‘The Korean Film of the Year’ arrives on Netflix less than a year after its theatrical release

‘The World of Love’ (distributed by Barunson E&A), widely hailed as one of the best Korean films of the year, was released on Netflix on June 5. The movie originally premiered in theaters last October, making its streaming debut less than a year after its theatrical run.

‘The World of Love’ is the third feature-length film from director Yoon Ga Eun, who earned acclaim for reshaping the landscape of Korean independent cinema with ‘The World of Us’ (2016) and ‘The House of Us’ (2019). Rated for viewers ages 12 and up, the film runs for 119 minutes.

At the center of the story is 18-year-old Lee Joo In, played by Seo Su Bin. Joo In is a class president, model student, and popular teenager whose biggest interest is romance — an ordinary high school girl by all appearances. One day, her classmate Soo Ho, played by Kim Jung Sik, proposes a petition campaign that the entire school signs onto. Joo In alone refuses, saying she cannot agree with its contents.

After repeated arguments and attempts to persuade her, a single comment from Joo In throws those around her into confusion. Soon after, anonymous notes begin appearing for her. The film follows the events of those few days. Critics widely praised the movie for tackling the sensitive subjects of teenage sexuality and love without becoming either overly heavy-handed or superficial.

The cast includes Jang Hye Jin, Kang Chae Yoon, Park Ji Yoon, Kim Ye Chang, and Go Min Si alongside Seo Su Bin.

For Seo Su Bin, ‘The World of Love’ effectively served as her breakout debut project, instantly positioning her as one of the Korean film industry’s most promising new faces. Critics even described her arrival as “the birth of a monster rookie.”

The film’s success extended well beyond Korea. Before its domestic release, it became the first Korean film ever invited to the competition section of the Toronto International Film Festival. It later won two awards at the 9th Pingyao International Film Festival and also received the FIPRESCI Prize at the Warsaw International Film Festival. Invitations followed from more than 10 international festivals, including the BFI London Film Festival and the Tokyo FILMeX.

One particularly notable achievement came in China. Since the implementation of the unofficial “Korean Wave ban,” very few Korean films have received official theatrical releases there. However, after screening at the Pingyao International Film Festival, ‘The World of Love’ generated such strong audience reactions that it ultimately secured an official release in China.

The movie also performed impressively in Korea. Upon release, it immediately topped the Korean independent film box office and eventually drew around 200,000 moviegoers — an exceptional figure for an indie production. Its CGV Golden Egg Index reached 97%, while Cine21 critics gave it a score of 7.88, and audiences rated it 7.60. Verified viewers gave the film a 9.04 rating.

The film continued to receive strong support from figures across the entertainment industry. Directors Bong Joon Ho and Yeon Sang Ho, screenwriter Kim Eun Hee, and prosecutor Seo Ji Hyun participated in guest visits and discussions for the film. Meanwhile, actors Park Jung Min, Kim Tae Ri, Kim Hye Soo, Lee Jun Hyuk, and director Choi Dong Hoon sponsored special support screenings.

Prominent female indie filmmakers, including Kim Cho Hee, Yoon Dan Bi, Lee Ok Seop, and Lim Sun Ae, also held a joint guest event for the movie.

Audience reactions became something of a phenomenon themselves. Viewers voluntarily encouraged others to avoid spoilers, leaving comments such as, “Go into the theater knowing nothing,” “Don’t look up any information before watching,” and “Please watch it without spoilers.” The so-called “no-spoiler challenge” quickly spread across social media and review platforms. Other comments included, “Best movie I’ve seen this year,” “Don’t search for anything beforehand,” and “Cheering for every Joo In out there.”

The film also stood out during awards season. At the 29th Chunsa International Film Festival in 2025, it won Best Director and Best New Actress. At the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards in 2026, the film received nominations in six categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and Best New Actress. Yoon Ga Eun ultimately won Best Director, while Seo Su Bin took home Best New Actress. Reports noted that Yoon received six out of seven votes from the judging panel.

Last April, actress Greta Lee revealed during a press conference at the Jeonju International Film Festival that she had watched the film at the Toronto International Film Festival. She also publicly expressed interest in working with Yoon Ga Eun, drawing significant attention.

In interviews, Yoon Ga Eun explained that the emotional foundation of the film came from the idea that “I do not know Joo In. I probably never will.” She added, “It was my first time working with a character I didn’t fully understand. I still don’t fully understand myself either. I thought I would be this age, but that uncertainty actually made the creative process feel more comfortable.”

Discussing the film’s sensitive themes, Yoon said she wanted the movie to become “a doorway for stories people want to hide, and for stories that are difficult to express.”

Her approach toward the protagonist was also notable. “Joo In is just an ordinary person,” the director explained. “She’s neither a grand hero nor a powerless victim. She’s simply very ordinary. Sometimes she does well, and sometimes she makes mistakes.” Yoon said capturing both sides of that duality became the film’s core creative challenge.

According to the director, the title ‘The World of Love’ was also inspired by “ordinary, everyday people.”

‘The World of Love’ began streaming on Netflix on June 5.