Mickey 17, New Powerful Debut at Korean Box Office
Bong Joon-Ho’s highly anticipated sci-fi film, Mickey 17 continues to dominate the South Korean box office.
Maintaining its No. 1 position for five uninterrupted days, the new sci-fi film has already attracted over 1.38 million moviegoers and made $9 million during the first four days of release in South Korea. As the March 7 global release approaches, audiences and critics are eager to see if Joon-Ho’s new film will achieve the same international acclaim as his Oscar-winning masterpiece Parasite.
Starring Robert Pattinson, Mickey 17 is the story of a desperate Mickey Barnestakes on a dangerous mission as a disposable clone, after his business fails on Earth and in an attempt to avoid the loan sharks’ threats.
Based on the novel Mickey 17 by Edward Ashton, the film showcases Joon-Ho’s signature dark humor and social critique, highlighting the director’s distinctive storytelling and directorial style that brought him global acclaim in 2019 with Parasite.
Since its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, the film has received mostly favorable reviews from critics and audiences, earning an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It delves into philosophical and ethical themes, including death, science, technology, ethics, and peace. Mickey 17 marks one of Joon-ho’s most ambitious projects since his 2013 English-language debut, Snowpiercer.
Bong Joon-Ho's MICKEY 17 is simply PHENOMENAL! Robert Pattinson is ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS as (more than one) Mickey. It's a masterful blend of bleak political satire and serious moral riff-raff that could've only been accomplished by Joon-Ho. #Mickey17 pic.twitter.com/fHZfkPZOe4
— Chris Gallardo (@chrisagwrites) March 4, 2025
In South Korea, Mickey 17 has surpassed major Hollywood blockbusters like Dune: Part Two, Alien: Romulus, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, demonstrating high anticipation and interest among domestic audiences.
With a production budget of $120 million, Mickey 17 marks the film maker’s most ambitious and costly project, surpassing his previous Hollywood works Okja ($60 million) and Snowpiercer ($40 million).
Critics have praised Joon-Ho’s grand and sophisticated cinematography, noting how it enhances the film’s emotional depth and philosophical themes. Domestic audiences have praised his signature visual style combined with his distinct storytelling approach, which earned him the honor of being the first Asian filmmaker with the Academy Award for Best Director, makes Mickey 17 a memorable cinematic experience.
#Mickey17 is an entertaining sci-fi blockbuster that takes time to develop character and character motivation at every turn. Not to mention that it looks gorgeous while doing it. Robert Pattinson is fantastic, while Naomi Ackie is almost better. Director Bong’s still got it! pic.twitter.com/YYLbIfH9yE
— paul (@paulswhtn) March 4, 2025
With its strong box office performance in South Korea and positive critical reception, Mickey 17 has already demonstrated its appeal to audiences. Given the widespread acclaim Joon Ho received from both domestic and international audiences and critics for Parasite, there is growing anticipation over whether Mickey 17—a blockbuster of an entirely different nature from the film that brought him global recognition—will earn the same level of praise or even surpass it.
