A lack of cultural nostalgia attached to the toy and wariness of the film’s feminist messaging may have kept the Korean audience away from the Hollywood mega-hit: "There is no real fan base for ‘Barbie’ in Korea.”

  • @[email protected]
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    2111 months ago

    There is a huge debate in South Korea over feminism. I’m not Korean, but I’ve read a lot that Korean men do get special treatment from the government, colleges, and workplaces, but mostly for their mandatory military service. The argument seems to be that if women want the same treatment, they’re free to sign up for military service.

    • @kamenoko
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      811 months ago

      Maybe the issue is compelling your citizens to join your military in the first place?

        • @kamenoko
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          211 months ago

          Then it seems pretty sexist to leave women out of the opportunity to effectively defend themselves in case North Korea ever attacks.

          • @[email protected]
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            711 months ago

            Isn’t that why men say that if they want to get the same privileges they should enroll as well?

            The caviat is that the mandatory service is two years long, which most Korean women don’t want to waste in the military

            • @kamenoko
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              311 months ago

              No rational human should ever want to waste 2 years of their life learning how to kill.

              • @[email protected]
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                311 months ago

                That’s a perfectly reasonable thing to learn whilst still technically at war with a tyrannical socialist neighbour.

      • @[email protected]
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        211 months ago

        This was an incredibly stupid thing to say when their only direct neighbor wants them all dead.

        • @kamenoko
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          311 months ago

          If the threat is that large then it should be no issue to have a standing, regular army instead of forced conscription.

            • @kamenoko
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              611 months ago

              Young men die for old men’s pride… close enough?