The new trailer of "The Little Mermaid" leaves these girls stunned 1:09

(CNN) -- "The Little Mermaid" has fared poorly in China and South Korea amid racist criticism over the casting of black actress Halle Bailey for the role of Ariel.

According to Box Office Mojo, Disney's live-action remake has only grossed $3.6 million in mainland China since its release on May 26.

In its first five days, the film grossed just 19.5 million yuan ($2.7 million), down from 142 million yuan ($20 million) in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" in the first five days of its release, according to Endata, the Chinese box office tracking company.

In South Korea, "The Little Mermaid" has grossed $4.4 million since May 24.

The film attracted about 472,000 moviegoers in its first week in theaters, less than the 643,000 fans who flocked to see the new "Fast and Furious" movie, "Fast X," during the same period, according to the Korean Film Council. "Fast X" premiered a week before "The Little Mermaid."

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The chilly reception came as viewers in both countries questioned Bailey's choice as the film's lead, a decision that has been celebrated elsewhere.

In the United States, young black women applauded Disney's decision, stating that they feel represented on the big screen thanks to their starring role.

"The Little Mermaid" has also done well at the domestic box office, ranking as the number two film over the past weekend, which is only its second so far in theaters, according to Comscore.

But on IMDb, the film has reportedly been affected by "review bombardment," a practice in which users leave negative reviews about a title in an attempt to downgrade its rating. The issue prompted IMDb last week to warn of "unusual voting activity" and modify the way it calculates ratings.

A cold reception

According to Comscore, the film has grossed about US$ 327 million worldwide, of which US$ 186 million corresponds to the domestic market and US$ 141 million to international audiences.

China, the world's second-highest grossing country, has contributed a negligible amount.

Fans in mainland China have expressed their objections to the film online, most notably their disappointment in Bailey's role.

On Douban, a popular Chinese film review website, users have rated the film only 5.1 out of 10.

On Maoyan, a Chinese film review and box office tracking platform, one user declared himself "puzzled," as "The 'Little Mermaid' I have in mind is White." Others made discriminatory comments about Bailey's skin color.

"The fairy tale I grew up with changed beyond recognition," wrote another Maoyan user.

Halle Bailey in 'The Little Mermaid'. (Credit: IMDb)

Similar sentiments were found on social media in South Korea. On Instagram, one user wrote that the movie had "ruined" them, adding "#NotMyAriel."

In Japan, where the film has yet to be released, it has also faced criticism from those who say Ariel's portrayal appears to differ from what they remember. "Don't trample on my cherished childhood memories and Ariel's image," wrote one user on an online forum.

Chinese state media has also encouraged such reactions.

In an editorial published a day before the film's release in China, the state-run Global Times tabloid said it had "sparked a debate about representation in entertainment and highlighted the challenges of adapting beloved traditional tales."

The publication also suggested that Disney's decision to hire Bailey was part of a broader effort to include minorities in studio productions and be considered "politically correct."

"The controversy surrounding Disney's forced inclusion of minorities in classic films is not about racism, but about its lazy and irresponsible narrative strategy," he said, echoing views expressed on social media in China, Japan and South Korea.

Disney declined to comment.

The film's director, Rob Marshall, had previously refuted the idea of Bailey being hired for anything other than talent.

"She immediately set the bar so high that no one surpassed it," he told The Hollywood Reporter last month. "We saw all the ethnicities. There was no intention to hire a woman of color. It was really just, 'Let's find the best Ariel,' and Halle took the part."

• Halle Bailey shares a difficult moment she lived in the recording of "The Little Mermaid"

Great success in the rest of the world

"The Little Mermaid" has fared best in other Asian markets, such as the Philippines and Indonesia, where it grossed $4.4 million and $4.1 million, respectively, according to Comscore data.

It was also the most-watched film in Italy and the second-most-watched in Germany, the UK, Australia, Brazil and Mexico over the weekend, according to the analytics provider. Moviegoers flocked to cinemas all over the world, from Singapore to Finland to the United Arab Emirates.

Ariel and Prince Eric, in a scene from 'The Little Mermaid'. (Credit: Disney)

All of this contributed to its international performance in its second weekend being "superior to 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Maleficent' and equal to that of 'Cinderella,'" according to Paul Dergarabedian, principal media analyst at Comscore.

"The bottom line is that each film has its own track record at the box office, its own appeal to audiences and, in the context of the competitive and cultural landscape, will have various challenges and advantages in the market," he said.

CNN's Junko Ogura contributed to this report.

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