The new Disney+ series "Hypnosis", starring Suzy and Kim Seon Ho, has apparently scrapped its Chinese filming schedule and is looking for alternative locations, industry sources said.
According to OSEN on October 15, the crew initially scheduled filming some scenes in Shanghai this month, given that some of the story unfolds in the city. However, unexpected reasons have led to cancellation of all the foreign shoots, and the production will concentrate on local shooting within South Korea instead.
In wake of OSEN's sole story, a Disney+ spokesperson gave a statement explaining the situation. The official continued, "The filming location was still under review — nothing had been finalized yet, and it's difficult to confirm future shooting sites."
Although Disney+ didn't offer more clarification, Koreaboo mentioned that the unexpected alteration might be attributed to the recent controversy involving another Disney+ original series titled Polaris. The drama starring Jun Ji Hyun created outrage among Chinese netizens for a line uttered by her character, Seo Moon Joo: "Why does China prefer war? A nuclear bomb could fall on the border zone."
As reported by Koreaboo, this comment upset numerous Chinese viewers, who accused the show of exaggerating and distorting the country's image. The situation spilled over into calls for boycotting Jun Ji Hyun, with news that a number of brands had supposedly dropped her from their Chinese websites. However, her agency later denied those reports.
With the Polaris controversy still open, "Hypnosis" has been said to become the latest Disney+ show to encounter difficulties. Directed by Han Jae Rim, whose work includes The King, Emergency Declaration, and The 8 Show, the drama traces the life of artist Yoon Yi Ho (Kim Seon Ho), who depicts a reclusive woman named Song Jung Hwa (Suzy) in 1935 Gyeongseong.
Industry sources indicate that the production's change of location will push back the shoot schedule but reiterate that the project is still in active development.
"Hypnosis" is now scheduled for release on Disney+ in 2026.
