.

The woman hired a lawyer and submitted evidence, including bank transfer records of the insurance payout and receipts for the luxury purchases. But in June of last year, police told her they had declined to forward the case to the prosecution, citing a lack of evidence.

The written notice from the police simply read, "This is to inform you that the case will not be forwarded to the prosecution due to insufficient evidence." The woman said she was not informed whether an investigation had taken place or how the evidence was lacking.

Another person interviewed by the JoongAng Ilbo said investigators conducted a single interview with her after she filed a police complaint accusing a hospital employee of sexually assaulting her in an elevator. Investigators also closed her case without further investigation.

The notice she received, which included a grammatical error, stated only that investigators found it "difficult to conclude that the suspect's statement is false."

The two criminal complaints are part of a growing number of cases that have not been forwarded to the prosecution since a 2021 reform granted police the authority to close cases independently.

The number of such cases increased from 379,821 in 2021 to 594,060 last year. While objections to the closures have risen in absolute terms, their proportion relative to the total number of cases has declined.

Under the previous system, all cases were forwarded to prosecutors, who could review police findings. Now, cases are only sent to prosecutors if the complainant files an objection after their case is dropped.

"Investigators should explain whether evidence is lacking or whether the case fails to meet legal criteria," attorney Kim Sang-gyun at the law firm Taeyul told the JoongAng Ilbo. "Without such clarification, complainants are left with a frustrating conclusion of 'insufficient evidence.'"

When police decline to forward a case, records are sent to prosecutors, who can request that the police investigate further within 90 days. But critics say this mechanism rarely functions effectively, as prosecutors are already overwhelmed with pending cases.

The proportion of cases in which prosecutors requested reinvestigation has declined from 3.82 percent in 2021 to 2.15 percent last year.

While prosecutors once bore responsibility for deciding how far a case progresses, many are now terminated once police decline to refer them to prosecutors. Such cases are also not assigned numbers by prosecutors, meaning they are not formally treated as criminal incidents.

"There is now a widespread perception that nonreferrals are matters that have already been closed by the police," a senior prosecutor in the Seoul metropolitan area told the JoongAng Ilbo on condition of anonymity.

An advisory panel is currently reviewing whether to restore the previous system in which all cases are forwarded to prosecutors.

Park Chan-woon, a law professor at Hanyang University who recently stepped down as head of the panel, said management of investigations "would become even more difficult" if the prosecution service is abolished in line with calls from some quarters of the ruling Democratic Party.

"No investigative body can be perfect," said Kim Ye-won, a lawyer at a disability rights center. "The previous system allowed a second review when police found no wrongdoing. If prosecutorial oversight is further r...

This article is by Kim Min-sang and read by an artificial voice.

The Ministry of Education plans to ease regulations regarding the establishment of overseas franchise programs by Korean universities as foreign demand for Korean higher education grows.

The proposed changes are expected to cut much of the red tape that universities must navigate in order to set up partnerships abroad.

The ministry said Monday that the proposal will be discussed at a meeting of university deans due to be held from Wednesday to Thursday at Kyonggi University's Seoul campus.

The first day of meeting will be dedicated to national universities, followed by private institutions on the second day.

The gathering is expected to focus on key barriers to the overseas expansion of Korean universities, including governance requirements, accounting rules and faculty postings abroad.

A 2024 revision to the Higher Education Act already removed the requirement that universities must obtain prior approval from the ministry to operate franchise programs abroad, allowing them instead to proceed through direct agreements with foreign counterparts.

Under such franchise programs, a student can complete a four-year curriculum in their home country but still receive a degree from a Korean university.

The model represents a deeper level of engagement than joint programs, in which a student typically splits their studies between a Korean university and a local partner institution and receives a dual degree.

Several private universities are already operating franchise programs overseas, including Inha University, Bucheon University and Ajou University, all of which run programs in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Kyungpook National University is also preparing to launch a franchise program in Hanoi in partnership with FPT University, whose namesake is Vietnam's largest information technology company. The school is part of FPT's efforts to train IT talent.

According to the Education Ministry, a growing number of countries have recently requested partnerships with Korean universities, reflecting rising demand for Korean higher education abroad.

The Korean government plans to gradually expand support beyond franchise programs to enable the establishment of full overseas campuses of Korean universities.

The ministry said the establishment of local subsidiaries would allow Korean universities to take on a greater control of operations, increasing their autonomy.

"We will continue to refine laws and institutional frameworks so that universities can confidently pursue overseas expansion based on their respective strengths," said Ha Yu-kyung, director-general for international education policy at the Ministry of Education.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Kim Min-sang and read by an artificial voice.

The Ministry of Education plans to ease regulations regarding the establishment of overseas franchise programs by Korean universities as foreign demand for Korean higher education grows.

The proposed changes are expected to cut much of the red tape that universities must navigate in order to set up partnerships abroad.

The ministry said Monday that the proposal will be discussed at a meeting of university deans due to be held from Wednesday to Thursday at Kyonggi University's Seoul campus.

The first day of meeting will be dedicated to national universities, followed by private institutions on the second day.

The gathering is expected to focus on key barriers to the overseas expansion of Korean universities, including governance requirements, accounting rules and faculty postings abroad.

A 2024 revision to the Higher Education Act already removed the requirement that universities must obtain prior approval from the ministry to operate franchise programs abroad, allowing them instead to proceed through direct agreements with foreign counterparts.

Under such franchise programs, a student can complete a four-year curriculum in their home country but still receive a degree from a Korean university.

The model represents a deeper level of engagement than joint programs, in which a student typically splits their studies between a Korean university and a local partner institution and receives a dual degree.

Several private universities are already operating franchise programs overseas, including Inha University, Bucheon University and Ajou University, all of which run programs in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Kyungpook National University is also preparing to launch a franchise program in Hanoi in partnership with FPT University, whose namesake is Vietnam's largest information technology company. The school is part of FPT's efforts to train IT talent.

According to the Education Ministry, a growing number of countries have recently requested partnerships with Korean universities, reflecting rising demand for Korean higher education abroad.

The Korean government plans to gradually expand support beyond franchise programs to enable the establishment of full overseas campuses of Korean universities.

The ministry said the establishment of local subsidiaries would allow Korean universities to take on a greater control of operations, increasing their autonomy.

"We will continue to refine laws and institutional frameworks so that universities can confidently pursue overseas expansion based on their respective strengths," said Ha Yu-kyung, director-general for international education policy at the Ministry of Education.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Kim Ji-ye and read by an artificial voice.

Director Yeon Sang-ho, the filmmaker behind "Train to Busan" (2016) and "Peninsula" (2020), is back with another zombie thriller, "Colony," starring Jun Ji-hyun. This time, he introduces a new kind of zombie, one that can communicate and evolve through what he describes as "updates."

"At first, when the infection begins, they actually appear even more stupid than in typical zombie films," said director Yeon during the film's press conference held in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Monday. "For example, they crawl on all fours."

"However, the more the number of infected people increases, the more the speed and manner of their evolution differ from the way humans grow from childhood onward. And I think that difference is precisely what makes them so terrifying."

Directed by Yeon, also known for projects like Netflix's "Hellbound" (2021-24) and "Parasyte: The Grey" (2024), the zombie apocalypse film centers on a building being locked down after a mysterious virus infects its victims in unpredictable ways and threatens survivors.

Explaining that the zombie genre is one of the best ways to explore hidden fears in the real world, director Yeon said the film began with his question: What is the latent fear of our time? His answer is the individuality that exists within a collective society.

"I think the underlying fear of our time comes from living in a society where information is exchanged at an extremely rapid pace," the director said. "And within that constant flow, the kind of shared consciousness that forms can make individual identity feel almost powerless. That sense of fear was really where this story began."

To bring a sense of intelligence and evolution to the infected through movements, Yeon collaborated with some of Korea's top dancers.

"Because there's this concept that they communicate with each other and 'update' themselves, like how we regularly update our computers or smartphones, we had to think of how we were going to give that kind of trait to a living being," director Yeon said. "And we felt it needed distinct, defining movements [when communicating or updating.] So, we gathered some of Korea's top dancers and began developing ideas together."

"From there, we focused on how to create movements that feel intuitive at a glance, yet are fundamentally different from anything human."

The film "Colony" also features a star-studded lineup, including actors Jun Ji-hyun, Go Soo, Ji Chang-Wook and Koo Kyo-hwan, as well as actors Shin Hyun-been and Kim Shin-rock.

The director himself was in awe to have worked with such a cast. "It felt like I had truly become a film director," said director Yeon with a laugh.

"I wish I could go back 20 years and tell myself that I'd one day be making a film with the actors sitting here, but I don't think I would've believed it."

The director also recalled his first meeting with actor Jun. "The moment she walked into the cafe, it suddenly felt like a film had started playing, like a film unfolding right in front of my eyes," he said, while praising Jun's performance for her remarkable range.

Jun, in turn, described herself as a longtime admirer of the director, referring to herself as a "die-hard fan" of Yeon.

"I really love the signature sense of discomfort and darkness in his work," she said.

The film is actor Jun's first theatrical project in over a decade since the film "Assassination" in 2015. While she admitted to feeling nervous about returning to the big screen, she also expressed confidence in the project, especially following the recent box-office success of "The King's Warden," which surpassed 16 million ticket admissions.

"Now that the release is approaching, I can't help but feel nervous," Jun said. "But just as 'The King's Warden' performed exceptionally well, I believe our film can also live up to that success."

"Colony" will premiere in theaters next month.

This article is by Shin Ha-nee and read by an artificial voice.

"Thank you for your question, darling — I mean, reporter," KickFlip's leader Kyehoon said without batting an eye in a moment of classic KickFlip-smoothness that had journalists at the press showcase venue pause in the middle of typing to laugh.

The faux flirtation was a clever wordplay, flipping the Korean word gi-ja, meaning reporter, to ja-gi, a cute pet name between lovers, as the boy band held a press showcase for its fourth EP, "My First Kick," at Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul on Monday.

KickFlip, which debuted under JYP Entertainment in January of last year, gained online traction due to Kyehoon's smooth, shamelessly flirty messages on the fan community platform DearU. The lines, seen as unusually smooth for a rookie idol, went viral for their creativity and humor, and the rest of the team caught onto the trend quickly.

This time, that flirty persona has expanded into the group's musical narrative, shaping its latest EP, "My First Kick," and its lead single, "Eye-Poppin'."

"The flirty persona was something I chose as part of a strategy to promote both myself and our team, KickFlip, to a wider audience," Kyehoon said. "But it is not something limited to me since we all share the same goal, and I hope our style receives more recognition with this album."

KickFlip consists of seven members: Kyehoon, Donghwa, Juwang, Minje, Keiju, Donghyeon and Amaru. Amaru, however, has been on hiatus from group activities since September 2025 due to anxiety.

"My First Kick" comes six months after the group's third EP, "My First Flip" (2025), and continues the narrative of first love and first heartbreak introduced in the previous release.

The latest album features seven songs: the lead track, "Eye-Poppin'," and B-sides, "Twenty," "Stup!d, "Backward," "Scroll," "Roar" and "My Direction."

The members were actively involved in the album's creative process, with at least one member credited on every track, further underscoring the band's commitment to personal storytelling within its discography.

Kyehoon, in particular, contributed to the songwriting and lyrics for the lead track.

"Eye-Poppin'" feels quintessentially KickFlip, thanks to its high-octane pop-rock sound. The lyrics also declare the group's desire to linger in listeners' minds by becoming impossible to ignore.

As with its previous press showcases, KickFlip performed live onstage with handheld microphones, a relative rarity at press showcases, during which many rookie groups opt to lean heavily on backing tracks instead of performing live.

"Our biggest forte is our live performance capability," said Minje. "And I believe such strength comes from the strong teamwork that we've built during our daily lives."

In the cutthroat K-pop scene, having an instantly recognizable style — such as "KickFlip-core" — is a feat in and of itself. With its steadily evolving sound, defined by pop-rock energy, sporty youthfulness and a playful sense of humor, the group is carving out a distinct identity in the increasingly crowded fifth-generation boy band roster.

"We don't want to be confined to any style going forward," said Donghwa. "So I'd say KickFlip is a team that will take on any kind of music we want."

This article is by Shin Ha-nee and read by an artificial voice.

Even overnight thunder and a steady spring drizzle over Seoul could not stop a crowd of fans from welcoming Wanna One, the once disbanded boy band, as it returned for the first time in seven years.

That meant that it had been seven years since Ryu, a longtime Wanna One fan who wished to be identified only by her surname, last pulled out her official light stick for the 11-member group.

Ryu was a teenager during the group's heyday from 2017 through 2019. Now an adult, she arrived at 8 a.m. on Monday to wait for the 10 a.m. fan meet and greet outside CJ ENM's headquarters in western Seoul.

"It was totally worth it," Ryu said, smiling as she stood in a raincoat after enduring three hours in the drizzling rain.

Although her favorite member, Kang Daniel, was absent from the event due to his military duties, Ryu was still thrilled to see the boy band again after nearly a decade.

"I haven't really been into K-pop since Wanna One [disbanded] because life got hectic," she said. "I've been pretty far removed from fan activities, but since I happened to live nearby, I decided to come."

Hundreds of fans were already at the venue when Ryu passed by the site the night before, she added.

Wanna One was formed through the second season of Mnet's smash hit audition program, "Produce 101" (2016-19). That season became a cultural sensation, with 16 million votes cast during its finale, launching the 11 winning contestants to immediate stardom upon the group's debut.

The band was active for about a year and a half, during which they released several hits, such as "Energetic" (2017) and "Beautiful" (2017), before officially disbanding in January 2019.

Wanna One debuted with 11 members: Kang, Park Ji-hoon, Lee Dae-hwi, Kim Jae-hwan, Ong Seong-wu, Park Woo-jin, Yoon Ji-sung, Hwang Min-hyun, Bae Jin-young and Ha Sung-woon. Since the group's disbandment, the members have pursued their own careers across music and acting. Lai, however, retired from performing in 2014 to pursue filmmaking.

Wanna One's agency CJ ENM, which runs Mnet, recently announced the group's reunion, which will include the reality program "Wanna One Go: Back to Base," set to premiere on April 28.

Fans, who had been waiting at the venue for hours, had to wait an additional 20 minutes after the clock struck 10 a.m. before the members finally appeared.

While all 11 members left handwritten messages for fans on social media ahead of the show's premiere, only nine were present for the meet and greet. Kang was absent due to military service, while Lai remained in China. In their place, life-size standing panels of the two members were displayed beside the group.

Dressed in outfits resembling Korean school uniforms, reminiscent of their "Produce 101" days, the members greeted fans, briefly performed "It's Me" (2017), the theme song from "Produce 101," and took turns reciting Park Ji-hoon's iconic lines from his recent film, "The King's Warden."

"While each of us has been busy — some filming drama series, and others pursuing group or solo activities — we came together instantly to reunite as Wanna One," said Hwang. "I was so nervous because it's been a while. I never expected so many people to show up, so I'm truly grateful to everyone."

This article is by Michael Lee and read by an artificial voice.

Conductor Chang Han-na was named president of the Seoul Arts Center as part of a series of high-profile appointments to the country's leading arts institutions that were announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday.

Chang is the first female musician to lead the center since it opened in 1988, according to the ministry press release. Her three-year term is expected to begin on April 24.

Chang rose to international prominence at 11, winning the Rostropovich International Cello Competition in 1994, and later performed with ensembles including the Berlin Philharmonic and New York Philharmonic.

Since turning to conducting in 2007, she has led major orchestras across Europe, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Munich Philharmonic. She also served as music director of Norway's Trondheim Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2025. She is currently principal guest conductor of the Hamburg Symphony and a visiting professor at KAIST.

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said Chang's leadership and global insight are expected to bring a "new artistic vision" for the Seoul Arts Center as Korean culture continues to expand abroad.

The ministry also appointed soprano Park Hye-jin as artistic director and chief executive of the National Opera Company and pianist Yoo Mee-jung as chief executive of the National Symphony Orchestra. Both of their terms began Monday and are also scheduled to last three years.

Park has performed major operatic roles with the Seoul Metropolitan Opera, while Yoo has built a career spanning concert performance and music education.

This article is by Michael Lee and read by an artificial voice.

Disney+ will launch a deeper partnership with the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) to bring Korean esports to a wider global audience through livestreaming, the content giant said Monday.

The platform will broadcast a larger range of major esports events in 2026, including the Esports Championships Asia, the League of Legends (LoL) KeSPA Cup and national team matches ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as part of the new deal.

The move follows Disney+'s exclusive livestream of the 2025 LoL KeSPA Cup and reflects its broader strategy to strengthen fan-driven live content and diversify its entertainment offerings.

As part of the partnership, Disney+ will globally livestream the Esports Championships Asia Jinju 2026, scheduled to take place from April 24 to 26 at Jinju Indoor Gymnasium in South Gyeongsang.

The tournament, which began in 2021 as a competition among Korea, China and Japan, expanded last year to include more Asian countries. This year's event will feature seven nations: Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Mongolia.

Six official titles will be contested, with K-pop dance game Stepin included as a demonstration event.

Disney+ will exclusively stream competitions between players of four video games — Street Fighter 6, The King of Fighters XV, Tekken 8 and the eFootball series — as well as serving as an official broadcaster for PUBG: Battlegrounds and Eternal Return, providing global coverage of all matches.

ESPN branding will be incorporated into the broadcasts, offering what the company described as an enhanced sports viewing experience.

In addition to broadcasting the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Disney+ also plans to exclusively livestream the national team send-off ceremony and evaluation matches during the competition.

"Building on strong support from viewers at home and abroad, we are pleased to present a broader range of dynamic esports content on Disney+ this year," said Kim So-yeon, head of The Walt Disney Company Korea and its direct-to-consumer business. "We hope this collaboration will help further promote the value of Korean esports globally and contribute to the growth of the industry."