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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the first ride say to the second? "You're a wheel good follower.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The First Ride
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
퍼스트 라이드
RRPeoseuteu raideu
MRP'ŏsŭt'ŭ raidŭ
Directed byNam Dae-joong
Written byNam Dae-joong
Produced by
  • Jang Seong-uk
  • Kim Tae-ho
Starring
CinematographyNam Dong-geun
Edited byPark Joo-young
Music byJeong Sang-woo
Production
companies
  • Brain Shower
  • TH Story
Distributed byShowbox
Release date
  • October 29, 2025 (2025-10-29)
Running time
116 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Box officeUS$4.7 million[1]

The First Ride (Korean: 퍼스트 라이드) is a 2025 South Korean comedy drama film written and directed by Nam Dae-joong. The film, starring Kang Ha-neul, Kim Young-kwang, Cha Eun-woo, Kang Young-seok, and Han Sun-hwa, depicts the unpredictable events that unfold as a group of childhood friends goes on its first dream trip abroad.[2][3][4] It was released theatrically on October 29, 2025 in South Korea.[5]

Plot

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Tae-jung, Do-jin, Yeon-min, and Geum-bok have been close friends since early childhood. While in high school, Tae-jung achieves a perfect score on the national college entrance examination, and the four friends obtain their parents' permission to take a graduation trip to Thailand, which is also meant to be their last chance to travel together before Yeon-min emigrates abroad. However, after missing the airport bus, they fail to catch their flight and the trip is canceled.

Ten years later, Tae-jung, who has long aspired to become president, is working as a parliamentary aide while maintaining his political ambitions. Do-jin, who has been receiving treatment for a psychiatric illness that developed after high school, shows signs of improvement and suggests that they finally take the trip they were unable to make years earlier. Geum-bok, who is preparing to formally enter monastic life, also wishes for one last act of freedom before ordination. Tae-jung agrees to join them, promising to return before an upcoming party convention, and the group departs for Pattaya during the Songkran music festival. They are joined by a dakimakura representing Yeon-min, who had emigrated to New Zealand, and by Ok-sim, a friend of Tae-jung's younger sister who has an unrequited crush on him.

Shortly after arriving in Thailand, the group meets Tai Park, who has come to drive them to their accommodation. On the way, a traffic accident occurs involving another vehicle, leading to an argument. When Tae-jung attempts to intervene, Tai Park suddenly punches Tae-jung, knocking him unconscious. Tai Park flees into the sea and the police arrive. After learning that the vehicle Tai Park was driving was stolen, the group is taken to the police station. With assistance from the Korean embassy, they are soon released and proceed to their lodging.

Throughout the trip, Do-jin's mental condition fluctuates. He repeatedly argues with Tae-jung over Yeon-min's dakimakura, disrupts a nightclub performance by climbing onto the DJ stage, and causes further disturbances. Later, Tae-jung attempts to retrieve Do-jin's medication with Ok-sim's help, but when club patrons begin filming Do-jin and Geum-bok, Tae-jung reacts violently, threatening them with a chair. Police intervene once again, and when Tae-jung reaches into his pocket to produce the medication, an officer mistakenly believes he is drawing a weapon and fires a taser, which strikes Ok-sim instead.

The trip continues to deteriorate when footage of the nightclub incident appears in Korean news, prompting Tae-jung's superior, Assemblyman Nam Joong-dae, to reprimand him. Frustrated, Tae-jung lashes out at his friends. During an argument at a restaurant, Tae-jung throws Yeon-min's dakimakura to the floor. Do-jin accuses Tae-jung of having treated Yeon-min dismissively in the past and abandoning him now to preserve his own future. Tae-jung storms out, and Do-jin spends the night searching for him along the beach. Tae-jung, who has been watching from a distance with Geum-bok and Ok-sim, eventually reconciles with Do-jin, and they return to their lodging with the dakimakura.

Despite the earlier chaos, the group successfully enjoys the Songkran music festival. Later, while drinking with Sylvia, a Korean bartender they befriended during the trip, they lose consciousness and awaken in an illegal organ-harvesting facility. Ok-sim, who had been arrested separately for failing to pay at a hotel restaurant, recognizes Sylvia on a wanted poster at the police station and claims to know her whereabouts. By leading the police to Sylvia, Ok-sim manages to rescue her friends before the operation is carried out. As the facility burns during the escape, Do-jin insists on retrieving Yeon-min's dakimakura, causing another confrontation. It is revealed that the real reason the friends never went on their high school trip was not because they missed the bus, but because Yeon-min had died in an ensuing traffic accident. Do-jin's illness stems from guilt over abandoning Yeon-min, who was severely injured and unable to move after the crash, out of fear instead of helping him. Unable to let Yeon-min go, Do-jin breaks down, prompting Tae-jung to re-enter the facility to retrieve the dakimakura.

The group rushes to the airport but arrives too late to board their flight. Tae-jung despairs, believing he will miss the party convention, but Ok-sim intervenes by stopping the plane on the runway, allowing them to board in time. After returning to South Korea, the friends gather at Yeon-min's grave to share memories. Tae-jung successfully delivers his speech, helping Assemblyman Nam become party leader. Do-jin attends a job interview at a travel agency. Ok-sim is briefly detained by Thai authorities due to the airport incident but is released through Tae-jung's diplomatic efforts. On the day of her return to Korea, Tae-jung meets Ok-sim at the airport and accepts the ring she had previously given him.

Cast

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Production

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In April 2025, Showbox announced that Kang Ha-neul, Kim Young-kwang, Cha Eun-woo, Kang Young-seok, and Han Sun-hwa had been cast in the film, with principal photography having already begun.[6] Filming began on March 21, 2025, and ended on June 11.[3]

The First Ride was included in the lineup for the 2025 Cannes Film Market.[7][8]

On July 28, 2025, the first promotional image was released, confirming an October theatrical release.[9] On September 12, 2025, the release date of October 29 was announced along with a new poster.[10] Character posters and teaser videos were released on September 18, 2025.[11] Additional posters and the official trailer were released on September 26, 2025.[12]

Release

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The First Ride was released in South Korean theaters on October 29, 2025, by Showbox.[13]

According to distributor Showbox, the film opened in Mongolia and Indonesia on November 7, followed by Macao, Singapore, and Hong Kong on November 13, Taiwan on November 14, Thailand on November 20, and Vietnam on November 21.[14][15] It was also released in Malaysia on November 13 and the Philippines on December 10 by Purple Plan.[16] It additionally opened in Australia and New Zealand in November 2025.[17]

Theatrical distribution in Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, and Myanmar was also confirmed.[18] It is scheduled for theatrical release in Japan on September 25, 2026.[19][20]

It is scheduled to be screened as part of the non-competitive feature film selection at the 4th Korean Film Festival Brazil (KOFF 2026), which will be held across several Brazilian cities from August to October 2026.[21][22]

Home media

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The film became available for digital purchase and rental (VOD) in South Korea on December 4, 2025, through IPTV services, digital cable TV, and various OTT platforms, including Wavve, Watcha, Coupang Play, Apple TV, Google TV, and YouTube.[23][24] In Taiwan, The First Ride was added to the OTT platform friDay Video (friDay影音) on February 14, 2026.[25][26]

A limited-edition Blu-ray is scheduled to be released by NOVA Media on July 31, 2026.[27]

Box office

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The film was released on October 29, 2025 on 1,227 screens.[28]

It grossed US$4,660,158 from 742,535 admissions.[28][29] The film's target break-even point was 1,600,000 admissions.[30]

Accolades

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Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee Result Ref.
Asia Star Entertainer Awards 2025 Best Artist (Actor) Award Cha Eun-woo Nominated [31]
Blue Dragon Ranking Awards[a] Best Actor Award[b] Won [32]
Fn New Trend Awards Film/Drama Award Won [33]
Golden Cinematography Awards 2026 Cinematographers' Choice Popularity Award Han Sun-hwa Won [34]
Mega Champ Awards 2025 Best Actor Award Cha Eun-woo Won [35]

Notes

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  1. ↑ The Blue Dragon Ranking is a popularity award hosted by Sports Chosun, the organizer of the Blue Dragon Film Awards and Blue Dragon Series Awards. It recognizes trend-setting actors by presenting semiannual awards for Best Actor and Best Actress.
  2. ↑ Second Half of 2025.

References

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  1. ↑ "The First Ride". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  2. ↑ Jang Ju-yeon (April 3, 2025). "[단독] 김영광·강영석·한선화, 차은우 스크린 주연작 합류…'퍼스트 라이드' 출연" [[Exclusive] Kim Young-kwang, Kang Young-seok, and Han Sun-hwa join Cha Eun-woo in a lead role in "First Ride."]. Daily Sports (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Choi, Yi-jeong (April 10, 2025). 강하늘-김영광-차은우-강영석-한선화 뭉쳤다..'퍼스트 라이드' 캐스팅 [공식] [Kang Ha-neul, Kim Young-kwang, Cha Eun-woo, Kang Young-seok, and Han Sun-hwa join forces for "First Ride" [Official]]. Osen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ Jeong, Yu-jin (July 28, 2025). 강하늘·차은우·한선화 '퍼스트 라이드', 10월 개봉 확정…다섯 절친 [Kang Ha-neul, Cha Eun-woo, Han Sun-hwa 'First Ride', confirmed for release in October... Five close friends]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  5. ↑ Kim Yu-jin (July 30, 2025). 어제 삭발 공개 차은우 오늘 군대가는데‥영화 ‘퍼스트 라이드’ 10월 극장 개봉 [Cha Eun-woo, who shaved his head yesterday, is enlisting in the military today. The movie "The First Ride" will be released in theaters in October.]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  6. ↑ "강하늘·김영광·차은우, '퍼스트 라이드' 출연 확정" [Kang Ha-neul, Kim Young-kwang, and Cha Eun-woo confirmed to appear in 'The First Ride']. The Fact (in Korean). April 10, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ Screen Staff (May 20, 2025). "Cannes Film Festival 2025: Screen's dailies - Day 1". Screen Daily. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ "5월, 칸, 발견의 즐거움: 절반 지난 칸영화제- 황금종려상 향방 예측부터 두드러지는 공통적 경향성까지" [May, Cannes, the joy of discovery: halfway through the Cannes Film Festival – from predictions for the Palme d'Or to noticeable common trends]. Cine21 (in Korean). Naver. May 30, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ "강하늘·차은우·한선화 '퍼스트 라이드', 10월 개봉 확정…다섯 절친" [Kang Ha-neul, Cha Eun-woo, and Han Sun-hwa's 'The First Ride' confirmed for an October release]. News1 (in Korean). July 28, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ "강하늘→차은우 뭉쳐야 웃긴다..'퍼스트 라이드' 10월 29일 개봉 [무비타이밍]" [Kang Ha-neul and Cha Eun-woo need to team up for a more entertaining film. "The First Ride" opens October 29 [Movie Timing]]. Star News (in Korean). September 12, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ↑ "미쳤다…초호화 캐스팅에 벌써부터 반응 터진 '한국 영화'" [Crazy… Korean film already getting reactions with ultra-luxurious casting]. Wikitree (in Korean). September 18, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ↑ "강하늘·차은우 '퍼스트 라이드', 초심으로 돌아간 코미디 약속" [Kang Ha-neul and Cha Eun-woo's 'The First Ride', a comedy promise of returning to the beginning]. The Fact (in Korean). September 26, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ Kim Na-yeon (September 12, 2025). "강하늘→차은우 뭉쳐야 웃긴다..'퍼스트 라이드' 10월 29일 개봉 [무비타이밍]" [Kang Ha-neul and Cha Eun-woo need to team up for a more entertaining film. "First Ride" opens October 29th [Movie Timing]]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 15, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ "Kang Ha-neul & Cha Eun-woo's K-Comedy 'The First Ride' Rolls Into Seven Asian Markets". SBS News. November 10, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ↑ "강하늘·차은우 '퍼스트 라이드', 베트남·태국 등 亞 국가 개봉 확정". News1 (in Korean). November 10, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ "Their long-awaited dream trip turns into total, glorious chaos!". Facebook. Purple Plan. November 10, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ↑ "The First Ride (Korean, Eng Sub)". HOYTS. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ↑ "장하다, 우리 팀 #퍼라 전 세계에서 만나는 #퍼스트라이드" [Well done, our team #TheFirstRide Meeting the world with #TheFirstRide]. X. Showbox. November 9, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ↑ "ファーストライド". Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ↑ "カン・ハヌル×キム・ヨングァン×チャウヌ主演「ファーストライド」、9月25日公開決定！". Eiga.com (in Japanese). June 27, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ↑ "KOFF – Korean Film Festival Brazil apresenta a seleção oficial da Mostra Não Competitiva de Longas-Metragens 2026 – Parte 2". Instagram. KOFF Korea Film Festival Brazil. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ↑ "The First Ride é uma comédia sul-coreana... Só no KOFF 2026!". Instagram. KOFF Korea Film Festival Brazil. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ↑ "코미디 영화 '퍼스트 라이드', 오늘(4일)부터 안방에서도 만난다!" [Comedy film 'The First Ride' available at home starting today (4th)!]. NBN News (in Korean). December 4, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ↑ "'퍼스트 라이드', 오늘(4일) VOD 서비스 시작…누적 관객 수→손익분기점?" ['The First Ride' VOD service starts today (4th)... Cumulative audience → break-even point?]. Topstarnews (in Korean). December 4, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ↑ "#姜河那 x #金英光 x #車銀優 … friDay影音《放飛旅行團》新上架". Instagram. friDay影音. February 14, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ↑ "放飛旅行團 - 電影線上看 - friDay影音". friDay影音 (in Chinese). Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ↑ "[공지] 노바미디어 <퍼스트 라이드> 블루레이 1,000장 한정판 프리오더 안내" [[Announcement] NOVA Media <The First Ride> Blu-ray 1,000 limited edition pre-order notice]. Instagram. NOVA Media. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. 1 2 "Box office at KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Box office: The First Ride (2025 film)". KOFIC. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ↑ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2025". KOFIC. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ↑ Choi, Jae-wook (November 9, 2025). '프레데터:죽음의 땅', 4일 연속 흥행 1위! 적수가 없다 ['Predator: Death Zone', #1 at the box office for 4 consecutive days! It has no rivals.]. Money Today (in Korean). Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ↑ ‘2026 ASEA’, 팬초이스 부문별 1위 스타 누구? 라이즈-임영웅-이준호-이채민-임윤아 유지 중 (in Korean). Topstarnews. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ↑ Jeon, Sang-hee (June 22, 2026). [청룡랭킹] '2025년 하반기 1위' 차은우, 팬들의 뜨거운 사랑과 응원 속에서 스펙트럼 무한 확대 ing. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Naver.
  33. ↑ Shin, Jin-ah (December 23, 2025). [뉴트렌드 대상] 차은우에겐 군백기란 없다..뉴트렌드 대상 1위 기염. The Financial News (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 23, 2025. Retrieved December 23, 2025 – via Naver.
  34. ↑ Ji, Hyung-jun (June 8, 2026). [사진]한선화, 촬영감독이 뽑은 인기상 [[Photo] Han Sun-hwa, Popularity Award Chosen By The Cinematographers]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved June 8, 2026 – via Naver.
  35. ↑ "엑스러브·장민호·차은우·진, '메가챔프어워즈'를 빛낸 얼굴들 [종합]" [XLOV, Jang Min-ho, Cha Eun-woo, Jin shine at the Mega Champ Awards [Comprehensive]]. X. iMBC Entertainment. January 11, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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