Indian K-drama fans got a surprise this week when romantic comedy Would You Marry Me? and historical romance Perfect Crown quietly dropped on JioHotstar without warning. While viewers are thrilled, the unannounced release has reignited growing frustration over the inconsistent arrival of major Disney+ original Korean dramas in the Indian market.
Two popular dramas arrived without warning
Would You Marry Me? is a romantic comedy starring Choi Woo Shik and Jung So Min. The story follows Kim Woo Joo, a wealthy bakery heir, and Yoo Mary, a struggling entrepreneur, who enter a fake marriage to secure a luxury newlywed home, only for real feelings to develop. The series originally premiered globally on Disney+ in October 2025, but Indian viewers have recently rediscovered it following its arrival in the JioHotstar catalog.
Next up is Perfect Crown. Starring IU and Byeon Woo Seok, Perfect Crown became a massive hit Korean drama in 2026. Set in a modern-day South Korean constitutional monarchy, the series follows the contract marriage between a chaebol heiress Seong Hui Ju and a Grand Prince Ian. Since its April global premiere on Disney+, the romantic drama has pulled in over 43 million viewing hours across Disney+ and Hulu. On June 1, subscribers suddenly spotted the show listed under newly added content.
Fans say the uncertainty began after the Disney-Jio merger
Many K-drama fans believe the shift began after the Disney-Jio merger in late 2024. Before the merger, Disney+ Hotstar had earned a reputation as one of the most dependable platforms for Korean content in India, often bringing Disney+ originals to viewers either alongside their global premieres or shortly after release. However, since mid 2025, several high-profile Korean dramas that launched globally have yet to appear on JioHotstar, leaving viewers uncertain about their release plans.
Among the most talked-about missing titles are Nine Puzzles starring Kim Da Mi and Son Suk Ku, Our Movie featuring Namkoong Min and Jeon Yeo Bin, and Hunter with the Scalpel led by Park Ju Hyun.
Fans have also been waiting for major Disney+ projects such as The Manipulated starring Ji Chang Wook and Doh Kyung Soo, Made in Korea featuring Hyun Bin and Jung Woo Sung, Tempest with Jun Ji Hyun and Gang Dong Won, Low Life starring Ryu Seung Ryong, Yang Se Jong and Im Soo Jung, Gold Land featuring Park Bo Young and Lee Hyun Wook, and In Your Radiant Season starring Chae Jong Hyeop and Lee Sung Kyung. The absence of updates around these titles has only added to the growing frustration among Indian viewers.
Why are some Disney+ K-dramas getting delayed?
It is believed that the biggest reason could be licensing and regional distribution rights. Even though many of these shows carry the Disney+ Original label, streaming rights are negotiated separately for each territory. After Disney’s streaming restructuring in India and its partnership with Jio, many existing content agreements now require fresh negotiations before titles can be released locally.
Other factors also come into play: subtitle preparation, dubbing approvals, localisation requirements, and regional distribution deals. All of this means a drama that is readily available in Singapore, Indonesia, or the Philippines may not automatically be available in India at the same time.
The bigger question is what happens next
The surprise arrival of Perfect Crown and Would You Marry Me? has given fans hope that Disney+ Korean originals are still finding their way to India.
Disney+ has already lined up an impressive Korean content slate for 2026, featuring some of the industry’s biggest stars and most anticipated titles. The lineup includes The Remarried Empress starring Shin Min Ah, Ju Ji Hoon, Lee Jong Suk and Lee Se Young, the second season of A Shop for Killers featuring Lee Dong Wook and Kim Hye Jun, Portraits of Delusion led by Bae Suzy and Kim Seon Ho, and psychological thriller The Husband starring Namgoong Min.
However, excitement around these projects is accompanied by uncertainty. For Indian viewers, the biggest concern is no longer which drama is releasing next, but whether it will be available in India at all.