Korean creators of ‘Zootopia 2’ expressed pride in their work and shared their favorite characters.
On the morning of the 2nd, a virtual press conference for the film ‘Zootopia 2’ was held. Attendees included animator Lee Hyun-min, animator Choi Young-jae, and set extension supervisor Lee Sook-hee.
The Korean creators of the ‘Zootopia’ series discussed the rising status and contributions of Koreans.
Animator Lee Hyun-min revealed Judy as his favorite character, saying, “I’ve loved her since the first film. I relate to her perseverance in difficult circumstances, which reminds me of coming to the U.S. alone as a child and working hard. Judy is my favorite character.”
Supervisor Lee Sook-hee also chose Judy. She shared, “As a minority, I feel like Judy. Working as a supervisor at Disney, I used to be a minority, and I can relate to the growing recognition of my work. As a Korean woman, I feel both pride and responsibility. Judy is a character I deeply connect with.”
Animator Choi Young-jae picked Nick, although he also likes Judy. He added, “In the second film, Nick shows more composure and responsibility, which I admire and wish to emulate.”
Supervisor Lee Sook-hee noted the increasing presence of Korean artists in the industry. Boasting a long career, she stated, “Initially, there were no Koreans. When someone discovered a Korean was working in a different part, they were pleasantly surprised. Nowadays, every department in our company has at least one Korean. It’s really a source of pride,” she smiled.
Animator Lee Hyun-min remarked, “I spent most of my life growing up in Korea before coming to the U.S. 25 years ago, and back then, hardly anyone asked if I was Korean.”
He continued, “Nowadays, even when I take an Uber, people ask if I’m Korean. As a mother of two, I find more friends at my children’s school who are happy to meet a Korean. I feel the increase in interest and recognition. Therefore, we’re striving to share positive Korean narratives and experiences here.”
Animator Choi Young-jae shared his thoughts on the recent hit ‘K-pop Demon Hunters,’ saying, “I enjoyed it. When ‘Zootopia 2’ was being developed, everyone kept asking if I’d seen it. I watched it because of two colleagues who discussed it.”
He continued, “I watched both the English and Korean versions. It was well made. Audiences now often watch films multiple times to focus on missed parts and find Easter eggs. We’ve worked hard to create details that offer something new even after ten viewings of ‘Zootopia 2.’ I feel proud to work with such a great team.”
Animator Lee Hyun-min was selected for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ talent development program in 2007 and contributed as an animator on ‘The Princess and the Frog’ (2009), the ‘Zootopia’ series, ‘Moana 2’, and ‘Frozen.’ In ‘Zootopia 2,’ he was responsible for animating Judy Hopps, working on scenes like her phone conversation with her parents.
Animator Choi Young-jae has participated in numerous works since joining as an animator on the feature film ‘Bolt’ in 2007, including ‘Rapunzel’, ‘Frozen’, and ‘Zootopia’. In ‘Zootopia 2’, he primarily worked on Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde and contributed to character animation for Walt Disney World’s new attraction ‘Zootopia: Better Zoogether!’.
Set extension supervisor Lee Sook-hee joined Walt Disney Animation Studios as a set extension artist for ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ in 2017, later working on ‘Frozen 2’. In ‘Encanto’, ‘Wish’, and ‘Zootopia 2’, she served as set extension supervisor.
Image source: Walt Disney Company Korea
