Reports have emerged that the filming of Disney+'s new original series 'Hyeonhwak' in China has been canceled, but the production company denied the related suspicions, stating, “No location has been confirmed.”
On the 15th, the production company Showbox stated, “China was considered as one of the potential filming locations, but no final decision has been made yet,” adding, “We are in the stage of exploring various regions considering the background and filming environment of the work.” They further noted, “It is too early to say which country has been decided as the filming location.”
On the same day, a media outlet reported that 'Hyeonhwak' was originally scheduled to be filmed in China between early and mid-October, but the entire schedule has been canceled, and the actors are focusing on domestic regional filming. There were also suspicions raised that the filming in China was canceled due to concerns over worsening sentiments in China following the controversy over Jeon Ji-hyun's lines in the recent Disney+ series 'Polaris.'
In 'Polaris', there is a scene where the protagonist Seo Mun-joo (played by Jeon Ji-hyun) says, “Why does China prefer war? A nuclear bomb could fall in the border area,” which sparked backlash from some Chinese netizens.
Following this, a boycott movement against Jeon Ji-hyun was initiated, and reports emerged that some advertisements she was modeling for were canceled. In response, Jeon Ji-hyun's agency, Peach Company, explained, “The termination of the advertising contract was already settled before the airing of 'Polaris.'”
The production company of 'Hyeonhwak' drew a line regarding the controversy, stating that they are currently continuing filming domestically.
'Hyeonhwak' is set in 1935 Gyeongseong and tells the story of a painter, Yoon Yi-ho (played by Kim Sun-ho), who is commissioned to paint a portrait of a woman, Song Jeong-hwa (played by Suzy), who has lived disconnected from the world for many years, as he approaches her mysterious life.
Directed by Han Jae-rim, who helmed the films 'The Face Reader' and 'The King,' the series is currently in production with a goal to be released in 2026.
