Director Lee Chang-dong’s first film in eight years, Possible Love, will open in theaters during the third quarter before streaming globally on Netflix in the fourth quarter.
The film depicts the lives of laid-off workers along with themes of love, loss, trauma and the restoration of human relationships. It received an adults-only rating and runs 164 minutes, making it Lee’s longest feature. The cast includes Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong.
Netflix chose the theatrical window to support eligibility for international festivals and the Academy Awards, which require a qualifying run in the country of origin. Precedents include Roma and The Irishman. Among Korean Netflix productions, the approach is rare since Bong Joon Ho’s Okja in 2017.
Lee’s global reputation from earlier works such as Burning and Jeon’s Cannes best-actress win for Secret Sunshine strengthen the film’s awards prospects. The move may signal a new distribution model for Korean cinema.
