A new version of ‘The Little Mermaid’ has hit theaters, but it seems South Korea and China aren’t as excited as expected. The two countries, known for their fervor for cinema, have shown an overwhelming lack of enthusiasm for the live action of this Disney classic.
The main focus of dissatisfaction falls on the actress Halle Bailey, who was chosen to play Ariel. Viewers in South Korea and China seem to be having a hard time accepting this new portrayal of the famous princess.. The traditional image of Ariel, as depicted in the Disney fairy tale and animated film, has been significantly changed.
In South Korea, the film only managed to attract around 472,000 admissions to theaters, which is quite low compared to the 643,000 admissions that came to see it.”Fast & Furious“. It seems that the magic of the little mermaid failed to captivate the South Korean audience.
- You may be interested in reading: ‘The Little Mermaid’: Differences between live action and classic version
- The Little Mermaid: Is Sebastian a crab or a lobster?
Disappointing box office in China and negative reactions to Halle Bailey
The situation in China is no better. According to Box Office Mojo, the film made just $2.7 million in its first five days of release, compared to an impressive $20 million it did.”Spider-Man: Through the Spider-VerseThis result clearly shows that the Chinese public did not support the new production of “The Little Mermaid”.
The bold changes made to the film were widely criticised. According to Douban, a movie review website, “The Little Mermaid” has a rating of 5 out of 10. The most prominent comments on this soundtrack reveal that “the famous Disney fairy tale we grew up with is unrecognizable” and some even make disparaging comments about Ariel’s skin tone, noting that “the Little Mermaid we have in mind is fair-skinned”. .
Subscribe to Disney+ here
Low contributions to live action, replies the director
Other than the cold critical reception, the film only grossed $327 million worldwide, with minimal input from China. These numbers clearly show that the two largest countries Movie consumers in Asia have not supported the live action of “The Little Mermaid” as expected.
In the face of criticism, the film’s director, Rob Marshall, came to actress Halle Bailey’s defense, arguing that “we weren’t trying to top anyone in particular, we didn’t hire anyone for their skin tone. We just looked for the best Ariel and she got the part.” However, his words do not seem to have convinced viewers in South Korea and China.
By Karen Magallanes
Source: Nacion Flix
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.