The World of Love depicts the story of Joo-in (Seo Su-bin), a seventeen-year-old high school girl who keeps her thoughts and feelings to herself. She receives mysterious notes after refusing to participate in a school-wide petition signed by all of her fellow students. The film title is a clever and poignant word play as ‘Joo-in’ sounds like ‘owner’ in Korean, suggesting both a personal agency and the reclaiming of her story.

Known for her sensitive portrayals of childhood in The World of Us (2016) and The House of Us (2019), director Yoon Ga-eun turns her attention to adolescence with greater depth and a broader perspective, expanding her cinematic world. With a remarkable cast of young actors, many with little or no previous film experience, she crafts a powerful story about courage, resilience and finding the strength to shape one’s own life.