As a remake of the Chinese movie - "Us and Them", "Once We Were Us" tells the story of Eun Ho (Koo Kyo Hwan) and Jung Won (Moon Ga Young). 10 years after their passionate love ended, the two suddenly meet again and recall old memories.
Before its release in theaters, the Korean version of "We of Late" received many mixed reactions from audiences, revolving around the appearance of the main couple, believing that the two are not compatible. Besides, their age gap also caused controversy - when Koo Kyo Hwan is 44 years old, and his co-star has only turned 30.
However, a part of the audience still has faith in the Korean version of "We of Late", because the original plot of the film is rich in reality, depth, not only love but also a story about youth, dreams, and ambitions. Therefore, the top criterion is the ability to express emotions well, interact harmoniously with co-stars, not appearance.
The Korean version of the movie "We of Late" officially went to theaters on December 31, 2025 and exceeded expectations when it ranked No. 1 in box office revenue in this country. According to the Korean Film Council, the film has surpassed the milestone of 1 million tickets after 12 days of screening - becoming the first Korean film released in 2026 to achieve this achievement. As of noon on January 15, the film had surpassed the 1.2 million views mark, and also ranked first in terms of bookings.
Korean media assessed that the success of the movie "We of Late" comes from the word-of-mouth effect. The majority of viewers assessed that the film has emotional depth, making them see themselves in the characters - not only those who have experienced painful separations but also those who are struggling with the difficulties and harshness of life.
In addition, another important factor contributing to the success of the work is the active participation of Koo Kyo Hwan and Moon Ga Young in promotional activities and exchanges with the audience. This not only shows their affection for their work and roles but is also a way to spread the film to more people.
According to the media, with the current positive performance, the Korean version of "We of Late" may soon reach the milestone of 2 million tickets in the near future.
