From Venice to Toronto, the movie 'No Other Choice'... ”We Have No Choice But to Accept It”: The Presence of K-Movies That Has Heated Up North America

Park Chan-wook's film 'No Other Choice' followed its success at Venice by captivating audiences at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), promising to become a global hit beyond domestic borders.

After concluding its run at the Venice Film Festival, 'No Other Choice' premiered in North America at the TIFF Gala Presentation on the 9th.

Invited to the competitive section of the Venice Film Festival, which concluded on the 7th, the film competed for the top prize, the Golden Lion, but ultimately went home empty-handed. However, during its screening, it garnered a standing ovation for nine minutes and unanimous praise from international critics, drawing global attention. Furthermore, it achieved the highest pre-sale record for a Korean film distributed by CJ ENM, securing pre-sales in 200 countries worldwide, and recouping its production costs even before its official release.

Immediately after its Venice screening, 'No Other Choice' received a 100% rating from 19 critics on the American review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. After the Toronto screening, the number of reviewers increased to 26, and as of the 10th, it maintained its 100% rating.

RogerEbert.com, an American film review website, praised 'No Other Choice' after its Toronto screening, stating that Park Chan-wook had created "the most visually captivating film of the year." American film critic Nicholas Rapold also praised the film, saying, "'No Other Choice' will likely match the acclaim received by its predecessor, ‘Decision to Leave.’”

This year, 'The Hostess' (directed by Yoon Ga-eun), the first Korean film invited to the TIFF Platform section, also sold out its screenings and received rave reviews, demonstrating the strength of Korean cinema. Yeon Sang-ho's 'The Book of Snow', invited to the Special Presentation section, also garnered attention by securing pre-sales in 157 countries just before its screening. Kim Gyuyeon, a research analyst at Mirae Asset Securities, stated, "Although 'No Other Choice' didn't win any awards at the Venice Film Festival, its high critical ratings and strong pre-sales figures indicate its potential for global box office success. Furthermore, the positive reception and buzz surrounding other Korean films invited to the Toronto Film Festival demonstrate the high global demand for Korean cinema, leading us to expect a rebound in the film market during the second half of the year."