A star-studded cast, high profile marketing and a strong opening at the theater — these are all the conventional markers of a box office hit. Korea’s latest indie film hit, “The World of Love,” didn’t have any of those, but still managed to make a splash with its box office reception.

The film, directed by Yoon Ga-eun, surpassed the 140,000 mark at local theaters as of Friday, becoming the most-watched indie film of the year. For indie or art films, reaching 100,000 is often considered a milestone of success.


Released on Oct. 22, the film centers on Joo-in, a friendly, outgoing and well-liked 18-year-old high school student. One day, her school held a petition-signing campaign that all the students joined, except Joo-in, who refused to sign because she didn’t agree with it. After her refusal, her seemingly calm world begins to unravel as she gets anonymous notes from someone in her school, leaving her unsettled.

Its popularity is leading to the so-called voluntary supporting screenings and requests for group viewings, according to distributor Barunson E&A. Voluntary supporting screenings are events where stars open theaters for people to watch the film in support of its release. Stars such as Kim Hye-soo, Kim Tae-ri and, most recently, Lee Jun-hyuk have shown their support for the film. So, what has driven the film’s steady, quiet rise?

Spreading the word

Word of mouth has played a key role in sustaining the film’s popularity for over a month. The film has been receiving overwhelmingly positive responses from audiences, earning a 9.06 rating from actual viewers on Naver as of Friday.

Comments say, “I remember now how good films can be,” and “This film is a real treasure that makes me hesitant to leave just any comment. Thank you for letting me see a work like this.”

This strong audience response, according to culture critic Jung Duk-hyun, stems from the film’s “quality and overall execution,” which has resonated deeply and helped fuel the word-of-mouth buzz.

The film is neither provocative nor explores a major event. Instead, it naturally follows the emotions of the characters, tackling heavy themes in a subtle manner yet still delivering a message that truly hits home.

And this storytelling seemed to have struck a chord with many lead figures in the industry, prompting shout-outs for the film. Directors Bong Joon-ho and Yeon Sang-ho referred to it as a “masterpiece,” while actors including Jung Yu-mi and Park Jeong-min also shone a light on it.

Park described it as “something huge has just dropped,” while actor Jung posted on her social media saying, “I’m thankful to have met this film.”

People who watched the film even carried out a “no-spoiler” review challenge, encouraging potential moviegoers to see the work without prior information while recommending the film.

Seeking their own taste

The social trend of seeking one’s own tastes has now extended to the cinema scene, which is another reason small yet powerful films are emerging, including director Yoon’s latest project.

Films like “The Fall” (2006), which was rereleased last year in Korea, attracted over 180,000 moviegoers despite being an arthouse movie, which led its director, Tarsem Singh, to visit Korea to celebrate its success. Similarly, the body-horror film “The Substance” (2024) unexpectedly attracted over 560,000 viewers, despite being considered a niche cinephile title.

Adding to this trend, as fewer blockbuster films are released or in production due to the downturn of the film industry, the environment has ironically become more favorable for independent and arthouse productions in theaters.

“Since we’re no longer seeing as many large-scale blockbusters — films that are considered tentpole releases — the landscape has shifted in a way that creates more alternative opportunities,” critic Jung said. “It’s created an environment where, conversely, smaller alternative films can actually draw more concentrated attention when they come out.”

Audiences themselves have also changed, no longer limiting their search to big blockbusters. Instead, they are seeking works with high-quality execution, regardless of production background, that feel authentic and genuine.

“Films with diverse styles, like ‘The Ugly,’ ‘People and Meat’ or ‘The World of Love,’ are now in a position to find their place,” the critic added. “Mid- to small-scale projects deserve more attention and discovery, and it seems that today’s audiences have begun actively seeking out these kinds of films.”

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]