Title: No Other Choice
Original Title: 어쩔수가없다 (Eojjeolsuga eobsda)
Year: 2025
Info
- Country: South Korea
- Length: 139 Minutes (2 hours 19 min)
- Budget: 12
- Genre: Comedy Crime Drama
- Studios: CJ Entertainment
- Distributor: MUBI
- Age rating: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over)
Release Dates
- UK: January 23 2026
- United States: December 25 2025
Plot
A South Korean black comedy co-written, produced, and directed by Park Chan-wook. It is based on the novel "The Ax" by Daniel Westlake and produced by CJ Entertainment. The film debuts at the Venice Film Festival and premieres in South Korea on September 24, 2025. It is also the chosen film to represent the country at the 2026 Oscars for Best International Feature. It stars 'Squid Game' actor Lee Byung-hun.
The protagonist is Man-soo, a normal family man who lives happily with his wife and two children until he is fired from the paper company where he has worked for over 25 years. Determined to continue providing for his family, he decides to find stable employment in less than three months. However, he only manages to jump from one position to another without settling down.
When Man-soo applies for an open position at the rival company he worked for, the manager laughs at him. Convinced that he is the best candidate for the position they are looking for, he decides to take a radical option: eliminate all his competition...
In addition to Lee, the cast is completed by Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeon Hye-ran, Cha Seung-woon, and Yoo Yeon-seok. The film is received with great enthusiasm by critics, receiving a nine-minute standing ovation after its screening at the Venice Film Festival and is described by many as Park Chan-wook's masterpiece.
Awards
- 2026 Golden Globes: 3 0
Cast
Director:
Photos
Trivia
Lifetime project
During a live discussion with Costa-Gavras at the 2019 Busan International Film Festival, Park told audiences that he was still working on his adaptation of Westlake's novel. The film was described by Park as a "lifetime project" and that while he hadn't begun filming it yet, he wished "to make this film as my masterpiece." Gavras, who still held the rights to the book, had helped Park to develop the project. The film was set to be an English-language picture, with Don McKellar co-writing the script alongside Park.
Oscars
Official submission of South Korea for the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 98th Academy Awards in 2026.
The Axe
During the Busan International Film Festival in 2009, it was announced that Park would remake Costa-Gavras' 2005 film The Axe. Park would later clarify that he had read Donald Westlake's 1997 novel The Ax upon which the film was based and decided to adapt it prior to knowing about Costa-Gavras' film. However, the project was delayed when Park received the screenplay for his 2012 film Stoker. In 2012, Park said he planned to make the film his next project but it still needed "more work on the casting and attracting investors".
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