Park Chan-wook on the Long Journey to No Other Choice

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Park Chan-wook gained international recognition in 2003 with his dark thriller, Oldboy, immediately becoming known for his bold and visually striking style, particularly when exploring the emptiness of revenge. Over the past two decades, he’s continued to examine the societal factors that drive destructive actions in films like Lady Vengeance, The Handmaiden, and Decision to Leave, often blending humor and emotional depth in surprising ways.

A great example is the start of the film Old Boy. It opens with Oh Dae-su (played by Choi Min-sik), looking disheveled, holding a man by his tie from the roof of a building in Seoul. Dae-su says, “I need to tell you my story,” to the man, who is holding a small dog. This scene is a standout moment for director Park, as it sets up the main story of the movie.

He describes the beginning of the film as captivating, explaining that it instantly grabs the viewer’s attention and hints at the story’s distinctive qualities.

Park’s new film, No Other Choice, starts with a noticeably different and somewhat formal opening. The story begins with Yoo Man-su, played by Lee Byung-hun, cheerfully grilling eels for a family meal on a beautiful summer day. This celebratory meal is a perk from Man-su’s company, Solar Paper, where he’s worked his way up to manager after 25 years of dedication. His work has allowed him to reclaim his childhood home and provide a comfortable middle-class life for his wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), teenage son Si-one (Kim Woo-seung), and daughter Ri-one (Choi So-yul). Before they begin their barbecue, Man-su gathers everyone for a group hug.

The brief moment of happiness doesn’t last. Though Man-su doesn’t seem like the character Dae-su from Old Boy at first, he too will be driven to murder by his hardships. The eels he receives aren’t a gift to celebrate, but a way to soften the blow of bad news – his company, Solar Paper, has been sold, and he’s immediately fired, threatening his family’s comfortable life. After a year of unemployment, and a casual remark from his wife, Man-su decides to eliminate his rivals in the job market… for good. The story that unfolds is a darkly funny and disturbingly realistic look at how desperate people become when facing modern work struggles.

Park argues that violence has been a constant throughout human history, both on a large scale and in personal lives. He believes that confronting violence is essential to understanding human nature, and that ignoring it won’t lead to true understanding.

Park Chan-wook’s new film, No Other Choice, is inspired by Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel, The Ax, a story Park has wanted to bring to the screen for years. He was drawn to the book’s existing humor and felt he could enhance it. However, when Park first tried to secure the rights in the mid-2000s, he discovered Costa-Gavras had already made a French film adaptation, The Axe, in 2005. Park was initially discouraged, as he greatly admired Costa-Gavras. But after watching The Axe, he felt confident his own interpretation would be distinct.

Starting around 2009, Park Chan-wook persistently worked on getting his English-language film made. He consistently revised the script between projects, actively seeking funding. He also dedicated significant time to developing the project, researching locations in the US and Canada, and creating storyboards. During this time, he continued to build his acclaimed filmography, including directing Stoker (2013), The Handmaiden (2016), an adaptation of Fingersmith, and Decision to Leave (2022). While his “Vengeance trilogy,” including Oldboy, is known for its stark and deliberate violence, Park’s attention to detail and precise execution are hallmarks of all his films, possibly influenced by his background studying philosophy.

I’m trained to go beyond surface-level observation and truly understand the core of things. When I approach a problem, I don’t just skim the surface – I investigate its fundamental causes. I use the word ‘radical’ to describe this deep-dive approach, but not in a political or extreme way. It simply means getting to the root of the issue – the very essence of it.

Although Park Chan-wook’s breakthrough came with his 2000 film Joint Security Area, he believes the real turning point was a short film he made just before it. Called Judgment, the film dealt with the aftermath of the Sampoong Department Store collapse and was funded by a video rental company. Interestingly, despite having already directed two feature-length films, Judgment was Park’s first experience making a short film, as he hadn’t attended film school.

Park felt free from worrying about how well the film would perform in theaters, which made the production process very enjoyable. He dedicated a lot of effort to the project, starting with casting well-known stage actors. He appreciated that these actors were accustomed to in-depth collaboration with writers and directors, including extensive table reads. This collaborative process allowed Park to deeply analyze the characters and clarify his own vision for the film, making it both valuable and fun.

His early experiences continue to shape his filmmaking style. He explains that starting with JSA, he began extensive conversations with actors during pre-production and throughout filming, which fundamentally changed how he approached his movies. Over the years, he’s had the opportunity to collaborate with many renowned actors, including Song Kang-ho, Nicole Kidman, Kim Tae-ri, Michael Shannon, Florence Pugh, Park Hae-il, Robert Downey Jr., Lee Byung-hun, and Son Ye-jin.

After the success of Decision to Leave, Park Chan-wook received funding to adapt The Ax, but he decided to create a Korean version. He cast Lee Byung-hun, an actor he’d previously collaborated with on JSA. When asked about how No Other Choice might have differed if he’d made it earlier in his career, Park offered a nuanced response, suggesting he wasn’t entirely sure.

Looking back, this film feels different from my other work. I think I was a more skilled filmmaker when I made No Other Choice, able to use a wider range of techniques effectively. However, I also wonder if making it earlier in my career might have resulted in a more innovative and daring movie.

The film No Other Choice, already released in Korea and shown at festivals since its debut in Venice last August, has received praise for its relevant themes about artificial intelligence. However, director Park believes these themes were always current, as the film explores experiences relatable to anyone navigating modern capitalist society.

The film No Other Choice is up for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, and a win would mark Park’s first Academy Award. While many critics believe he deserves this recognition after a long career, the Korean director says he’s focused on achieving success by his own standards.

He explains that he’s always admired and tried to emulate the legendary filmmakers who are now gone. While he feels he’s occasionally achieved similar quality in his own work, he knows he still has a long way to go. Considering the limited time he has left to make films, he feels a sense of urgency.

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2025-12-18 21:07