Still of ‘It's Okay!' (provided by TWOMEN FILM)
Korean family film It's Okay! is set to open at
Shinjuku Piccadilly, one of Japan's premier cinema venues, on April 10. The
release is co-distributed by NIKKATSU, a major player in the Japanese film
industry, and telecommunications giant KDDI.
The film's path to Japanese distribution has a clear origin point.
In February 2024, It's Okay! won the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the
Generation Kplus section at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival — the
first time a Korean film had claimed the award in this category. The Generation
Kplus section is distinctive in that children and young audiences aged four and
above serve as jury members themselves. The win signals that the film resonated
deeply with culturally unfamiliar audiences without relying on critical framing
or social context to bridge the gap.
Set against the backdrop of the Seoul International Arts Troupe, the
film follows high school student In-yeong (played by Lee Re), who has lost her
mother and been forced out of her home. After secretly taking shelter in the
troupe's rehearsal space, she is discovered by the troupe's perfectionist
artistic director Seol-a (played by Jin Seo-yeon) — known among the members as
"the witch" — and an unlikely cohabitation begins. The feature marks
the directorial debut of Kim Hye-young, who has described her goal as
"expressing the ordinary stories of everyday life in a way that touches
the heart."
Sebastian Markt, Head of the Generation section at the Berlin
International Film Festival, praised the film, noting that it unfolds
"strictness and discipline, vitality, mother-daughter relationships, love
and loss, ambition, competition, and solidarity — all within the characters'
complex emotional inner lives." The Generation Kplus jury echoed this
sentiment, stating that the film taught them "that perfection should not
govern life," and that they "gained insight into an unfamiliar
culture through Korean dance." Cultural specificity, in this case,
functioned not as a barrier but as an emotional conduit.
"Strictness and discipline, vitality, mother-daughter
relationships, love and loss, ambition, competition, and solidarity — all
within the characters' complex emotional inner lives."
— Sebastian
Markt, Head of Generation, Berlin International Film Festival
It's Okay! demonstrates that festival recognition can serve as a
genuine gateway to international distribution. Historically, Korean films
breaking into the Japanese market have relied on proven genre franchises — such
as The Roundup series — or on the name recognition of established stars and
directors. With this film, debut director Kim Hye-young has shown that a first
feature can earn international credibility through the festival circuit and
find its way into global markets on that basis alone.
Sources
• NIKKATSU, "Crystal Bear Winner Korean Film It's Okay!
Theatrical Release Confirmed", 2026.02.20
• FANNSTAR, "'It's okay!' won the Crystal Bear award for best film at the Berlin International Film Festival", 2026.02.27
• Cinemart, "It's Okay! April 10 Release Confirmed & Teaser Trailer Unveiled", 2026.02.20
