Director Park Chan-wook's 'No Other Choice' Successfully Starts Early Release in 5 U.S. Cities

Park Chan-wook's latest work 〈No Other Choice〉 began a limited release in five major U.S. cities on December 25. Distributed by NEON, this film is meeting American audiences in select theaters in Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.

NEON introduced the film as a 'masterpiece of cinema' through its website and social media, announcing a nationwide release in January next year. Currently screening in selected theaters, this film is preparing for a gradual expansion across the country.

Hollywood trade publication 'Deadline' noted this film as one of the major low-budget independent films released during the Christmas season. The publication described, "The film depicts the protagonist Mansoo (played by Lee Byung-hun) who is suddenly laid off from a company he has worked for 25 years and sets out to find a new job, winning the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival after screening at the Venice Film Festival."

The film's quality is also being proven. 〈No Other Choice〉 scored 99 points from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and is nominated in three categories at the Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Lee Byung-hun). It has also made the shortlist for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, emerging as a major contender during awards season.

This limited release is seen as a strategic choice to increase recognition among film fans and spread word-of-mouth. The industry anticipates that it will be an important opportunity to enhance influence in the U.S. ahead of the Golden Globe Awards in January and the Academy Awards in March.