Why The Little Mermaid Failed Miserably in China and South Korea

By Anadya Narain

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‘The Little Mermaid’ tanks in China and South Korea amid racist backlash and other problems from the viewers.

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The movie has grossed $3.6 million its first 10 days of release in China, by far the worst showing among Disney’s live-action adaptations.

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It is also struggling badly in South Korea, where it has earned $4.4 million through June 4.  

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Fans in mainland China have shared their objections to the movie online, mainly expressing disappointment with Bailey’s casting. 

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Netizens  said that like Snow White, the image of the mermaid princess in Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales has long been rooted  and it takes a leap of imagination to accept the new cast.

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What has played an even bigger role in the movie's  failure to draw in Chinese audiences is everything that happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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The entire movie industry shut down and slowly restarted  by the  Communist Party.  The party pushed for production of propoganda films and rejection of Western media and values.

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However, in the U.S., The Little Mermaid  recieved great success. The movie has earned north of $186 million in its first 10 days  and is set to top $350 million domestically.

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