Many cast members’ creative minds and hearts go into the creation of the celebrations for Lunar New Year at Disneyland Resort. One of those cast members in particular is Grace Kang, an associate costume designer with Disney Live Entertainment, who helped create the new Korean hanboks for Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. This project was perfect for Grace for many reasons, most importantly, taking her on a journey of self-discovery, bringing her closer to her heritage.
Connecting with Family and Discovering Traditions
Left: Grace wearing a hanbok on her 100-day celebration. Right: Grace, age 8, with her brother and mother.
A child of Korean immigrants, Grace grew up with curiosity about her cultural background. However, it wasn’t until she moved to California a year and a half ago and connected with more of her extended family that she felt a deeper connection to and understanding of their traditions. “Now that I’ve re-entered [the lives of my extended family here in California], it feels like I’m breaking into a new group – not just the group of people who’ve known each other their whole lives, but this cultural group of people who follow traditions I didn’t grow up with,” Grace recalls.
Grace with her extended family in California, celebrating New Year’s Day 2025 together.
It was this newfound rich connection to Korean culture that helped her create traditional Korean hanboks for Mickey and Minnie. “This has been a meaningful project for me because it’s allowed me to learn more about myself and my culture – specifically, my personal connection towards it,” Grace shares. “I also get to share [my creations] with all of my family members who may not have seen this kind of representation in other places. It’s really special that Disneyland Resort gets to debut [these hanboks]!”
The Details are in the Fabric
As a costume designer, one of the most important phases is the process of receiving a 2D art rendering and finding ways to make it live in 3D. “As designers, we bring our expertise and knowledge of the construction of garments and how materials work together, along with our backgrounds and understanding of storytelling, to figure out how clothing can tell our story.”
The story Grace aspired to tell through Mickey and Minnie’s hanboks was one rooted in tradition. “With the Korean hanbok, the [shape of the] garment really hasn’t changed over the span of a thousand plus years,” Grace shares. “It was important to me that the silhouette was as accurate as possible because it’s very unique. If the material was inaccurate, it wouldn’t support what the silhouette should be.” To find the right material, Grace embarked on an extensive research project, spending hours in Koreatown in Los Angeles speaking to the shop owners who come from multiple generations of hanbok makers. “I asked many questions about how the fabric is dyed, how it’s woven and what it’s made out of, to truly understand the entire garment from the inside out,” Grace recalls.
Grace with teammate Trevor Rush, costume producer, looking over fabric swatches.
After extensive research, Grace understood how critical it was to use the proper material for the hanboks and all materials were imported from Korea. Grace explains that they were even precise with the tailoring – how the patterns were cut and the seams were sewn. Grace strived to add texture and dimension to the hanboks to pay additional homage to Korean culture. When asked what details guests could look for in these beautiful outfits, she said, “From a distance, you may see [Minnie’s skirt] as a plain pink skirt, but when you get closer, you’ll see a floral pattern – it’s a traditional Korean flower that I illustrated in light water colors so that it would be subtle but still noticeable.” This gorgeous detail is one of the many elements that make these new hanboks so special and unique here at Disneyland Resort.
Love and Care
While keeping these distinctive hanboks culturally accurate, at the heart of Grace’s pursuit was the hope that guests who visit Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse this Lunar New Year season will appreciate and enjoy their new looks. “I am hoping that people see the love and care that went into making the hanboks look beautiful.” Grace is also excited to get to share her creations with family, even family members who have never seen her work before. “This is going to be special because, growing up living far away from a lot of my family, I’ve worked on a lot of projects and have rarely gotten to share them with my family members. Now, I will get to share this with a lot of family. My parents and my brother are coming [from out of town] to see [the hanboks], so I’m excited for that!”
Grace with her husband, childhood best friend and her husband, who came to see Grace’s creations in person.
Aside from Mickey and Minnie’s debut of their new Korean hanboks, guests visiting Disneyland Resort this Lunar New Year will see Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese traditions represented in the many details that make Lunar New Year so special. From Goofy and Clarabelle Cow dressed in Vietnamese Ao Dai, to the gorgeous new designs on this year’s Sip and Savor Passes, and finally to Donald and Daisy dressed in Chinese Hanfu.
There is much to celebrate as we welcome the Year of the Snake! Celebrations for Lunar New Year at Disneyland Resort started January 17 and run through February 16 , so make sure to stop by to see Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse’s new attire in person! See a full list of the culinary delights and fun festivities here.