Barbie
Barbie has garnered immense attention, unlike any other toy. Thanks to Greta Gerwig’s innovative film, which challenges societal norms around gender roles and stereotypes, this ‘Barbie’ movie has gained significant traction. With effective marketing that temporarily engulfed everything in pink, the movie is skillfully made and has already exceeded $1 billion in worldwide earnings.
However, in a significant country, the movie has not managed to create much impact, specifically in South Korea. Experts have highlighted various reasons, ranging from feminist themes to cultural distinctions, that might explain why the film hasn’t achieved popularity in the nation known for K-pop and K-drama. Let’s delve into this topic further.
In South Korea, the ‘Barbie’ movie generated approximately $3.8 million in box office revenue within the first two weeks of its release. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film appears to have generated a sense of ‘fatigue’ and ‘discomfort’ among audiences. This reaction is largely attributed to the movie’s emphasis on female empowerment and gender inequality themes.
Korea tends to be a country where there is a stronger presence of anti-feminist sentiment. Moreover, discussions related to gender inequality are often sidestepped. According to last year’s Global Gender Gap report, South Korea holds the 99th position out of 146 countries in terms of gender equality. On the nation’s film review platform, the movie was characterized as “educational,” “uncomfortable,” and perceived more as a form of “preaching.” Interestingly, the film received a higher rating from female viewers compared to male viewers.
The lack of Barbie’s cultural presence could also contribute to the movie’s lack of success in the country. Moon So-Young, a journalist based in Seoul, expressed to The Hollywood Reporter, “We didn’t play with Barbie when we were growing up. We are familiar with Lego but not Barbie. Kids here these days don’t play with Barbie either. So there is no real fan base for Barbie in Korea.” These factors could potentially explain the challenges faced by the ‘Barbie’ movie in the South Korean market.
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