Lee Sook-hee, Set Extension Supervisor who worked on the Disney animation ‘Zootopia 2’. Photo: The Walt Disney Company Korea

Korean staff members who worked on the Disney animation ‘Zootopia 2’ commented on the likelihood of protagonists Judy and Nick becoming a couple.

Animators Lee Hyun-min and Choi Young-jae, along with Set Extension Supervisor Lee Sook-hee, who took part in the production of ‘Zootopia 2’ by Walt Disney Animation Studios, joined the online ‘Hometown Hero Interview’ held on the morning of the 2nd and shared various thoughts about the work.

Released on the 26th of last month, ‘Zootopia 2’ began its box-office run by drawing 2.1 million moviegoers nationwide within five days of its domestic release. The film follows the adventures of rabbit police officer Judy Hopps and fox police officer Nick Wilde, a former con artist, who live in the animal-inhabited nation of Zootopia.

Animator Lee Hyun-min, who worked on the Disney animation ‘Zootopia 2’. Photo: The Walt Disney Company Korea

The two characters have contrasting personalities and charms, yet they have shown perfect chemistry since the first film. Because the setting may be a nation of animals but the story has a realism reminiscent of human life, many viewers have been keenly interested in whether the protagonists might become a couple.

On the characters’ changes across the series, animator Lee Hyun-min said, “In the first film, both had a boldness that came from having nothing to lose,” adding, “By the second, they have solved a major case, earned recognition, and become friends as well as colleagues with great chemistry. In some respects, you could say they now have ‘something to lose’.”

He also discussed the characters’ growth: “In both the first and second films, there are scenes where the characters video-call their parents. In the first, they may ignore what their parents say while wrestling with complicated inner feelings, whereas in the second, there is a difference in that they think about what they should do.”

Animator Choi Young-jae, who worked on the Disney animation ‘Zootopia 2’. Photo: The Walt Disney Company Korea

Regarding the romantic chemistry of the two characters, animator Choi Young-jae left a subtle aftertaste: “If there is a third film, I think there could be a somewhat different dynamic, but for now I do not know how it will turn out.”

‘Zootopia 2’ is a sequel released a full nine years after the first film, an adventure in which the top duo of Zootopia, Judy and Nick, return and pursue Gary, a mysterious snake shaking up the city, leaping into a new world as they investigate a perilous case.

Since its release, it has been in full swing at the box office, surpassing $500 million(about 735.4 billion KRW) globally as well as in Korea. The film is currently playing in theaters.