Under the bright lights of Venice Lido, South Korean director Park Chan-wook made a triumphant return to the international stage on August 29, 2025, with the world premiere of his much-anticipated film, No Other Choice. The event marked Park’s first appearance at the Venice International Film Festival in two decades, and the buzz surrounding his new feature was palpable even before the curtain rose. The last time Park graced Venice was back in 2005, when his film Lady Vengeance—the final act in his now-legendary “Vengeance Trilogy”—earned two coveted awards. This time, Park brought with him a story that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide, and, judging by the standing ovation and emotional cast reactions, he did not disappoint.
No Other Choice is a darkly comedic thriller rooted in the anxieties of modern capitalist society. The plot follows Man-Soo, a veteran paper company employee played by Lee Byung-hun, who finds himself laid off after 25 years of loyal service. Facing a bleak job market, Man-Soo concocts a desperate and audacious plan: eliminate his fellow job applicants to secure the only available position at Moon Paper, the one Korean company that has managed to crack the Japanese market. Son Ye-jin, in her first on-screen collaboration with Lee Byung-hun, plays A-Ra, Man-Soo’s resilient and supportive wife, who tries to hold the family together as her husband spirals into desperation.
The film’s premise, though grim, is laced with Park’s signature black humor. According to Inquirer, laughter echoed through the theater during the press screening, with the audience responding to the ever-escalating hurdles faced by the protagonist. Park himself addressed this blend of dark comedy and social commentary, telling reporters, “No matter where I went, I told it, no matter what country, what culture, they would all relate to the story. What’s interesting is they always said, ‘Oh, that’s such a timely story.’ Anyone who is out there trying to make a living in the current modern capitalist society, we all harbour that deep fear of employment insecurity.”
This universal theme of job insecurity is at the heart of No Other Choice, and it’s one Park spent 20 years developing. The film is based on Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, a story that Park found to be immediately relatable across borders and cultures. The director’s fascination with the darker sides of human nature is well documented. As he once told the Busan International Film Festival in 2021, “Only by recognizing a person’s darker desires and properly examining their existence will you know what human beings are made of.”
Critical response to No Other Choice was swift and overwhelmingly positive. According to Yonhap, the film received rave reviews and was quickly pegged as a top contender for the festival’s prestigious Golden Lion award. The acclaim didn’t stop there. On social media, the film debuted with a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the best-reviewed film of the festival. Praise poured in from critics and viewers alike, with one user declaring, “With NO OTHER CHOICE, Park Chan-wook successfully defends his title as the most creative filmmaker alive. Superbly shot with crazy innovative editing, he puts the camera in places I’ve never seen before. One nutso sequence even got an applause break. The best film of 2025 so far.” Another post read, “Park Chan-wook’s take on capitalism is as sharp as ever… can’t wait to catch it!”
For the cast, the film’s Venice debut was nothing short of emotional. Son Ye-jin, who has been sharing glimpses of her festival experience on social media, was visibly moved during the lengthy standing ovation following the premiere. She later reflected, “It’s my first overseas film festival, and having only ever imagined receiving a standing ovation, it felt like a dream. Seeing Park Hee-Soon (actor) crying next to me at that moment that might never come again, made me tear up as well.” Videos of the cast expressing gratitude and celebrating their achievement quickly spread online, further fueling the excitement around the film.
The film’s success at Venice is just the beginning of its global journey. No Other Choice is set for a theatrical release in South Korea on September 24, 2025, and will have its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Lee Byung-hun is slated to receive a Special Tribute Award at the TIFF Tribute Awards. The movie will also open the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 17, 2025, and has secured a spot in the Main Slate of the 2025 New York Film Festival, with its U.S. premiere scheduled for October.
Park Chan-wook’s influence on South Korean cinema cannot be overstated. His earlier works, particularly the bloody revenge thriller Oldboy, have been credited with paving the way for the international success of films like Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, which made history as the first non-English language feature to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Park’s films are known for their fearless exploration of vengeance, forgiveness, and the complexities of human desire—often delivered with a potent mix of violence, eroticism, and dark wit.
Beyond film, Park has also made significant contributions to television, including the English-language mini-series The Little Drummer Girl and last year’s HBO series The Sympathizer, which follows a North Vietnamese spy. His literary influences are equally diverse, drawing inspiration from the likes of Zola and Philip Roth. Indeed, his 2009 vampire film Thirst was an adaptation of Zola’s Therese Raquin, while his 2016 lesbian romance The Handmaiden was based on Sarah Waters’ novel Fingersmith.
With No Other Choice, Park has once again demonstrated his mastery of blending social critique with cinematic artistry. The film’s success at Venice, its universal themes, and the emotional resonance it has struck with audiences and critics alike suggest that it could become one of the defining films of 2025. As the global festival circuit awaits its next screenings, the world will be watching to see if Park’s latest dark comedy can clinch the Golden Lion—and perhaps even more accolades down the line.
For now, No Other Choice stands as a testament to Park Chan-wook’s enduring vision and the power of storytelling that transcends borders, languages, and generations.
