“SO OBSESSED WITH THEM ALREADY”- Fans react as No Other Choice drops first look featuring Son Ye-jin and Lee Byung-hun

On January 21, CJ ENM released the very first still from director Park Chan Wook's upcoming film No Other Choice. The still featured actors Son Ye Jin and Lee Byung Hun. The filming of No Other Choice began in August 2024 and wrapped up on January 15, 2025.

Other than the lead pair, the film also has Cha Seung Won, Park Hee Soon, and Yoon Ga Yi as pivotal characters. The story is a loose adaptation of the 2005 French movie Le Couperet by Costa-Gavras, which in turn is an adaptation of Donald Westlake's novel The Ax.

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The first still from Park Chan Wook's No Other Choice

CJ ENM released two photos in anticipation of the film No Other Choice. The first photo is a still from the film itself. In that still, we see actors Son Ye Jin and Lee Byung Hun dancing under a lush green tree. They are also the lead pair in the film.

The second photo features director Park Chan Wook himself. It is a behind-the-scenes photo where director Park is sitting on a brown leather chair with a bunch of papers in hand. Some members of the crew are flanking him.

Fans had an interesting reaction to the newly released still from the film. They took to social media to express their excitement over this new pairing.

"LIFE LONG PASSION PROJECT? It’s about to cook," wrote a fan.

"we are about to get a masterpiece," commented another.

"No other choice" is not what it looks like. The poster released is displaying vibrant & happy vibes with a pleasing feeling to the eyes,but the back picture??? Its darkness filled in a maze We are in for one hell of a ride & I'm so excited," another fan compared the film's early released poster to the latest still.

An X user described the still as "This is already cinema".

"Yoo Mansoo and Miri during their happy moments hehe warmth and simplicity of this picture beautifully convey the essence of an ordinary couple, blissfully unaware of the chaos that awaits them," an X user observed.

Making a similar observation, another person wrote, "Look at his/her face. They’re happy but I feel there’s something “twisted”. This still image definitely has cinematic effects of a drama-comedy-thriller. Fall 2025 cinema will be like no other. So excited!"

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What is the plot for Park Chan Wook's No Other Choice?

No Other Choice tells the story of Man Soo, a man who faces unemployment after being laid off from his job of 25 years at a paper company. His wife, Mi Ri takes up the family's financial responsibility after Man Soo loses his job. Desperate for a job, Man Soo turns to kill other applicants for the job he applies for.

Son Ye Jin and Lee Byung Hun play the lead pair whereas Cha Seung Won, Park Hee Soon, and Yoon Ga Yi play pivotal characters in the film. It is a loose adaptation of the French movie Le Couperet by Costa-Gavras, which in turn is an adaptation of Donald Westlake's novel The Ax.

No Other Choice has been almost 17 years in the making. Film's distributor CJ-ENM quoted director Park Chan-wook, "I started writing the script for this movie almost 17 years ago. I feel deeply emotional as I've finally finished filming the project I've wanted to make the most of for so long."

Park Chan Wook was recently seen participating in the creation process of the hit HBO series The Sympathizer. No Other Choice is his first major film project after the 2022 thriller Decision to Leave. If the reports are to be believed, No Other Choice might premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, followed by a theatrical release in the fall.