Korea’s Top Star Joins the Film, But… 1 Million Dislikes and a Canceled Premiere

Disney’s live-action Snow White is facing intense controversy even before its release, and now, Korean actress and singer Suzy has joined the project as a special collaboration artist for the film’s OST.

On March 10, Walt Disney Company Korea announced that Suzy would be performing a reinterpreted version of the movie’s main OST, Waiting On A Wish. The song tells the story of Snow White (Rachel Zegler) as she stands against the evil Queen (Gal Gadot), who rules the kingdom with an iron grip.

A teaser for the music video has already been revealed, featuring Suzy in a red cloak against a snowstorm, showcasing her delicate yet powerful vocals. The full version of the song and music video is set to be released soon. With this, Suzy follows in the footsteps of K-pop artists like Taeyeon (Frozen 2 OST Into the Unknown), Danielle (The Little Mermaid OST Part of Your World), An Yujin (Wish OST This Wish), and Nayeon (Moana 2 OST Beyond the Reef), continuing the tradition of Korean stars contributing to Disney soundtracks.

Disney Korea had teased this collaboration with a Guess Who? campaign on March 6, showing a mysterious artist hidden under a red cloak—later revealed to be Suzy.

Despite the excitement surrounding Suzy’s involvement, Snow White has been plagued by controversy, leading Disney to cancel the film’s London red carpet premiere due to public outrage.

The backlash stems from several issues. Firstly, many fans were angered by the casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White. Traditionally described in the original German fairy tale as having “skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony,” the decision to cast a Latina actress sparked debate. Some critics even mockingly referred to her as “Brown Snow White.”

Adding fuel to the fire, Zegler’s 2022 interview resurfaced, in which she described the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as “outdated” and criticized the classic storyline, saying, “The prince is basically a stalker.” Her comments infuriated long-time Disney fans, with some dubbing her a “PR disaster” for the studio.

The controversy doesn’t end there. The removal of Seven Dwarfs from the film’s title sparked another wave of criticism. In the original, the dwarfs play a significant role, but Disney’s decision to alter the characters while maintaining Snow White’s name led to accusations of inconsistency. When the first trailer dropped in 2024, audiences noticed that the dwarfs were entirely CGI, eliminating roles for real actors. Some dwarf actors publicly criticized this move as an unfair loss of job opportunities. The trailer itself was met with heavy backlash, garnering over 1 million dislikes.

In response to the escalating criticism, a Disney representative stated, “We anticipated negative reactions to the film. As a result, we have made the rare decision to cancel the London premiere and instead hold a tightly controlled, small-scale press event. Additionally, we will be limiting media questions about Rachel Zegler.”

While the UK premiere is scrapped, Snow White will still proceed with its U.S. promotional events, and its Korean release is scheduled for March 19.

A Modern Reinterpretation of Snow White—Will It Work?

Unlike the 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this 2025 live-action adaptation takes a new approach. Directed by Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man, 500 Days of Summer), the film transforms Snow White into an active, self-reliant heroine who fights to reclaim her kingdom from the evil Queen.

The original animated Snow White was Disney’s first-ever feature-length film and the world’s first full-color animated movie. In contrast, the 2025 version reimagines Snow White as a strong and independent figure who chooses her own destiny rather than being swept along by fate.

Golden Globe-winning actress Rachel Zegler stars as Snow White, while Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot takes on the role of the villainous Queen. Gadot’s portrayal moves away from the classic jealous stepmother archetype, instead presenting a more complex antagonist driven by her ambitions.

The film’s music is composed by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the duo behind La La Land, The Greatest Showman, and Disney’s Aladdin remake, promising an emotionally rich soundtrack.

Despite the controversies, Snow White has been named one of 2025’s most anticipated films by major media outlets like TIME, Variety, Rolling Stone, and Deadline.

Will this modern Snow White manage to overcome its turbulent pre-release reception and win over audiences? And how will Suzy’s involvement impact its reception in Korea? The industry is closely watching.