"Filming was scorching hot in midsummer, so it feels like an honor to release the film on the most beautiful day of winter."
—Choo Young-woo
Actors Choo Young-woo and Shin Si-ah are set to gift audiences a warm emotional experience this Christmas Eve. Quiet yet resonant, the film gently heats up the year's end with a story full of love and youth.
Based on the original novel of the same name, the film is reimagined through a Korean emotional lens. It tells the story of a girl who forgets her love every day and a boy who clings to those fading memories. By confronting pure emotions head-on, the melodrama leaves a deep and lasting afterglow.
On December 22, the film held its press screening and media conference at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. Choo Young-woo, Shin Si-ah, and director Kim Hye-young attended the event.
Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight is a youth romance film. Seo-yoon (Shin Si-ah) loses her memories each day, while Jae-won (Choo Young-woo) fills them back in, one day at a time.
The film is adapted from Misaki Ichijo's bestselling novel, which sold over 1.3 million copies. A Japanese film remake previously received widespread acclaim. What kind of emotion does the Korean version bring?
Director Kim Hye-young said she repeatedly questioned what defines "Korean emotion." She explained that building natural, everyday feelings—ones ordinary students might experience—within Korea's beautiful landscapes felt authentically Korean.
"I carefully stacked the emotions of the two characters as they meet and grow closer," she said. "I wanted to portray that process in a fresh and detailed way. Compared to the original, the overall tone of the film feels brighter."
The story recalls an ordinary love that anyone might have experienced. Arcade visits, karaoke sessions, and seaside dates were largely entrusted to the actors.
Shin Si-ah shared, "Most of the date scenes had almost no dialogue. We improvised based on how we felt and filmed them like real dates."
In the adaptation process, the filmmakers reduced certain elements of the original story and focused more on youthful friendship. Kim explained that conflicts related to dreams were minimized to center the narrative on love.
"In the original, there's conflict between a father and daughter over an unpublished novel," she said. "We changed that to a setting where the mother has already passed away, giving symbolic meaning to the loss experienced by those left behind."
Shin Si-ah plays Seo-yoon, a character who loses her memory every day. Kim praised her casting choice, noting that Shin had previously taken on bold, intense roles but possessed the range for a new acting challenge.
"She had to express confusion after memory loss and romance after falling in love again," Kim said. "It wasn't easy, but through constant communication and patience, she pulled it off."
Choo Young-woo added that he had associated Kim's work mainly with genre films and hadn't expected such a strong romantic tone. "But it turned out far better than I imagined," he said.
Shin Si-ah explained that she treated amnesia as a narrative setting rather than the core of the character. "I focused on showing Seo-yoon's positive, resilient side—someone who sees the world beautifully and refuses to give up," she said.
Choo Young-woo plays Jae-won, the boyfriend who preserves Seo-yoon's memories. A longtime fan of both the original novel and the Japanese film, this project marks his first big-screen debut.
"I was happy to join a story I truly loved," he said. "Seeing my face on the big screen was a dream come true, but it also came with pressure. I just wanted to do my best."
Kim praised Choo's natural acting and rhythm, saying he could express both youthful innocence and the emptiness of being forgotten by the person he loves every day. She added that he contributed so much on set that he felt like a "second director."
Jae-won is a character with a heart condition, requiring a fragile image. Choo revealed that he had previously gained weight up to 88 kilograms for another project and lost about 14 kilograms for this role.
To portray a convincing teenager, he observed high school students, consulted younger relatives, and even spoke with students who visited the set.
The chemistry between Choo Young-woo and Shin Si-ah stood out. Shin said, "No matter what I tried, he accepted it and built on it. That trust made filming enjoyable."
The film opens on Christmas Eve. Kim described Christmas as a day overflowing with love and forgiveness, expressing hope that audiences would leave the theater feeling warmth.
Choo said he was honored that a film shot in the peak of summer would be released on such a meaningful winter day. Shin added that while the film is calm and quiet, it carries a deep emotional resonance that lingers.
Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight opens in theaters on December 24.
