First-ever Korean film invited to Toronto International Film Festival's official competition section

🎬 The Master of the World Joins TIFF's Prestigious Platform Section

Korean filmmaker Yoon Ga-eun has made cinematic history. Her upcoming feature film The Master of the World has officially been invited to the Platform section of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) — the first-ever Korean film to be selected for this competitive category.

Platform is TIFF's only official competition section, created in 2015 and named after Jia Zhang-ke's Platform. It highlights directors with a strong artistic vision and recognizes bold, boundary-pushing cinema. Only around 10 films worldwide are chosen each year.

💫 Coming-of-Age Chaos with a Fierce Female Lead

The Master of the World follows the story of Joo-in, an unpredictable and fiery 18-year-old high school student. A single impulsive outburst shakes up not just her own world — but everyone else's.

TIFF senior programmer Giovanna Fulvi praised the film's raw, emotional honesty, stating:
"Director Yoon Ga-eun captures the pain and tenderness of adolescence with incredible nuance. This deeply personal story of identity and family relationships feels both intimate and universally powerful."

The film will also compete for the TIFF Audience Award and a newly established International Audience Award.

🎥 A Director Loved by Critics — and Bong Joon-ho

Yoon Ga-eun first rose to international acclaim in 2012 when her short film Guest became the first Asian film to win the Grand Prize at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.

Her feature debut The World of Us (2016) premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and earned her Best New Director at the Blue Dragon Awards and Best Screenplay at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

Her follow-up The House of Us (2019) was also widely praised, especially by Bong Joon-ho, who once described her as:
"One of the three masters of directing children, alongside Abbas Kiarostami and Hirokazu Kore-eda."

Bong even selected Yoon as one of the "20 Next-Generation Directors to Watch" for the British film magazine Sight & Sound, calling her "one of the most exciting voices among a new generation of Korean female filmmakers."

🌎 TIFF World Premiere Coming Soon

The Master of the World will have its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival. Its theatrical release in Korea is scheduled for later this year.