‘The World of Love’ Sets New Milestone for Korean Independent Art Films
Nov 23, 2025
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Amid favorable reviews both in Korea and overseas, it topped the box office of Korean independent art drama films released in 2025 with a cumulative audience of more than 120,000 in 33 days after its release. It is all the more meaningful in that it continues to be a long-term success through word of mouth despite not many theaters.
'Master of the World' (Director Yoon Ga-eun) tells the story of an 18-year-old high school girl who alone rejected a signature campaign involving all students receiving a questionable note. It delicately captures the subtle emotional lines of youth shaking between insiders and attention seekers, drawing sympathy from the audience.
In particular, celebrities representing the film industry, including Kim Hye-soo, Kim Tae-ri, Park Jung-min, Song Eun-i, Lee Joon-hyuk, and Choi Dong-hoon, voluntarily held relay support screenings, drawing attention. The box office has gained momentum as it continued to visit groups and inquire about rentals.
The special poster, which was released together, showed a harmonious combination of various characters, including mother Taesun, friend Yu-ra, and conflict-causing Su-ho. From uniforms, sportswear, plain clothes, and taekwondo uniforms, the world of 'master' is vividly depicted with colorful outfits and popping expressions.
Director Yoon Ga-eun's third feature film, Master of the World, was already invited to major overseas film festivals even before its release. It became the first Korean film to enter the competition section of the Toronto International Film Festival, won two gold medals at the Pingyao International Film Festival, and won the International Film Critics Federation Award at the Warsaw International Film Festival, and was recognized for its solid cinematic quality. In addition, despite the difficult situation for Korean films to enter China in the aftermath of the ban on Korea, interest from overseas is also hot, with Chinese distributors unusually confirmed early.
‘The World of Love’ is currently playing in theaters across the country.
mj.cho@sportschosun.com
