South Korea selects Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’ for Oscars

South Korea has submitted Park Chan-wook’s black comedy thriller No Other Choice as its entry for best international feature at the 2026 Oscars.

The decision was announced by the Korean Film Council and selected by a jury, chaired by Parasite producer Kwak Sin-ae, who said: “It stands out for its outstanding quality and the actors’ performances, and it has a high level of completeness, along with a globally recognised director and a distributor with Academy Award experience.”

It marks the second time director Park has represented South Korea, following 2022’s Decision To Leave, which made the shortlist.

Neon represents North America on the title, having previously distributed Parasite, which won South Korea the Oscar in 2020 and went on to win an additional three Academy Awards including best picture – the first non-English-langauge film to do so.

No Other Choice centres on a man who is determined to land a new job after being fired, and deals with those who stand in his way. It is fresh from its world premiere in Venice and will soon screen at Toronto before opening the 30^th Busan International Film Festival. Mubi has taken multiple territories outside of North America, including the UK.

The cast is led by Lee Byung-hun of Squid Game and Son Yejin from The Last Princess. Further cast includes Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won and Yoo Yeon-seok.

Producers are director Park and Back Jisun of Moho Film, and Michèle Ray Gavras and Alexandre Gavras of France’s KG Productions. Executive producer is Miky Lee of CJ Group, and CJ ENM financed the project.

• ‘No Other Choice’ review: Park Chan-wook’s economic satire is a darkly comic treat