According to the Korean Film Council’s box-office tracking on the 23rd, the film surpassed 120,000 cumulative admissions to lead this year’s Korean indie/arthouse field. Despite a limited screen count, the movie has shown strong legs through its fifth weekend, propelled by robust word of mouth and the film’s own staying power.
A wave of celebrity-backed relay screenings is also keeping momentum high, with supporters including Kim Hye-soo, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Eui-sung, Park Jung-min, Song Eun-yi, Lee Jun-hyuk, and director Choi Dong-hoon. Group bookings and private theater rentals continue to pour in.
Set between the lines of popularity and performance, the film follows an inscrutable 18-year-old high-schooler, Ju-in, who refuses to sign a schoolwide petition―and soon starts receiving mysterious notes. It’s the third feature from Yoon Ga-eun, the filmmaker behind "The World of Us" and "The House of Us," and it drew international attention even before release with invitations from major festivals.
The title was invited as the first and only Korean film in competition at the Toronto International Film Festival, swept two awards at the Pingyao International Film Festival, and took home the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) prize at the Warsaw International Film Festival―further cementing Yoon’s clout.
Despite a years-long chill on Korean titles in China, the film moved unusually quickly to secure a Chinese distributor, signaling sustained global interest in ‘The World of Love.’
Now sitting atop 2025’s Korean indie arthouse box office, all eyes are on whether the film can leap from 120,000 to a milestone 150,000 admissions.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)