Disney+ Japan lands Korean content deal to challenge Netflix

Disney+ Japan has signed a multi-year content partnership with South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM to bring up to 60 original series and dramas from the streaming platform Tving to Japanese audiences for the first time, with content rollout beginning November 5variety.
The deal positions Disney+ as the exclusive subscription video-on-demand partner for Tving in Japan, with the thriller series “Dear X” starring Kim Yoo-jung launching exclusively on Disney+ Japan November 6, alongside beloved Korean hits like “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” and “Reply 1988”variety.
Disney+ Japan will launch dedicated sections called “Tving Highlights” and “Tving Collection” on its homepage to showcase the Korean content library, marking Tving’s international debut as both companies compete for dominance in Japan’s $4.5 billion streaming marketvariety.
The partnership comes as Netflix holds 21.7% market share in Japan compared to Disney+’s 8.9%, with Korean content proving crucial for streaming success in the Asia-Pacific region’s most valuable marketimdb.
The Disney+ deal follows CJ ENM’s October agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to launch a Tving hub on HBO Max across 17 Asia-Pacific markets in early 2026, as the Korean studio expands globally with $818 million in content spendinghollywoodreporter.

Disney+ Japan Secures Korean Content Deal to Challenge Netflix Dominance

Disney+ Japan has inked a landmark multi-year content partnership with South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM to bring premium Korean streaming content to Japanese audiences for the first time, as the companies intensify their battle against Netflix in Asia’s most lucrative streaming market.

The deal, announced Monday, positions Disney+ as the exclusive subscription video-on-demand partner for CJ ENM’s Tving platform in Japan, with up to 60 of the Korean streamer’s top original series and dramas set to launch starting November 5. The partnership marks Tving’s international debut and represents Disney’s most aggressive push yet into Korean content as streaming services compete for dominance in the $4.5 billion Japanese market.variety

Strategic Launch Targets Netflix’s Korean Content Success

Leading the content rollout is “Dear X,” a thriller series starring Kim Yoo-jung, Kim Young-dae and Kim Do-hoon, which will premiere exclusively on Disney+ Japan November 6, coinciding with its Korean launch. The partnership will also bring beloved Korean hits including “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” and “Reply 1988” to Disney+ subscribers.imdb

Disney+ Japan will feature dedicated sections called “Tving Highlights” on its homepage alongside major franchise offerings, plus a “Tving Collection” space aggregating Tving’s emotionally engaging series. The strategic placement signals Disney’s commitment to elevating Korean content as a cornerstone of its Japan strategy.variety

This move comes as Netflix maintains a commanding 21.7% market share in Japan’s streaming landscape, with Amazon Prime Video holding 12.9% and Disney+ at 8.9%. Korean content has proven crucial for Netflix’s global success, making Disney’s Korean partnership a direct challenge to that dominance.evoca

Broader Korean Content Expansion Accelerates

The Disney+ deal follows CJ ENM’s October agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to launch a Tving hub on HBO Max across 17 Asia-Pacific markets starting early 2026. Julie Choi, CEO of Tving, described the Disney partnership as part of the platform’s evolution “from Korea’s leading OTT to a truly global K-OTT platform”.hollywoodreporter

CJ ENM CEO Yoon Sang-hyun has labeled 2025 the “first official year of global expansion,” with content spending rising to $818 million as the company behind “Parasite” and “Crash Landing on You” capitalizes on Korean content’s worldwide appeal. The streaming sector in Asia-Pacific is projected to overtake traditional pay-TV for the first time in 2025, with total content spending reaching $5 billion.deadline

Tetsuo Matsui, managing director of The Walt Disney Company (Japan), emphasized the partnership’s significance as Disney+ Japan marks its fifth anniversary, stating the collaboration represents “a significant advancement” in broadening content selections for diverse audience tastes.variety