Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Gian84 : Binge-worthy shows to watch on Chuseok

While terrestrial TV channels are packed with broadcasts of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games this Chuseok holiday, over-the-top (OTT) streaming services are offering a wealth of new content aimed at holiday viewers.

With a long holiday providing plenty of time to relax and watch extended series, here are some OTT picks to carry viewers through the break, from visually striking period dramas to an unconventional inn-themed variety show and a crime investigation program.

Hyun Bin's 1979 political whirlwind

A showdown between actor couple Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin, both returning with big-budget dramas, has drawn attention.

The first to arrive was Disney+'s "Made in Korea" Season 2, starring Hyun. Two episodes have been released each week since Sept. 9, with all six episodes becoming available just before the holiday, making it possible for viewers to binge-watch the entire season.

Set in 1979, nine years after the events of the first season, Baek Ki-tae (Hyun) has risen to become a powerful figure in the Korean Central Intelligence Agency by building a drug empire. He clashes with prosecutor Jang Geon-yeong (Jung Woo-sung), who has been pursuing him, and his younger brother Baek Ki-hyun (Woo Do-hwan), an officer who graduated from the Korea Military Academy, as he goes on a rampage to reach the pinnacle of wealth and power.

The new season depicts the period of a power vacuum in the country, from the Oct. 26 incident to the Dec. 12 military coup, recreating the conflicts among the era's political figures and their power struggles on screen.

Although the characters have been given different names, their real-life counterparts are recognizable at a glance thanks to the distinctive traits reflected in their portrayals. Director Woo Min-ho said that while Season 1 felt like six separate films stitched together, with the narrator and point of view changing from episode to episode, the second season maintains the same tone and color throughout, aiming to feel like one six-hour movie.

Hyun picked the ending that brings the series to a close as one of its standout scenes.

Son Ye-jin's 1st period drama in 24 years

Son, meanwhile, returned to period drama with Netflix's "The Scandal," released on Sept. 18. It marks her first period-drama role in 24 years since the 2002 film "Chihwaseon."

"The Scandal" is an eight-part drama series that reimaginels the 1782 French classic novel "Les Liaisons dangereuses" in the setting of Joseon-Korea. Played by Son, Lady Jo lives as an aristocratic woman with an unfulfilled desire for self-realization. She proposes a secret game of love to her womanizing cousin Jo-won (Ji Chang-wook). Hee-yeon (Nana), a young widow, becomes entangled in their game and experiences a transformation in her life.

The drama shares the same broad storyline as director E J-yong's 2003 film "Untold Scandal," but stands out for its stylish direction. Letters read aloud in the characters' own voices vividly convey their hidden desires and emotions, while pansori performances, traditional folk paintings and sophisticated hanbok costumes add variety to the viewing experience.

Director Jung Ji-woo said, "All the characters have a major gap between the self they reveal and the self they hide. The psychological tension created as they are caught or spy on one another will be something to watch."

Gian84's inn gets even more bizarre

For family-friendly variety entertainment, Netflix's "Kian's Bizarre B&B 2," released on Tuesday, is worth a look. It is the second season of "Kian's Bizarre B&B," which turned the conventions of healing-oriented accommodation variety shows upside down with broadcaster and artist Gian84's unique sensibility.

Following the first "Kian's B&B," which floated on the sea off Ulleungdo, the second location has been built deep in the mountains of Daegwallyeong in the middle of winter. The furniture and everyday household items have been made unrealistically huge, creating the impression of having arrived in a land of giants.

Kim Yeon-koung, Lee Jun-ho and Kazuha, along with host Gian84 and the guests, gather around together on cold, long winter nights. As they grow closer, unexpected moments of fun and romance emerge.

For mystery fans, Wavve's original variety show "Legendary Investigators," which premiered on Wednesday, is also worth watching. It is an immersive investigative program to revisit past major criminal cases using cutting-edge 21st-century forensic techniques.

In addition to celebrity panelists, "Legendary Investigators" including Pyo Chang-won, head of the Institute of Crime Science; former National Police Agency Forensic Science Center chief Lee Moon-kuk; and Lee Sang-yoon, a professor specializing in bloodstain pattern analysis, join the investigation. At recreated crime scenes, they uncover evidence and use actual investigative techniques to analyze and verify their findings as they pursue the truth.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.