Disney has created Nordic princesses, a Chinese warrior princess, and many more. But the Korean princesses? Not that much.
Julia Riew, a student at Harvard University, sought to solve this problem. Riew, 22, of Korean descent, penned “Shimcheong: A Folktale” — a full-length musical inspired by a Korean folktale with a decidedly Disney vibe — as her thesis.
Riew has been posting clips of her musical on TikTok since January and has quickly built a passionate following with her videos in which she transforms into an animated Disney-style princess and performs her songs.
Riew sparked interest even in Hollywood and among theater producers, as his fans began creating visuals and animation to bring his story to life.
“Honestly, I feel like I’m dreaming,” he recently said. “It’s been encouraging to see the reaction, especially among the Korean-American community.”
Riew, who grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, before his family moved to New York and then Connecticut, hopes the musical will follow the same path as others who have successfully worked and funded themselves on TikTok. these last years.
“Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical” debuted in 2020 as a benefit concert featuring Adam Lambert, Wayne Brady and other stars after the idea was popularized for months on the social network among musical theater fans and artists who were unable to perform live for the pandemic.
Last year, the duo known as Barlow & Bear went viral on TikTok with a musical inspired by Netflix’s period melodrama “Bridgerton.” This led to “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical,” a 15-song, Grammy-nominated album, a milestone for a TikTok collaboration.
Riew’s musical is inspired by the Korean folk tale “The Blind Man’s Daughter,” about a young girl who tries to restore her blind father’s sight but ends up in the distant kingdom of dragons.
In Riew’s version, young Shimcheong grows up in this magical realm before beginning an epic journey. Along the way, truths are revealed, there are obstacles to overcome, and there are lots of laughs and upbeat songs.
If that sounds like the plot of Disney’s most beloved works, it is, says Riew, who grew up listening to Disney and Broadway soundtracks and started writing his own songs and musicals at a young age.
“What caught my attention is that it’s the story of a young woman who goes on an adventure,” he explained. “There aren’t many stories in Korean folklore about women, especially those who go on adventures.”
Disney has always struggled to reflect the diversity of its audience, falling back on stories featuring predominantly white characters and stereotypical portrayals of non-white cultures, said Jana Thomas, a media professor at Kansas State University at Manhattan, Kansas, who specializes in social media and has also written about representation in Disney movies.
But the entertainment giant answered calls for more iconic stories and found success, from 2016’s “Moana” to “Coco,” “Soul,” “Raya and the Last Dragon.” last year “Charm,” he said. “Turning Red” (“Red”), an animated film from Disney’s Pixar Studios, will premiere next week starring a Chinese-Canadian woman.
“Julia’s use of TikTok to build a fan following and get Disney’s attention was a well-executed decision,” Thomas added. “He used a social media platform preferred by a demographic of users who support his goal of increasing representation in media and entertainment. I would like to see Julia’s story as an example for those who want to maximize the proactive and positive power of social media.”
Disney spokespersons did not respond to an email seeking comment this week. But even if the studio doesn’t answer the call, Riew is confident that Shimcheong will live on after graduating and begin her career as a songwriter and lyricist. For now, he has hired an agent to help him navigate the professional world.
“It looks like at this point the project will go ahead,” he said. “I don’t know if that means a theatrical cut, an independent film or something else, but there’s definitely something interesting in there.”
Riew said he had long had the idea for a musical inspired by his Korean heritage, but started serious work on it after the pandemic emerged and ended up going home. because his university was closed.
Riew admits she sometimes struggled to understand the story and wondered if it was appropriate for her, as a third-generation American, to tell it.
“There were times when I tried to quit, when I felt like a fake Korean,” she said. “But I realized in the process that only we can represent our own history, and that’s totally fine. There’s no one way to be Korean.
Putting videos on TikTok not only helped spark interest in the project, but also redefined it.
Riew said he changed the character of Lotus, Shimcheong’s partner and the comic side of the story, from a dragon to a gumiho – a mythical nine-tailed fox in Korean folklore – by listening to comments from His fans.
“It’s been revitalizing,” he said of having his work published under the sometimes-critical eye of social media. “It’s been eye-opening to see how many people would like this to happen.”
“Pop culture fanatic. Introvert. Devoted food trailblazer. Bacon geek. Lifelong coffee evangelist.”