At the press event, Park said he saw ample room for "darkly absurd humor" when adapting the original novel into a movie.

"The book brilliantly described how an ordinary man is cornered by the social system. Whenever I revisited the book, I found it very engaging and worth savoring due to its intricate psychological mechanisms," he said. "I also saw the potential to bring a new layer of absurd humor -- the kind that is both sad and funny."

A closer look at human life exposes their tragicomic duality, Park continued. "I am not trying to generate laughs by mocking people in their miserable circumstances. The film explores emotions that we all have, so it is ultimately the story of us all."

 The film follows Man-soo (played by Lee Byung-hun), a middle-aged man who, after being suddenly fired from a paper company, becomes determined to find a new job and deals with those standing in his way.

Actress Son Ye-jin, known for the popular TV series "Crash Landing on You" (2019-2020) and the movie "The Negotiation" (2018), plays Man-soo's cheerful and mentally strong wife, A-ra.

Regarding the film's comedic elements, Lee said: "I was surprised by how funny director Park's film turned out to be. After reading the script, I had to ask him, 'Am I supposed to play this for laughs?'"

Still, Lee stressed that the film's emotional complexity was certain to evoke a wide range of feelings in audiences, which was why he focused on portraying his character Man-soo -- a man cornered into an extreme situation -- "in a convincing and believable way."

The cast also includes Lee Sung-min from "Handsome Guys" (2024), Yeom Hye-ran from the popular Netflix original "The Glory" (2022), Cha Seung-won of "Believer 2" (2023) and Park Hee-soon of "The Policeman's Lineage" (2022).

 Following this 2022 Best Director win at Cannes for "Decision to Leave," the auteur's latest film is now poised for another major cinematic honor, as it is set to compete for the prestigious Golden Lion at this year's Venice International Film Festival, from Aug. 27 to Sept. 6. It marks the first Korean film to compete for the festival's top prize in 13 years after Kim Ki-duk's "Pieta" won the award in 2012.

Also, it has been selected as the opening film for this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), set to run from Sept. 17-26. BIFF described it as a film that "embodies what audiences most hope to see: a work capable of reinvigorating Korean cinema at this pivotal moment."

 



A poster for "No Other Choice" is seen in this image, provided by CJ ENM. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

By Woo Jae-yeon