A scene from Pixar Animation Studio’s film “Elemental” is seen in this photo provided by the Walt Disney Company.
SEOUL, July 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Pixar’s new animated film, “Elemental,” is beloved in South Korea despite disappointing box office scores in North America.
The animated film has attracted 2.32 million moviegoers in South Korea as of Monday, the 20th day after its release, generating revenue of some 23 billion won (US$17.6 million).
In other words, the country has become the world’s third-largest market for Pixar’s latest movie.
The film has achieved an impressive score of 98 percent on CGV’s golden egg index, which is calculated based on audience ratings. This indicates that it is receiving positive responses from viewers.
The primary factor behind the film’s success is its incorporation of various elements that resonate with Korean audiences.
The movie is based on the experiences of Korean American director Peter Sohn, who lived in New York as an immigrant.
On social media platforms, some viewers have shared comments expressing how the film has prompted them to reflect on their own experiences of discrimination as Asians in Western societies.
Additionally, many others have expressed a deep resonance with the film’s message of diversity.
The central character, Ember, selflessly sacrifices her own dreams and assumes the responsibility of inheriting her father’s struggling store without hesitation.
This aspect of her character strongly resonates with young Korean women in their 20s and 30s, who often face societal pressures to fulfill the role of a good eldest daughter.
“The movie’s competitors, such as ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ and ‘The Flash,’ do not appeal to a wide range of generations,” film critic Yoon Sung-eun said.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
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