South Korean filmmaker Yoon Ga-eun’s latest film, The World of Love, is quietly breaking barriers — not just for its artistry, but for the way it’s moving audiences across borders.
The gentle, emotionally charged drama has become a surprise hit in China, where viewers have flooded social media with praise, calling it “gentle, yet uplifting and empowering.”
Released in South Korea in late October, the film has resonated deeply with Chinese audiences despite years of restricted access to Korean movies.
According to The Korea Times, its increasing appeal is evidence of the universality of empathy and narrative, as well as Yoon's talent for transforming subdued feelings into something incredibly relatable.
The World of Love is primarily about Joo-in, a young woman who survived sexual assault and is attempting to rebuild her identity. Before gradually exposing the trauma she bears, the movie begins with snippets of her everyday life.
Yoon's refusal to exaggerate Joo-in's suffering is what makes her storytelling so amazing. She instead emphasises the healing process, or how individuals come to accept their wounds rather than letting them define them.
The end effect is a film that is subtly revolutionary and feels tender. It has already enthralled viewers at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival and taken home two significant prizes from the Pingyao International Film Festival.
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On Douban, China’s leading film-rating platform, it boasts an impressive 9 out of 10 score, placing it alongside Korean favourites like Hope and Silenced.
Over 24,000 people have bookmarked it, which is a remarkable feat given how few Korean films have reached Chinese audiences in recent years.
Chinese viewers have praised the film’s emotional honesty and its portrayal of resilience. A review in The Paper commended Yoon for treating Joo-in not as “a mere sexual assault victim,” but as a complete person navigating her way through pain and recovery. For many, the film has opened up long-overdue conversations about how society views trauma and survival.
One viewer, Rebecca Wu, a Chinese doctoral student in Seoul, said the film made her reflect on how society often traps survivors in a “narrative of permanent victimhood.” Another, Wang Yixue from Shenzhen, said it “encourages and empowers survivors” by showing how people coexist with their past pain rather than being consumed by it.
Adding to the optimism, The World of Love has secured a rare Chinese distribution deal with Light Films Limited, sparking hopes that Korean cinema may once again reach audiences across China.
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