Disney's live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" has stirred up controversy in Korea due to the choice of promotional material featuring NewJeans' Danielle, the voice actress for Ariel in the Korean dubbed version, instead of Halle Bailey, the lead actress.

As the film's target audience comprises primarily children, concerns have been raised that the promotional campaign could lead to confusion among young viewers, who might mistake Danielle for the "real" Ariel.

Upon the announcement of NewJeans Danielle as the voice actress for Ariel, Disney Korea embarked on an extensive promotional campaign, featuring Danielle prominently on posters, billboards, and major television channels such as SBS.

This decision sparked a wave of criticism from Korean audiences, who were expecting to see Halle Bailey, the lead actress, in the promotional material.

Korean netizens took to various online platforms to voice their discontent with the promotional strategy.

Here are some of the comments that captured the prevailing sentiment:

"Why are they showing the face of the voice actress instead of the main actress? Is this an animated film instead of a live-action?"

"The trailer is no different. There isn't a single direct shot of Halle Bailey."

"This way, children will mistake Danielle for the lead actress and go to the theaters expecting to see her."

"They hyped up the 'black little mermaid' but didn't show her face in the trailer. What's up with that?"

Despite the controversy surrounding the promotional campaign, "The Little Mermaid" live-action film premiered in Korea on May 24th as scheduled.

It remains to be seen how the public reception will unfold and whether the concerns raised by netizens will impact the film's success in the Korean market.

What are your thoughts?

Source[1]

Actor Lee Min Ho recently shared an unforgettable and embarrassing moment from his early career, revealing how he became a “falling star” at his first Baeksang Arts Awards.

On the December 25th episode of You Quiz on the Block (Episode 274), Lee Min Ho made a guest appearance and reflected on his rise to fame.

The actor, known for his iconic role as Goo Jun Pyo in Boys Over Flowers, won the Best New Actor award at the Baeksang Arts Awards, but it wasn’t just his victory that grabbed attention.

Lee Min Ho recalled, "I was attending the Baeksang for the first time, and I was so excited. Since I wasn’t going as Goo Jun Pyo, but as Lee Min Ho, I styled my hair in a perm and was ready to go." However, things took an unexpected turn when he tripped and fell on the red carpet.

He sighed, recalling, "That day, I fell. I fell and created so many memes. Even now, I look back and think, 'How did I walk that quickly on the red carpet?'"

Laughing at his own clumsiness, he admitted, "I was moving at the speed of light, no composure, no focus. Honestly, more than the joy of winning the award, that day was chaotic and so embarrassing for me."

Though his win was a highlight, Lee Min Ho humorously shared that the incident of tripping overshadowed the excitement of his achievement.

It’s safe to say that while the fall became a funny meme, it also became a lesson in humility for the actor, and a moment that fans still remember to this day.

Source: [1]