Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’ vs. Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’: Who will win at 35th Buil Film Awards on Oct. 7

35th awards ceremony to be held at Signiel Busan in Haeundae; ‘A Man Who Lives With the King,’ which topped 10 million viewers, produces two best actor nominees

A head-to-head battle between two giants leading South Korea’s film industry is taking shape. At this year’s 35th ‘Buil Film Awards,’ director Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’ and director Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’ are set for a fierce contest for the ‘Best Picture’ trophy.

The Busan Ilbo, which organizes the awards, on the 20th released the final nominees in each category for the 35th ‘Buil Film Awards,’ one of South Korea’s most prestigious film awards. This year’s ceremony features a strong field of films that combine artistic merit and broad appeal, making the results harder to predict than ever, observers say.

Five acclaimed films were nominated in the highly anticipated ‘Best Picture’ category. They include director Lee Ran-hee’s ‘The Second Semester of Third Grade,’ director Yang Jong-hyun’s ‘Man and Meat,’ director Yoon Ga-eun’s ‘The Owner of the World,’ as well as Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’ and Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope.’

The ‘Best Director’ category is also expected to feature a fierce showdown among acclaimed filmmakers. Na Hong-jin (‘Hope’) and Park Chan-wook (‘No Other Choice’) are joined by Byun Sung-hyun (‘Good News’), Yoon Ga-eun (‘The Owner of the World’) and Jang Hang-jun (‘A Man Who Lives With the King’) as nominees, drawing keen attention from critics.

The competition for acting awards is just as intense as the race for best picture. The stars of ‘A Man Who Lives With the King,’ which this year became a ‘10 million-viewer’ blockbuster, stand out among the ‘Best Actor’ nominees. Park Ji-hoon, who played King Danjong, and Yoo Hae-jin, who played Eom Heung-do, were both nominated, an unusual development. They will face such acclaimed actors as Koo Kyo-hwan (‘If We Were Us’), Lee Byung-hun (‘No Other Choice’) and Jo In-sung (‘Hope’) in the race for the trophy.

The ‘Best Actress’ lineup is equally impressive. Five performers earned finalist spots in recognition of their commanding performances: Go Ah-sung (‘Pavane’), Moon Ga-young (‘If We Were Us’), Son Ye-jin (‘No Other Choice’), Seo Su-bin (‘The Owner of the World’) and Yum Hye-ran (‘My Name Is’).

Meanwhile, the 35th ‘Buil Film Awards’ ceremony, which could mark a new milestone for South Korean cinema, will take place Oct. 7 at Signiel Busan in Haeundae-gu, Busan.