‘World of Love’ draws global attention as Korea’s indie film sector faces deeper strain

Poster for “The World of Love“ / Courtesy of Barunson E&A

Korean independent cinema is attracting growing attention overseas, with its careful storytelling and expressive range earning praise at top festivals. Yet, behind the bright spotlight, long-standing challenges continue to weigh on the industry.

Director Yoon Ga-eun’s recently released “The World of Love” is enjoying a run of international invitations. It began with the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by selections and awards at Pingyao International Film Festival and Warsaw International Film Festival.

It was also invited to compete at Tokyo Filmex and the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival, showing strong interest from global programmers. “The World of Love” follows an unpredictable 17-year-old high school student whose impulsive remark sets off a chain of events that shakes everyone’s world.

The domestic response has been just as strong. Despite its limited screen count, the film is on the verge of surpassing 80,000 admissions. Word of mouth pushed it to No. 4 on the overall box office chart.

Riding this momentum, a script book was released. Preorders opened on Nov. 3, with the book reaching No. 1 on Aladin’s real-time chart and No. 3 in Kyobo Book Centre’s real-time ranking.

Other recent releases, including “The Final Semester” and “Halo,” show that strong films do not depend on scale. “The Final Semester” won two awards at the 45th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, including best picture and best screenplay.

“Halo” won best film in the “Asian Future” section at the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival, the first time a Korean film has received the honor since the section was created in 2013.

These achievements offer meaningful momentum for the indie film sector. But the industry is struggling to make use of it.

A scene from "The World of Love" / Courtesy of Barunson E&A

Shrinking theaters and the decline of regional screens

CGV Myeongdong Station Cine Library, long regarded as a symbol of independent and art films, closed in October after 15 years of operation. As the nation’s first theater to run both a film library and an art house program, its shutdown dealt a blow to many cinephiles.

Screens dedicated to independent films continue to disappear every year, with regional theaters in an even more precarious position.

Shinyoung Theater in Gangneung, the city’s oldest theater and a local landmark, halted operations and faced closure rumors. Although it later resumed screenings, the core problem remains. Public funding, crucial to its operation, was sharply reduced.

As a result, many indie films are made but cannot reach audiences. Their already small share of theaters was sustained only because dedicated screens existed. Losing those venues has weakened the entire indie market.

The Korean Independent Film Association said in a statement on Oct. 29 that revitalizing regional film culture means “building a self-sustaining cultural ecosystem,” not simply showing films in local venues.

It added that screening indie films at multiplexes is “no more than one-way distribution of centrally produced content to the regions.”

Support is essential for films to reach viewers

Funding remains the key issue. The Seoul Independent Film Festival, which faced closure last year after its entire budget was cut, returned this year after authorities restored 400 million won ($296,000) in funding.

Thanks to the renewed support, the 51st edition, which opens on Nov. 27, received 1,805 submissions, its largest tally ever. The strong turnout shows that filmmakers never stopped working — only screening opportunities had disappeared.

Baek Jae-ho, director of the Korean Independent Film Association, said the indie titles now gaining attention still have “very limited places where they can be seen,” preventing them from reaching wider audiences. He added that filmmakers need a path to attract viewers, earn revenue and continue producing work.

He also said the overall crisis in the film industry is tied to declining audience numbers. “Support is needed to create more chances for people to encounter good films,” he said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.