No Other Choice: Park Chan-wook & Lee Byung-hun Break Down Key Scenes

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Be warned, the following contains spoilers for the movie No Other Choice! The film features unexpected twists, and director Park Chan-wook and actor Lee Byung-hun are discussing key moments. Based on Donald Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, the story follows Man-su, a South Korean paper industry professional who loses his job when an American company buys his firm and initiates layoffs.

After a year of unsuccessful job searching, Man-su finally gets a promising interview, but the manager treats him poorly, making him doubt his abilities. Facing the loss of his house and increasing pressure on his family, he makes a desperate plan to eliminate his rivals, which quickly spirals out of control.

The new film from acclaimed director Park Chan-wook—known for movies like his Vengeance Trilogy and Decision to Leave—has been a critical hit. It premiered at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where it received a nine-minute standing ovation, and has maintained nearly perfect reviews, currently boasting a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

To celebrate the film’s release, Ash Crossan from ScreenRant spoke with Park Chan-wook and Lee Byung-hun about their work on the movie. Lee Byung-hun shared that the scene he was most looking forward to—and most anxious about filming—was when his character, Man-su, tries to kill his rival, Beom-mo, and is bitten by a snake. He was relieved that Yeom Hye-ran’s character, A-ra, was able to save him.

Lee said he was really excited to work with the Wall to Wall actress, and found the script hilarious. He especially enjoyed the scenes of her character running from Beom-mo after killing him, and the playful fight scene with the other two characters in the music room – he laughed a lot while reading them.

As a total cinema lover, I was really fascinated to hear Park talk about his work on No Other Choice. He’s an Oscar nominee, and he told me he found so much joy in experimenting with how each scene looked and how it was edited. He really put a lot of thought into making sure every single moment resonated with the audience. But what he’s most proud of aren’t the flashiest scenes, surprisingly. He actually prefers the ones where he kept things simple and just focused on getting the basics absolutely perfect – those are the ones that really stand out to him.

For Park Chan-wook, one of the most powerful moments in the film is when Man-su, after finishing his final act, goes home to his wife. The simple scene of them talking and embracing on the sofa resonates deeply with him.

Director Park was initially drawn to adapting Westlake’s novel because of the character Man-su (Burke in the original story) and his struggle with losing his identity as a husband and father after being laid off. The story then follows how Man-su regains his confidence by committing crimes as he attempts to climb the career ladder.

Director Park highlighted a key scene involving Woo Seung Kim’s character, Si-one, getting into trouble with the police for trying to steal iPhones from his father’s store. Si-one’s motive was to help his struggling parents financially. Park connected Si-one’s ability to fix the situation and earn back his family’s trust to the film’s murders, describing it as crucial to the movie’s blend of social commentary and dark humor.

Park Chan-wook explained that the character, after committing murder, feels emboldened enough to confront his friend about an affair. He actively tries to fix things and rebuild trust as a father, which Park found darkly comedic. It’s a terrible situation, but that contrast is what he was aiming for.

Byung-hun & Chan-wook Were Thrilled To Reunite After 25 Years

Both No Other Choice and Squid Game offer very strong critiques of capitalism. When you’re deciding what roles to take, do you consider those kinds of messages, or are you more focused on the character, the script, and who’s directing? What’s your process for choosing projects?

When I choose roles, a strong message isn’t my top priority. I look at many things, but mostly whether the story will be enjoyable. ‘Enjoyable’ can mean different things – even a sad or serious film can be captivating and interesting. The director is also a key consideration for me. I was drawn to both Squid Game and No Other Choice because they ask important questions, and that felt meaningful.

It’s been 25 years since you last worked with Park Chan-wook. What made this project the one to bring you back together, and how has your working relationship changed over those years?

Despite not working on a project together for 25 years, Director Park and I have remained close friends, always supporting each other’s work and enjoying each other’s company. Over those years, I’ve developed as an actor, and Director Park has become internationally renowned. So, I was thrilled when we finally had the chance to collaborate again.

ScreenRant: What’s the drink of choice?

Lee Byung-hun: Red wine.

ScreenRant asked if there’s a dream role the actor hasn’t played yet but would love to take on.

I’ve actually played a surprisingly limited range of roles and professions, so I’m always looking for something new. But ultimately, the story is what really grabs me. If a storyline feels fresh, relatable, and genuinely exciting, it immediately makes me want to jump in and start working on it. A truly compelling story is instantly captivating.

ScreenRant says that No Other Choice blends screwball comedy, murder mystery, and other elements. How would you categorize the film’s genre?

I’d call the film a kind of modern film noir, but with a definite sense of dark humor running through it. It’s interesting to me that both ‘noir’ and ‘black comedy’ use the word ‘black,’ highlighting that connection.

ScreenRant asked if there’s a particular movie genre the interviewee would like to work in that they haven’t explored yet.

Park Chan-wook says he’s interested in exploring three film genres he hasn’t worked with yet: science fiction, Westerns, and musicals. He’d really like to direct a movie in each of those styles.

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2026-01-20 21:43