Korean film “The World of Love” has secured a Chinese distribution deal with Light Films Limited, marking a major breakthrough in a market that has been largely closed to Korean films for nearly a decade.
The acquisition by Wright Films Ltd. is a rare achievement in the current climate, as “Oh! My Grand” was the only Korean film to be officially released theatrically in China in the past decade when it was released in 2021.
The Chinese distributor specializes in arthouse films and has a track record of curating the highlights of international film festivals. Notable works include Kim Do-young’s Kim Ji-young Born in 1982, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Nobody Knows, and Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite.
“The perspective of this feminist film is completely new,” said Li Na, CEO of Light Film. “While it explores trauma and its lasting effects, the underlying tone is warm and uplifting, which makes it all the more moving and uplifting.”
Directed by Yoon Ga-eun, who received acclaim for The World of Us (Berlinale 2016) and The House of Us (BFI London 2019), the drama centers on 17-year-old Lee Joo-in (Seo Soo-bin), an unpredictable high school student whose outbursts of anger ripple through her world.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and won the Roberto Rossellini Jury Prize and the People’s Choice Award in the Crouching Tigers section of the Pingyao International Film Festival. Interest in China soared after the festival’s Asian premiere, with strong buzz and reviews from local audiences on platforms such as Douban.
The film will be produced by Semosi and Vol Media, with Barungson E&A, the South Korean studio behind the Oscar-winning “Parasite” and Kim Ji-woon’s Cannes film “Spider’s Web,” serving as both presenting studio and sales agent.
The China deal joins previously announced major Asian distribution deals with veteran Japanese distributor Bitter’s End, Hong Kong’s Edco Films and Taiwan’s Andrews Films.
