Robert Pattinson plays the disposable clones Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 in director Bong Joon-ho's film "Mickey 17." Courtesy of Warner Bros. Korea

Bong Joon-ho's Hollywood film "Mickey 17" may be topping the box office in both Korea and North America, but audience reactions remain surprisingly cold. Despite its No. 1 ranking, the film has failed to generate the excitement that theaters hoped for, with concerns now rising over whether it will break even.

According to data from the Korean Film Council on Monday, "Mickey 17" has attracted 2.09 million viewers in Korea as of the previous day, surpassing the 2 million mark just 10 days after its Feb. 28 release.

The film has maintained the top spot in daily box office rankings since its opening. In North America, it also debuted at No. 1 over the weekend, earning $19.1 million from 3,807 theaters, according to Box Office Mojo.

This marks the first time in 52 years that a Korean director's film has topped the North American box office, following Jeong Chang-hwa's Hong Kong film "Five Fingers of Death" (1972) in 1973.

Set on an alien planet in the 2050s, "Mickey 17" follows the story of Mickey, played by Robert Pattinson, a disposable human clone who repeatedly dies and is regenerated for dangerous missions.

The film also stars Hollywood actors Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette. With a production budget of $118 million, it is the most expensive film ever directed by a Korean filmmaker.

Initial expectations were high in Korea, with 250,000 people attending opening day despite it being a weekday.

However, ticket sales over the long weekend from March 1 to 3 — boosted by the Independence Movement Day holiday — fell short of projections. Industry officials now say the film is unlikely to reach 3 million total admissions, far below the original forecast of 4 to 6 million.

"The current audience turnout is below expectations. It will likely affect overall box office performance for late February and early March," said Lee Shin-young, a PR official at Lotte Cultureworks.

The film's performance in Hollywood is also drawing mixed reactions. While it debuted at No. 1, entertainment media such as The Hollywood Reporter described its $19.1 million opening as "sluggish."

Actors Robert Pattinson, right, and Naomi Ackie in a scene from "Mickey 17" / Courtesy of Warner Bros. Korea

By comparison, "Captain America: Brave New World," which opened four weeks earlier, earned $88.8 million in its first weekend — and even that was considered underwhelming.

Concerns are now mounting over whether "Mickey 17" can recoup its investment. According to Variety, the film would need to earn between $275 million and $300 million in global box office revenue — factoring in marketing costs — to turn a profit. So far, the film has grossed $53.3 million worldwide.

Another challenge is the lukewarm audience response. According to CinemaScore, a U.S. market research firm that grades films based on opening night audience surveys, "Mickey 17" received a B rating — indicating modest reception at best. On Letterboxd, a film rating site favored by cinephiles, the movie currently holds a score of 3.8 out of 5.

Despite its high-profile release and star-studded cast, "Mickey 17" appears to be falling short of the momentum generated by Bong's previous works, leaving industry insiders questioning whether the film can live up to its expectations — both artistically and financially.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.