The World Before (film)
| The World Before | |
|---|---|
 First look poster | |
| Hangul | 첫세계 |
| RR | Cheotsegye |
| MR | Ch'ŏssegye |
| Directed by | Yoon Dan-bi |
| Screenplay by | Yoon Dan-bi |
| Produced by | Yoon Dan-bi |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Lee Seong-eun |
| Edited by | Won Chang-jae |
| Music by | Lee Min-hwi |
Production company | Humanite Co. Ltd |
| Distributed by | At Nine Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
The World Before (Korean: 첫세계) is an upcoming South Korean romantic drama film directed and written by Yoon Dan-bi. The film follows Jin, a 17-year-old girl living on an island, and the events that unfold after she meets a boy named Du-jae.[1]
The film will have its world premiere in the Platform section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2026, where it will compete for the Platform Prize.[2] Subsequently it will compete for Kutxabank-New Directors Award in New Directors section at 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival in the same month.[3]
Synopsis
Jin is Seventeen-year-old and has lived her whole life on a small island cut off from the mainland. When Dujae comes back for his grandmother's funeral and stays alone in her empty house, Jin starts finding little reasons to visit him. Slowly, seeing him becomes part of her routine. As summer goes on, the island she thought she knew begins to feel different; the roads, the ocean, even the people seem changed. Jin starts seeing her home, and herself, with new eyes. But summer, like everything else on the island, eventually fades.
Cast
- Sim Su-bin as Jin
- Kim Eo-jin as Du-jae
Release
The World Before will have its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2026, in the Platform section.[4][5]
The film is also selected in the New Directors section of the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival to be held in September 2026.[6][7]
It will also be presented in the Korean Cinema Today - Panorama section at the 31st Busan International Film Festival in October 2026.[8]
It is expected to be released in South Korean theaters in 2027 by AtNine Film.[9]
Germany based world sales company m-appeal acquired the international sales rights of the film in August 2026.[10]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto International Film Festival | 12 September 2026 | Platform Prize | The World Before | Pending | [11][12] |
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | 26 September 2026 | Kutxabank-New Directors Award | Pending | [13] | |
References
- ↑ Ko Seung-ah (23 July 2026). "윤단비 감독 신작 '첫세계' 토론토영화제 경쟁 부문 초청" [Director Yun Dan-bi's new film 'First World' invited to the competition section of the Toronto Film Festival]. News1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Ryan Lattanzio (21 July 2026). "TIFF Reveals Platform Lineup of 12 Films from the Next Generation of Auteurs". IndieWire. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Soage, Cristóbal (30 July 2026). "San Sebastián unveils the fourteen films in its New Directors section". Cineuropa. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "The World Before". Toronto International Film Festival. 21 July 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Ntim, Zac (21 July 2026). "TIFF Platform: International Oscar Qualifying Competition Expands To 12 Films; Amma Asante Among Jury Members". Deadline. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Park Won-hee (31 July 2026). "윤단비 감독 '첫세계', 스페인 산세바스티안 영화제 초청" [Director Yoon Dan-bi's 'First World' Invited to San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Emilio Mayorga (31 July 2026). "San Sebastian unveils 14-film New Directors lineup". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Lee Young-jae (24 August 2026). "부산국제영화제, 한국 드라마 시리즈 신작 3편 첫 공개" [Busan International Film Festival Unveils 3 New Korean Drama Series]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ Kang Hae-in (31 July 2026). "'남매의 여름밤' 윤단비 감독, 신작 반응도 뜨겁다…'첫세계', 토론토→산세바스티안영화제 공식 초청" [Director Yoon Dan-bi of 'A Summer Night's Tale' receives enthusiastic response for new work… 'The First World' officially invited from Toronto to San Sebastian Film Festival]. TV Report (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Geoffrey Macnab (19 August 2026). "Korean love story 'The World Before' boarded by m-appeal ahead of TIFF premiere". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
- ↑ Pond, Steve (21 July 2026). "TIFF Adds 12 Films to Compete for Oscars' International Spot". TheWrap. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Katz, David (22 July 2026). "Toronto announces its competitive Platform line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Fourteen filmmakers from Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, UK and Ukraine to present their first and second feature films in New Directors". San Sebastián International Film Festival. 30 July 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
External links
- The World Before at IMDb
- The World Before at HanCinema
- The World Before at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)
- The World Before at San Sebastián International Film Festival
- Official trailer on YouTube