The reason my work was labeled as ‘violent’ or ‘grotesque’ is entirely due to the British,” says Park Chan Wook, giving me a sly smile. He smiles once more, a minute later, when a translator conveys his words back to me. Therevered South Korean filmmakeris jesting, but could be onto something: when Park first gained attention in Western film enthusiast circles, in the early 2000s, it was the British distributor Tartan that decided to promote his movies –Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, and Lady Vengeance– under the banner of “Asia Extremes”.
It wasn’t only Korean films, but Asian films – mainly horror ones – that were part of that category, along with my own work,” Park says, seated with his legs crossed on a sofa in a central London hotel suite. To be honest, Park’s dark imagination was never much of a help in countering the extreme allegations: in his early films, the director delved into charming situations such as murder, incest, child abduction, organ removal, eating live octopuses, failed knife suicide attempts, and dental damage. “As I made more films and became more well-known internationally, I think I naturally moved away from that label – of being on the edge of what is mainstream,” he tells me. “But I didn’t try to run away from those old labels. I simply kept doing what I’ve always done.
Currently 62, wearing glasses, a stylish sweater, and with neatly styled grey hair, Park appears to be the quintessential seasoned figure from the film industry. If there is a contrast between the calm and composed man sitting across from me and the intense—though never excessive—violence depicted in his work, then this same contrast is also present within the films themselves: Park’s movies are characterized by their subtlety and gentle humanity as much as by their shocking elements. His latest films, including 2017’ssexy, twisty period masterpiece The Handmaiden, and the sophisticated romantic thriller from 2022Decision to Leave, have skillfully balanced these impulses. And that is also true of his latest film,No Other Choice, a classic Parkian tale about a paper mill worker (Lee Byung Hun) who handles a professional layoff in the most logical manner: by launching a wild killing rampage.
Lee portrays Yoo Man Su, a father figure whose hidden side emerges when his company, now owned by Americans, lets him go; Son Ye Jin delivers a powerful performance as his patient wife. Struggling to find new employment in a shrinking job market, Man Su believes the best way to gain an advantage is to remove his rivals – physically. He convinces himself he has “no other choice,” an illogical justification spoken by multiple characters throughout the movie.
Lee delivers an exceptional performance, embodying a mix of tragedy, humor, and despicability, showcasing a portrayal of masculinity in turmoil. Nonetheless, he consistently remains, in some way, disturbingly familiar. “I want the audience to feel the moral conflict that the character is going through,” explains Park. “I want the experience to raise questions. Man Su is similar to us—ordinary individuals who [at times] make self-centered choices, and engage in foolish or wicked behavior. Perhaps not to this extent, but we all make errors and do bad things in our daily lives.”
As you depict people in today’s society, you inevitably come across anti-capitalist concepts, as I believe these two are closely linked.
The script is based onThe Ax, a novel set in America by Donald Westlake. When he first attempted to make the film, more than a decade ago, Park had intended to film it there. He has since worked on English-language projects, including the cold Nicole Kidman psychological dramaStoker (2013) and the le Carré adaptationThe Little Drummer Girl (2018) featuring a young Florence Pugh. Due to financial considerations, he ultimately moved the story to Korea. This shift created several culturally unique opportunities (such as a disturbing use of a bonsai greenhouse), and the film’s sharp anti-capitalist message remains relevant no matter where you are.
It could be this critique of capitalism – along with the sharp wit used to convey it – that has led so many to draw parallels withParasite, Bong Joon Ho’s groundbreaking Oscar-winning 2019 comedy. They are completely different movies, yet both exhibit a particular dark frustration regarding the current state of the world. “I’m not creating films to shout out a slogan, or to produce a political brochure,” states Park. “However, as you depict individuals within a modern society, you inevitably come across [anti-capitalist concepts], as I believe these two are inseparable. When you truly explore the inner world of an individual, you also uncover the systemic issues of our society.”
No Other Choicegave Park the opportunity for a reunion with Lee – now most known in the West as the primary antagonist in Netflix’sSquid Game– years following his appearance in the director’s successful film, 2000’sJoint Security Area (JSA)A sorrowful and compassionate depiction of the division between North and South Korea, the movie followed two previous unsuccessful feature films by Park,The Moon Is… the Dream of the Sun (1992) and Trio (1997). “Lee and I were both at the start of our careers,” he remembers. “I had two failures before”JSA, and Byun Hun had four failures – he was doing well on television, but he wasn’t doing so well in movies. So [JSAIt was truly our final chance to collaborate in the film industry, which is why we felt quite anxious about working together. Even during meals or when having a drink, our conversations were always focused on work.
this time around,” he adds, “it was different. both of us had a more laid-back perspective on the whole project. we would unwind and discuss other topics along with work, and i believe that helped us generate more innovative ideas.
Back in 2000, JSA was nothing short of a sensation – the top-earning movie in Korean history at that point. Park then released the more somber, niche “vengeance trilogy,” three stories that aren’t connected narratively but are united by a common interest in retribution. By the 2010s, he had solidified his status as one of the most prominent filmmakers globally. However, despite the success of his movies, along with Bong’s, which has led to an external view of a surge in the Korean film industry, there are, according to him, genuine reasons to worry.
Although some films have gained international recognition, it’s no secret that the Korean film industry is facing significant challenges,” says Park. “This is because cinemas are also experiencing serious difficulties. During the pandemic, Korean viewers couldn’t go to theaters, and that’s when they discovered they could enjoy entertainment at home—and they haven’t returned to the cinema since.
The issue, he states, is that it has turned into a cycle – with South Korean film companies drawing incorrect conclusions from the shift towards streaming. “Investors started to put less money into films, and even when they do invest, they don’t opt for more daring narratives,” he explains. “They aim for what they call ‘safer’ projects. And because of this, even if a South Korean film is shown in cinemas, audiences go to see it and find it too predictable and not as enjoyable. As a result, fewer people come back, leading to lower earnings, and consequently, investors again reduce their funding for such projects.”
It is somewhat reassuring that Park’s films, at the very least, still attract viewers:No Other Choice Is now the second-highest earning Korean film in the US, and is expected to receive a Best International Film nomination at this year’s Academy Awards. “When I first began as a filmmaker, I wanted to create smaller-scale films, and I could never have imagined a Korean film would be shown overseas,” says Park. “I thought I would spend the rest of my life making movies for a small group of people in Korea. So to think about what has happened to me in recent years, it’s completely different from what I had envisioned at the start of my career.”
One of the fundamental concepts inNo Other Choice here’s how identity becomes intertwined with work: Man Su’s loss of his position as a paper executive isn’t merely a layoff, but a blow to his very sense of self. I propose that for someone in the arts, like Park – an individual for whom work is a reflection of their deepest thoughts and passions – it must be even more challenging to separate their self-worth from their profession.
Most people don’t view film and television as something highly significant or a holy form of art,” Park states. “I believe that, for the most part, people see it as a two-hour method to pass the time, or a form of amusement. In this sense, I think creating paper and making films are essentially quite similar, and it’s naive to define myself solely as a filmmaker. However, the reality is that I have also lived a life akin to Man Su.
He smiles once more, with a touch of melancholy. “While I was working on this film, I kept thinking to myself… I should live a little differently.” He might attempt it, of course. But in the end, is there truly any other option?
‘No Other Choice’ is showing in UK theaters starting on 23 January
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