“Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” — Which Film Performed Better in South Korea?

There are a few people on the internet who don’t know the social media phenomenon that “Barbenheimer” became this summer. The two highly anticipated films sparked a flurry of memes once the public found out they would be released on the same day globally.

But with Christopher Nolan‘s war epic Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig‘s beloved doll icon movie Barbie both in contention, which film truly captured the hearts of the Korean audience?

Christopher Nolan, globally celebrated for films like Inception and The Dark Knight, has done it again with Oppenheimer. Within days of its release on August 15, the movie dominated the South Korean box office, securing the top spot for five consecutive days.

According to Universal Pictures Korea, the film surpassed 1.5 million ticket sales in record time, outperforming Nolan’s previous cinematic wonders.

As the movie delved deep into the life of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the Manhattan Project during World War II, audiences were clearly drawn to its compelling narrative. With an opening that saw 552,000 ticket sales and a grossing of ₩5.76 billion KRW (about $4.30 million USD), Oppenheimer has set new records for Nolan’s storied career.

While Oppenheimer raged ahead, Barbie struggled to find its footing in South Korea.

Since its release on July 19, the movie has garnered a combined total of 571,001 tickets sold from July to August 22, bringing in a profit of roughly $4,187,928.

But despite these figures, Barbie seems to have missed the mark, with sales slowing down significantly after its initial release, as highlighted by The Guardian.

While many attributed this struggle to the movie’s “feminist themes and female-led ideas,” others pointed out that there is female empowerment in Korean cinemas, but it is coming more from local characters rather than the global hit.

Female-led crime action film Smugglers dominated the weekend at the South Korean box office and pushed aside any contenders earning more than $9.31 million USD on its opening weekend.

Set in a peaceful seaside village on Jeju Island, the film follows a group of traditional female divers who lose their means of subsistence overnight and turn to smuggling shipments thrown into the sea to make a living.

Clearly, in terms of box office numbers, Oppenheimer reigns supreme in South Korea. However, the undeniable charm of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon has shown that movies, just like memes, are as much about culture as they are about ticket sales.

IT'S BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE BARBENHEIMER WAS RELEASED?! pic.twitter.com/UkDZwj2dHe

— Shadow Knight (@shadowknightdk) August 21, 2023

While Oppenheimer and Barbie may appeal to different audiences, their simultaneous release has given movie-goers a uniquely entertaining experience.