This year's Korean film, which has become a long-running hit through explosive word of mouth, The World of Love (written and directed by Yoon Ga-eun, distributed by Barunson E&A Co., Ltd., produced by Semosi Co., Ltd.·Vol Media Co., Ltd.) surpassed 120,000 admissions, becoming the No. 1 Korean independent art feature film released in 2025.
The World of Love, which tells the story of an inscrutable 18-year-old high school girl named "Joo-in," who is between an insider and an attention seeker, singlehandedly refusing a petition campaign that the entire student body participated in and then beginning to receive mysterious notes, surpassed 120,000 cumulative admissions in 33 days and rose to No. 1 among Korean independent art feature films released this year.
Despite a small number of screens, The World of Love, which continued long-running success through its fifth week, achieved a remarkable triumph for Korean independent film thanks to the film's power and strong word of mouth from audiences. In addition, the wave of celebrity support screenings for The World of Love from supporters such as Kim Hye-soo, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Eui-sung, Park Jung-min, Song Eun-i, Lee Joon-hyuk, Kim Sook and director Choi Dong-hoon continues, and group bookings and venue rental inquiries are ongoing, suggesting it will continue to draw audiences steadily.
The newly released special poster attracts attention by featuring not only Joo-in's colorful appearances but also the surrounding characters who make up Joo-in's world. The image of Taeseon, Joo-in's mother who is like a friend, Suho, a classmate who causes conflict, Yura, Joo-in's close friend, and Mido, Joo-in's close older sister, all walking in the same direction creates a bubbly atmosphere that lifts the viewer's mood. In addition, Joo-in, who shows off an unpredictable charm with various outfits including school uniform, gym clothes, taekwondo uniform and casual wear, along with cheerful expressions and mischievous poses, also captures attention and adds to the viewing pleasure.
Meanwhile, The World of Love is director Yoon Ga-eun's third feature film after Our School and Our House and was a work that received global attention by being invited to major international film festivals even before its release.
In particular, it was invited to the competition section of the Toronto International Film Festival as the first and only Korean film, swept two awards at the Pingyao International Film Festival, and won the International Federation of Film Critics award at the Warsaw International Film Festival, confirming Yoon Ga-eun's prowess. In addition, despite the freezing of Korean films' entry into the Chinese market after the ban, the world's interest in The World of Love has continued, including the unusually rapid confirmation of a Chinese distributor.
The World of Love, which ranked No. 1 among Korean independent art feature films in 2025, is now playing in theaters nationwide.<
[Photo] Movie poster, KOFIC integrated computer network
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