Director Park Chan-wook is returning to the Venice International Film Festival with his latest film, "No Other Choice," which has been officially invited to compete for the prestigious Golden Lion — making it the first Korean feature in 13 years to contend for the festival’s top honor.

The announcement came Tuesday during a livestream unveiling the 21 films selected for the main competition at the 82nd edition of the festival, which runs from Aug. 27 to Sept. 6.


For Park, this is his second time in the Venice competition following his 2005 thriller "Lady Vengeance."

Based on the mystery novel "The Ax" by American writer Donald E. Westlake, "No Other Choice" is a dark thriller following 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.

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), "Hospital Playlist" (2020) star Yoo Yeon-seok and Park Hee-soon of "The Policeman's Lineage" (2022).

"No Other Choice" is Park's first feature since "Decision to Leave" in 2022, for which he won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival that year.

In January, Park said he began writing the script for the movie almost 17 years ago.

"I feel deeply emotional as I've finally finished filming the project I've wanted to make the most for so long," he said in a statement released by production company CJ ENM.

The 82nd edition of the film festival is scheduled to take place from Aug. 27 to Sept. 6.

"No Other choice" is set for local release in September.

“Bugonia” (2025), directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and co-developed by CJ  ENM in partnership with major Hollywood studios, has also been officially invited to this year's Venice International Film Festival.

This marks the first time a single Korean investment and distribution company has placed two films in Venice’s film festival in the same year. With these selections, CJ  ENM brings its total entries at Venice to nine — more than any other Korean investor-distributor

“I feel it is incredibly meaningful to have both ‘No Other Choice’ and ‘Bugonia’ invited to the competition section,” said Jung Hyun‑joo, head of CJ  ENM’s film business division. “We hope these films will bring renewed vitality to the Korean film industry and we will continue making bold efforts to drive sustainable success in the global market.”

“Bugonia,” directed by Lanthimos with screenplay by Will Tracy, adapts the 2003 Korean film "Save the Green Planet!" by Jang Joon‑hwan.

The English‑language remake stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, and involves collaboration with Arrow Pictures, Element Pictures and Focus Features

The film details two conspiracy‑obsessed young men who kidnap powerful CEO Michelle, convinced she plans to destroy Earth.

The movie is scheduled for release in Korea in November.

Yonhap, PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]