Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin are set to portray a lived-in, true-to-life marriage in Park Chan-wook’s upcoming film, "No Other Choice."
"No Other Choice" follows Man-su (Lee), an office worker who feels he’s finally got life figured out―until he’s abruptly laid off. To protect his wife, two kids, and the hard-won home they’ve built, he launches into a grueling, deeply personal battle to get rehired and rebuild.
Promising a powerhouse showcase from two of Korea’s most trusted stars, the film also marks Lee and Son’s first on-screen collaboration, despite a long-standing friendship as industry colleagues.
Lee plays Man-su, a veteran employee at a paper company whose world collapses overnight, while Son portrays Mi-ri, a wife who keeps the family steady when everything else tilts. Together and apart, they chart a couple’s response to crisis with vivid, grounded detail―fueling the film’s emotional pull.
Praising his co-star, Lee said, "It was striking how she never lost the emotional beats a character needs to carry. I thought, ‘She’s a truly exceptional actor.’" Son responded in kind: "Measured against any actor in the world, Lee Byung-hun is the best." Their mutual respect is already turning heads for the duo’s on-screen chemistry.
Director Park added, "I wanted Man-su and Mi-ri to feel like a realistic couple you might see up close in everyday life. The two understood exactly what I was after―and delivered."
"No Other Choice" opens in September.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)