Ryu Seung-ryong Returns to Disney+ in 1970s Crime Drama Low Life
Introduction to Low Life
Ryu Seung-ryong, the veteran Korean star whose lead performance in Disney+’s Moving helped make it the platform’s most-watched Asian original to date, returns to the streamer next month in Low Life, a colorful period crime drama set against the backdrop of 1970s South Korea’s murky underworld. The 11-part series will premiere July 16 with a three-episode debut, followed by weekly releases leading up to a two-part finale on August 13.
Plot and Creative Team
Written and directed by Kang Yun-seong, the screenwriter behind Disney+’s Big Bet and director of Korean blockbuster The Outlaws, Low Life follows a ragtag pair of small-time schemers – an uncle and nephew – who stumble across a tantalizing rumor: a sunken treasure ship laden with riches has been found just off the Korean coast. With dreams of finally striking it rich, the duo plunges headfirst into a cutthroat race against rival fortune-seekers, opportunists and underworld figures.
Star-Studded Cast
Ryu stars as Oh Gwanseok, a veteran conman chasing one last big score, while rising star Yang Se-jong (Doona!, Temperature of Love) plays his wide-eyed nephew, Oh Heedong. The cast also includes Im Soo-jung (Melancholia, Single in Seoul) as Yang Jungsook, the matriarch of Hongbaek Industries, whose own ambitions complicate the treasure hunt.
Disney+’s Expanding Korean Content Strategy
Low Life Joins a Growing Slate
Low Life marks the latest addition to Disney+’s expanding slate of high-end Korean originals, following buzzy titles like Hyper Knife and Nine Puzzles, the latter of which is the platform’s most-watched Korean drama of 2025. Later this year, Disney+ will debut other star-driven Korean projects, including Tempest, featuring Gianna Jun, Gang Dongwon and John Cho, and Made in Korea, headlined by Hyun Bin and Jung Woosung.
Strategic Focus on Prestige Dramas
The series reflects Disney’s ongoing strategy to deepen its Asia-Pacific originals catalog with prestige Korean dramas that blend genre hooks with local period detail and star power. With Low Life, the streamer appears to be leaning into retro noir stylings and anti-hero dynamics, aiming to replicate the international appeal of Big Bet and Narco-Saints.
