Another Korean film sensation is making waves worldwide – ‘No Other Choice’. A new extended trailer has been released and movie lovers are getting more and more excited. The film is directed by master filmmaker Park Chan-wook who has directed ‘Oldboy’ and ‘The Handmaiden’.
Starring ‘Squid Game’ fame Lee Byung-hun in the lead, the film is based on the American novel ‘Axe’ by Donald Westlake. The film is about a man who loses his job and struggles to support his family. But the story goes on to show how he will go to such extreme lengths to literally “get rid of” his job competitors.
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The new trailer shows the family’s struggles after Lee Byung-hun’s character loses his job. And some of the comedic scenes in the trailer confirm that the film will not only be a thriller but also a satirical black comedy. The trailer highlights the economic hardship and unemployment issues in the story. So analysts think it can be a companion film to ‘Squid Game’ series.
Worldwide acclaim, in the Oscar race:
The film ‘No Other Choice’ has already received worldwide acclaim. It premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in August 2025. Then it opened at the Busan International Film Festival in September.
Interestingly, the film has been officially submitted by South Korea to compete in the 2026 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. It will compete with films like ‘It Was Just an Accident’ and ‘Sentimental Value’.
Starring Lee Byung-hun and ‘Crash Landing on You’ fame Son Ye-jin, along with Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ron and Cha Sung-won, the film is expected to get a boost with the presence of fan-favorite actors Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin.
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Box office predictions:
As of now, the film has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score which means it’s a rare, really good film for critics and moviegoers. The film will do moderately well in North America but it doesn’t need to make a big profit since it has low budget and has already been released in Korea. But it can be a big hit with good word of mouth.
Neon, which distributed the Oscar Best Picture film ‘Parasite’, is also distributing the Korean thriller. Note that the company is bringing another Korean film that got great reviews. ‘No Other Choice’ may not be able to compete now with the great films of 2025.