Yoon Ga-eun's 'The World of Love' selected for Toronto's Platform competition
South Korean director Yoon Ga-eun's latest feature "The World of Love" has been selected for the Platform section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, the film's local distributor Barunson E&A said Wednesday.
The selection marks the first time a Korean film has competed in the festival's prestigious auteur-focused competition.
The Platform section, founded in 2015, primarily showcases distinctive works from early-to-mid-career filmmakers. It serves as the festival's only competitive program. Past selections have launched major careers, including Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight," which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, William Oldroyd's "Lady Macbeth," and Pablo Larrain's "Jackie."
"The World of Love" will have its world premiere at the festival, which runs Sept. 4-14. The film follows Joo-in, a 17-year-old high school student (played by Seo Su-bin, in her debut role), whose first explorations of love lead her down an unforeseen path. The cast also includes Jang Hye-jin ("Parasite," "Crash Landing on You").
The film qualifies for the Platform Award, which comes with a 20,000 Canadian dollar prize. It is also eligible for the festival's People's Choice Award and the newly established International People's Choice Award, both determined by audience voting.
Yoon has built a reputation for her nuanced portrayals of children and adolescents. Her 2016 debut feature "The World of Us" premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and earned widespread acclaim for its delicate depiction of elementary school friendship.
Her follow-up "The House of Us" (2019) continued her exploration of childhood perspectives. Director Bong Joon-ho praised Yoon as one of three masters alongside Abbas Kiarostami and Hirokazu Kore-eda in bringing child actors to life on screen. He later named her the only Korean director on Sight & Sound's list of "20 filmmakers to watch."
Following its world premiere at Toronto, "The World of Love" will hit Korean theaters later this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
'Baby Shark' Pinkfong eyes management buyout alongside IPO: reports
The Pinkfong Company, creator of the global children's sensation "Baby Shark," is reportedly pursuing a management buyout in parallel with its planned market debut, according to industry sources on Friday. In May, the company filed for a preliminary review to list on the Kosdaq, marking a renewed push for an initial public offering six years after it first floated the idea in 2019. Multiple industry reports suggest that Pinkfong is in talks with potential buyers regarding a management sale. According to Maeil Business Newspaper, the deal may involve major shareholder stakes, with a potential price tag in the hundreds of billions of won. Major shareholders include CEO Kim Min-seok with an 18.44 percent stake, Editorial Samsung with 16.77 percent and telecom giant KT holding 9.1 percent. Editorial Samsung is Pinkfong's parent company, and Kim is the son of Editorial Samsung CEO Kim Jin-yong. Founded in 2010 as an entertainment subsidiary producing animations, songs and films, Pinkfong shot to global fame in 2016 with its breakout hit "Baby Shark." The song and its accompanying video became a viral sensation among children worldwide, with "Baby Shark Dance" holding the title of YouTube's most-viewed video at over 16 billion views to date. The company was once valued at over 1 trillion won ($714 million) during its Series B funding round in 2021, reportedly becoming the first Korean content firm to achieve unicorn status. However, its valuation is believed to have declined in recent years amid weakening performance. Annual revenue dropped from 117 billion won in 2022 to 94.6 billion won in 2023, with operating profit swinging from 3.7 billion won to a 3.2 billion won loss. Earnings recovered in 2024, with revenue rising to 97.3 billion won and operating profit rebounding to 18.8 billion won. Pinkfong recently opened its fifth overseas subsidiary in Japan and is expanding its global footprint while growing its YouTube consulting and intellectual property businesses. The company's flagship YouTube channel has racked up 51.3 billion cumulative views and boasts 82.6 million subscribers. Its content is now available in 25 languages across 244 countries.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Japanese version of 'Marry My Husband' becomes Prime Video Japan's most-watched series
The show's success highlights the global appeal of culturally reimagined storytelling The Japanese adaptation of the hit Korean drama "Marry My Husband" has become Amazon Prime Video Japan's most-watched series. Having premiered on June 27, the series soared to the top of the platform's viewership charts, drawing the largest audience in Japan within its first 30 days, from June 27 to July 27, 2025, according to data provided by Amazon Prime Video. As of Thursday, the drama also clinched the No. 1 spot on Prime Video's Top 10 chart in Japan, based on rankings compiled by FlixPatrol, a global streaming analytics firm. Keisuke Oishi, head of Amazon Prime Video Japan's local content division, said in a press release, 'The Japanese adaptation of 'Marry My Husband,' which reinterprets the universal appeal of the original from a uniquely Japanese perspective, has achieved the highest viewership record in our history. This accomplishment proves that the first collaborative effort between outstanding creators from both Korea and Japan has borne fruit.' Son Ja-young, executive producer at Studio Dragon -- the production house behind both the Korean and Japanese versions -- added in the same release, 'It's meaningful that this first attempt by a Korean production team to plan and produce an original drama tailored to Japanese sensibilities and culture resonated authentically with local viewers.' She continued, 'I hope this project serves as an opportunity to show that K-dramas can evolve in diverse ways, transcending cultural and regional boundaries.' A localized reimagining of the original tvN series, the Japanese version of "Marry My Husband" was developed by Studio Dragon and CJ ENM Japan, and co-produced by Jayuro Pictures and the venerable Japanese studio Shochiku. The series stars Fuka Koshiba as Misa Kanbe, a woman who is transported back in time after discovering her husband's affair with her closest friend. Takeru Sato co-stars as Wataru Suzuki, her boss and a potential romantic interest in her second shot at life. CJ ENM, which produced the original Korean TV adaptation of "Marry My Husband," stated during a June 26 press conference that the Japanese version is not a remake of the Korean series, but rather a reimagining of the original web novel, customized for Japanese audiences and cultural sensibilities.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
The Boyz' Hyunjae suffers ankle injury
Hyunjae of The Boyz sustained an injury to his ankle during a livestream that was later confirmed to be a torn ligament, his agency One Hundred said Thursday. The agency apologized to fans, confirming that he will still join his bandmates for their scheduled appearance on a television music chart show today, but will need to remain seated. The Friday performance will be the boy band's first promoting 'Stylish,' the main track off its new album, 'a;effect.' The Boyz dropped its 10th EP on Monday after reorganizing into a nine-member act following Ju Haknyeon's scandal-related removal. On Aug. 8, the band will kick off its fourth international tour, 'The Blaze,' with a three-day show in Seoul.
