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Park Chan-wook's 12th film 'No Other Choice' to hit theaters this autumn

Published: 22 Jul. 2025, 16:48 Updated: 22 Jul. 2025, 19:07

LIM JEONG-WON
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Director Park Chan-wook speaks during a lecture at the 2025 Seoul International Book Fair held at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on June 20. [YONHAP]

Korean auteur Park Chan-wook’s upcoming film “No Other Choice” will hit domestic theaters in September, its distributor said on Tuesday.

Based on U.S. writer Donald Westlake’s 1997 horror thriller novel “The Ax,” “No Other Choice” stars Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin in leading roles. Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom He-ran, Cha Seung-won and Yoo Yeon-seok play supporting roles.

Park Chan-wook has described “No Other Choice” as “the film I most wanted to make,” heightening anticipation for the film.

Although not much has been revealed about the plot, the teaser and source novel suggest that the story involves what happens after the protagonist Mansu, played by Lee Byung-hun, is "axed" by the company he had worked at for years.

A scene from director Park Chan-wook's upcoming film ″No Other Choice″ [CJ ENM]

Although Park Chan-wook worked as a screenwriter on Netflix's “Uprising” (2024), “No Other Choice” is Park Chan-wook’s first directorial work since his 2022 film, “Decision to Leave.” "Decision to Leave" was Korea’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards and it received two British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) nominations, seven wins at the 43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards and three wins at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Park Chan-wook is one of Korea’s most well-known and revered filmmakers, having directed classics such as “Joint Security Area” (2000), “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” (2002), “Oldboy” (2003), “Thirst” (2009), “Snowpiercer” (2013) and “The Handmaiden” (2016).

“No Other Choice” is his 12th feature film.