Disney is putting a 20-year regional veteran in charge of Asia-Pacific just as the company plans to triple its international original series output.
Carol Choi, currently executive VP of The Walt Disney Company Asia-Pacific, will succeed Luke Kang as president on Dec. 1, Disney said Tuesday. Kang is retiring after 16 years.
Choi’s remit covers Disney Entertainment businesses in Greater China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand: studios, Disney+, local original content production, consumer products, media networks and content sales.
Why APAC now
The promotion arrives as Disney has said it will roughly triple annual production of international original series over the next three years. Asia-Pacific and South Korea in particular are expected to carry an outsized share.
Recent APAC titles include Perfect Crown, A Shop for Killers and Battle of Fates, with The Remarried Empress still to come this fall. Choi has most recently overseen regional studio operations, original content strategy and integrated marketing.
From Japan and Korea to the whole region
Choi joined Disney in 2006 and has run Japan and South Korea businesses as managing director, after earlier Greater China roles. She helped expand Disney+ and its Asian originals slate.
“Carol Choi is a proven Disney leader with broad operating experience, strong creative instincts, and a deep understanding of the region,” Disney Entertainment studios chairman Alan Bergman and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a joint statement.
Kang led the launch of Disney+ in the region and increased local film and TV investment after joining in 2011 as managing director of South Korea.
What this means for the market
- Choi’s elevation puts one leader across the full APAC P&L, from studios to streaming and consumer products.
- Disney’s stated 3x international originals target makes APAC the pressure test for whether local investment can move subscriber numbers.
- South Korea remains the region’s bellwether; watch commissioning volume there as the early signal.
For media planners and content buyers, Choi’s appointment is a signal to treat APAC local content less as an add-on and more as the core growth lever. Distribution, ad-supported tiers and product licensing all sit in one reporting line now.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
