Lee Byung-hun Becomes the First Korean Actor to Receive the Special Achievement Award at the Toronto International Film Festival... Presented by Director Park Chan-wook

Actor Lee Byung-hun has been honored as the first Korean actor to receive the Special Achievement Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

According to the official website of the Toronto International Film Festival on the 11th, Lee Byung-hun received the 'TIFF Tribute Awards' on the 8th (local time). This award is given to individuals recognized for their contributions to the advancement of cinema, and Lee Byung-hun was selected as a recipient alongside director Guillermo del Toro, director Hikari, and actress Jodie Foster.

At the award ceremony, director Park Chan-wook, who was invited to the festival with Lee Byung-hun's starring film 〈NO OTHER CHOICE〉, presented the award. In his acceptance speech, Lee Byung-hun stated, "I consider this award not as a personal honor but as recognition of the proud achievements and development of Korean culture, and I humbly accept it."

〈NO OTHER CHOICE〉 was invited as a gala premiere at this festival and received significant attention. After the screening, a Q&A session with director Park Chan-wook and Lee Byung-hun was held from the 9th to the 10th.

After the screening, as the audience erupted in cheers and applause, director Park expressed, "I thought some parts would be too subtle for first-time viewers to catch, but I was so proud and grateful that they laughed and cried." CJ ENM reported.

Lee Byung-hun also said, "Throughout the film, the enthusiastic reactions from the audience overwhelmed me," and added, "I was surprised by the audience's detailed impressions and could feel their deep affection for the film."

With the domestic release of 〈NO OTHER CHOICE〉 set for the 24th, as of 8 PM on the 11th, over 177,000 tickets have been pre-sold, making it the number one film in ticket reservations in domestic theaters. Additionally, on the 17th, it will be publicly screened for the first time in Asia as the opening film of the 30th Busan International Film Festival.