The movie ‘Barbie’, which is setting global box office records, is unusually quiet in Korea. It surpassed ‘Harry Potter’ and became Warner Brothers’ highest-grossing global box office hit, but failed to persuade the Korean public. It is pointed out that Korea’s ‘feminist backlash’ is one of the reasons for the slump, and at the same time, there are cultural differences in accepting ‘Barbie dolls’. The film’s ‘integration’ message, which took the world by storm, is not even discussed in Korea, stuck in opposition and indifference.
The movie ‘Barbie’ directed by Greta Gerwig is making history. It became the highest-grossing film in the U.S. this year with sales of $590 million (approximately 780 billion won) in North America alone, and on the 27th (local time), ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ surpassed global sales ($1.342 billion). It surpassed all time and became the highest-grossing film of production company Warner Bros. Praise continues to flow locally as ‘the biggest box office hit in history’.
On the other hand, Korea is cold. Although it was released on the 18th of last month, the number of viewers as of the 28th was only 570,000. This is in contrast to director Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, which was released on the 15th and had a cumulative audience of over 2.37 million in two weeks. In North America, ‘Bobby’ is actually overwhelming ‘Oppenheimer’.
‘Barbie’ is a film with a feminism theme. Greta Gerwig, who directed ‘Barbie,’ has been recognized as an excellent director of women’s narratives such as ‘Lady Bird’ and ‘Little Women.’ ‘Barbie’ also harshly criticizes the male-centered patriarchy that is still prevalent in society and considers the identity of women trying to survive while maintaining diversity. The scene where America Ferrera, who plays Gloria, pours out a monologue about the ‘tightrope walk’ that women must walk in society is a symbolic scene of the movie.
It is pointed out that these themes of the film are the cause of its poor performance. The backlash against feminism is particularly severe in Korea. On the 2nd, the British Guardian published an article titled ‘The fear of being labeled a feminist is real: Barbie’s box office failure in Korea.’ Shim Hae-in, a women’s rights activist, told the Guardian, “‘Barbie’ clearly shows that female-centered films with feminist humor are still a taboo subject (in Korea),” adding, “The word feminism is used by many individuals in Korea. “It is considered a dirty word, and people feel uncomfortable confronting the fact that it is deep-rooted patriarchy that has led this society for a long time.”
In fact, if you look at the ratings based on Naver, there is a clear difference in gender ratings. As of the 29th, it remains at 6.18 for men and 9.21 for women. One-line reviews are also extreme, such as ‘a film steeped in femininity’, ‘vulgar division’, and ‘disgusting misogyny’. Even on social media such as YouTube and communities, posts related to ‘Bobby’ often receive a lot of response with comments such as ‘Femi believes in and filters out’.
Film critic Seong-eun Yoon said in a phone call with Media Today, “There are people who react extremely strongly to feminism. In North America, even though feminism is the theme, movies such as the contrast between male society and female society, the difference between Bobbyland and LA, etc. are received as entertainment . “There were aspects that were accepted, but not in Korea,” he said. “It is not yet considered that feminism can be an ‘entertaining’ element in Korea. I think the way the movie delivered its message was a bit coercive to Korean audiences. “There will be big cultural differences,” he said.
Some say that the reason for the sluggish box office performance cannot be found solely in feminism. The degree to which ‘Barbie doll’ appeals varies from country to country. Kim Hyun-young, director of the Women’s Reality Research Institute, said in a phone call, “I understand the context of (Barbie)’s enormous popularity in the Western world, but I think it is difficult to convey메이저놀이터 a strong message to Korean feminists.” He added, “I played with the ‘Barbie doll.’ The Dawn generation is currently in their 30s and 40s, and it seemed difficult to make a big impact on them in the Korean situation.
Lee Yun-so, an activist in the gender equality media team of the Korean Women’s Association, said, “It seems to be complex. As the ‘backlash’ against feminism continues, there are probably many people who are tired of the issue of feminism itself. People who think about feminism in Korea “Because it is not as many as in other countries, understanding or interest in the movie may not be formed better,” he said. “There are many people who criticize the movie without even watching it, but ‘backlash’ is not unique to Korea. Feminist backlash is a unique characteristic of Korea.” “It’s hard to see. I think there will be a difference of opinion with people from cultures that are familiar with Barbie dolls,” he said.
The film’s message sank beneath the surface amidst ‘repulsion’ and ‘indifference’. Unlike the extreme reactions seen online, the movie emphasizes social ‘integration’. Not only women but also men appear as victims of ‘patriarchy’. At the beginning of the movie, the focus is on ‘Barbie’, but at the end, you empathize with ‘Ken’. Director Greta Gerwig said in an interview with the New York Times, “My hope is that the film will be an ‘invitation’ for everyone to become part of the party. ” ) I hope I can make it possible to let go of things I don’t like,” he said.
Critic Yoon Seong-eun said, “It is not a film divided by gender. Ultimately, what the movie emphasizes is the story of ‘Be Yourself’,” adding , “The message is a world of coexistence where you live as yourself and do not invade each other’s freedom.” It may seem obvious, but even if BTS sings about the same topic, many people are moved and teenagers are influenced. There are times when things that are so natural and obvious have power. That’s because there are people who can’t live that way. That message is bad. “Not many people can do it,” he said.