The Disney+ K-Drama That Became A Sci-Fi Phenomenon In Korea

While the first Disney+ K-drama, "Snowdrop," may have been met with controversy, the platform has thankfully continued distributing South Korean shows to great success. This includes 2023's "Moving," which set the record for the most watched Korean Disney+ and Hulu exclusive show. The series adapts the popular webtoon of the same name by Kang Full, blending espionage thrills, science-fiction stakes, and superhero action. Well-received worldwide, "Moving" and its vocal fan base is a strong reminder that Netflix isn't the only international platform with a robust selection of original K-dramas.

"Moving" centers on a group of former operatives for the Agency for National Security Planning, a black ops predecessor to South Korea's current National Intelligence Service. Used by their government for their superpowers on increasingly morally compromised missions, the agents decided to drop off the grid and start new, peaceful lives. However, as their teenage children begin to exhibit powers of their own years later, this leads several dangerous figures, both internally and abroad, to hunt for the agents. This culminates in a super-powered showdown at the local high school where these factions finally violently converge.

And while even postmodern superhero stories may feel formulaic these days, "Moving" provides a unique angle on the genre that is sure to appeal to viewers who have developed superhero fatigue.

From "The Incredibles" to "Sky High," American audiences have seen family-based superhero stories before, while "Parasyte: The Grey" and "The Atypical Family" offer K-drama takes on the genre. What "Moving" does instead is firmly root its narrative in the realm of espionage thrillers, with the superpower elements upping the ante, both in terms of scale and emotional investment. It's one thing to have parental characters with a lethal background in black ops, having since gone into hiding from the very government they served. When their children inherit the same tools various governments want to control, international intrigue and espionage becomes a family affair.

"Moving" also prominently utilizes South Korea's unique geopolitical situation, with both the South and North Korean governments pursuing the main characters. Adding to the murderous stakes is the inclusion of a CIA assassin, known simply as Frank (Ryoo Seung-bum), hunting retired super-powered operatives on behalf of the U.S. government. This gives the main characters a multitude of threats while expanding the story into a fuller ensemble scope. While superpowers are a core part of the show's premise, "Moving" really works best primarily as a spy thriller (something that it's very much aware of).

Available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu, "Moving" remains another cross-border K-drama success. And for fans of the series, "Moving" is confirmed to have a second season in development, promising even more super-powered spectacle and thriller action.