Daniel Dae Kim to front CNN’s new travel series K-Everything

SOUTH KOREA: CNN Original Series has tapped Daniel Dae Kim to lead and executive produce K-Everything, a new host-led travel series charting South Korea’s global cultural surge. The four-part show, produced by CNN’s APAC based Global Productions teams, will air next year as part of the network’s 2026 Originals slate. Kim said he was thrilled to explore a country that has transformed into a cultural and economic powerhouse, calling the partnership with CNN “a genuine joy”. K-Everything follows Kim from Busan to Seoul as he unpacks how South Korea came to dominate global pop culture, fuelling trends in music, food, TV and film. The series will feature appearances from some of the biggest names shaping the nation’s creative boom. Group senior vice president, GM APAC and global head of productions at CNN International Ellana Lee said the series pairs Kim’s curiosity and cultural insight with CNN’s ambition to deliver globally resonant storytelling. Kim is known for Lost, Hawaii Five-O, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. This year he starred in and executive produced Butterfly, filmed entirely in South Korea, and appeared in Netflix hit Kpop Demon Hunters, now the platform’s most watched film of all time. He was nominated for best lead actor at the 2025 Tony Awards for Yellow Face and produced ABC’s The Good Doctor through his company 3AD. His advocacy work includes testimony that helped pass the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act and he recently completed a term on the White House’s Commission for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Executive producers on K-Everything include Kim, Amy Entelis, Lee, Katie Hinman, Jon Jensen and Ryan Smith. Hyundai Motor Company, one of South Korea’s largest corporations, sponsors the series. Kim is represented by UTA, Linden Entertainment and Gang Tyre. K-Everything has all the makings of CNN’s next big cultural breakout and Kim looks set to drive it home at full throttle.