Podcast Summary

All Of It – Director Park Chan-wook on 'No Other Choice'

Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Director Park Chan-wook, with translator Jiwon Lee
Date: January 9, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of All Of It centers on acclaimed Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook and his latest film, No Other Choice, which is currently nominated for several awards including the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture and Best Non-English Language Film. Host Alison Stewart talks with Park (via translator) about adapting the 1997 American novel The Axe for a modern Korean setting, how societal and technological shifts like automation and AI shaped the film, and the themes of work, marriage, and personal agency that thread through this darkly comedic and satirical movie.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Adapting a Three-Decade-Old Novel for Today

• Relatability and Modernization:
  • Park shares that despite the original novel’s age, its core themes “didn’t feel truly outdated” (02:06).
  • The key contemporary change was adding AI and automation to reflect current anxieties about job security:
    • “At this point in our time and because of the subject matter, it was just impossible to leave out that issue.” (02:25)
• Navigating Technology in Adaptation:
  • The only significant updates required were integrating smartphones and modern labor concerns.

2. Working with Lee Byung-hun

• Longstanding Collaboration:
  • Park and Lee Byung-hun have been close since Joint Security Area (2000), despite two decades of missed opportunities due to scheduling (03:05).
  • Park immediately thought of Lee once he decided to set the story in Korea:
    • “Even before we started working on the Korean version of the screenplay, I sent the initial American version to Lee Byung Hun right away.” (03:20)
• Why Lee was the Right Choice:
  • While Western audiences see Lee as a “ruthless and cold” antagonist (e.g., Squid Game), in Korea he’s known for his range and “very familiar and everyday man” roles (04:13).
  • Park admired Lee’s comedic sensibility from past collaborations:
    • “So through working on that project, I realized that he had a great sense of humor, which is why I thought of him for the role.” (04:47)

3. Balancing Dark Humor and Violence

• Comedy as a Core Element:
  • Park is pleased No Other Choice is seen as a comedy at awards shows, explaining:
    • “Nothing is purely just sad or purely just funny. There's always two sides to things, and we always experience different emotions mixed up together. And I think that's life. So that's also the approach I take in my films as well.” (05:35)
  • He frames comedy and tragedy as inseparable in storytelling, rather than as separate or artificially balanced elements (05:10–06:14).

4. The Meaning Behind 'No Other Choice'

• On Agency and Excuse:
  • The titular phrase is explored frequently in the film as both rationalization and abdication of responsibility (06:14–07:12).
  • Park’s intention:
    • “It's really just a cowardly excuse. We use that phrase when we don't seriously think about the other choices that we have and we're trying to justify that fact as well.” (06:56)

5. Depiction of Marriage and Shared Responsibility

• Wife’s Role and Independence:
  • Mansu’s wife Miri returns to work after his firing, reclaiming a sense of independence (07:41).
  • Park sees this as a source of happiness—and a reality that would continue past the film’s ending.
• Commitment and Morality:
  • Miri’s inadvertent influence on Mansu’s criminal ideas highlights moral ambiguity in relationships:
    • “She holds somewhat of a responsibility for what has happened, even though it's not to say that she's an immoral person. ... They have to take responsibility together as a team. And through her belief, I wanted to show how Miri is a more mature person than Mansu is.” (09:00–10:00)
  • Memorable dialogue in the film:
    • “If you’re going to do something bad, I’m going to do it with you.” (08:25)

6. Work, Paper, and the Threat of AI

• Technology and Existential Threats:
  • Park draws a parallel between the paper industry’s decline and filmmaking’s precariousness in the face of new technology (10:34–12:47):
    • “How they think about paper is how I think about movies.” (10:47)
    • He admits a defeatist feeling about AI and automation but recognizes hope for its creative use by young filmmakers lacking resources.
  • Park is concerned about not only job losses but also shifts in aesthetic values:
    • “I think it's also going to bring a fundamental change to the aesthetic of film as well.” (12:31)

7. Making the Film in Korea vs. Hollywood

• Production Reflections:
  • After years of failed Hollywood financing, Park believes making the film in Korea allowed for a bigger budget and more faithful realization of his vision (13:13–14:29):
    • “I think my method of filmmaking requires some level of budget ... I was able to make this in Korea.” (14:13)

8. Success and Awards

• Visibility Over Prestige:
  • Park downplays personal pride, emphasizing that awards bring more viewers to the film:
    • “What's more important than that is that through these awards, it helps more people know about the film. And as a result, more people will be able to watch the film as well.” (14:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Modernization:
  • Park: “I did have to add in regards to portraying the issue of job security was AI technology ... impossible to leave out that issue.” (02:23)
• On Lee Byung-hun’s Range:
  • Park: “In Korea, he actually comes off more as a very familiar and everyday man … I realized that he had a great sense of humor, which is why I thought of him for the role.” (04:19–04:47)
• On Blending Humor and Tragedy:
  • Park: “I don’t approach it like a cocktail recipe … I've always considered them as one single entity.” (05:20)
• On ‘No Other Choice’:
  • Park: “It's really just a cowardly excuse. We use that phrase when we don't seriously think about the other choices that we have.” (06:56)
• On The Meaning of Work:
  • Park: “How they think about paper is how I think about movies … despite how other people might think.” (10:47)
• On AI and the Future:
  • Park: “I am also concerned about how different that new aesthetic is going to be from the traditional method … I also have a traditional method of filmmaking.” (12:37)
• On Awards and Visibility:
  • Park: “These awards, great honor for me as an individual … But I think what's more important than that is that through these awards, it helps more people know about the film.” (14:52)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:06] – Park on updating the story for a modern setting and adding AI/automation
• [03:05] – Longstanding relationship and reunion with Lee Byung-hun
• [04:13] – Casting Lee Byung-hun and his comedic abilities
• [05:10] – Balancing black comedy and violence
• [06:39] – The meaning and implications of the phrase “no other choice”
• [07:41] – Miri’s character, agency, and role as a working woman
• [08:51] – Marital complicity and moral ambiguity
• [10:34] – Parallels between the decline of paper and film industries, Park’s fears about AI
• [13:13] – The struggle and outcome of making the film in Korea instead of Hollywood
• [14:46] – Emotional impact of awards and what success means to Park

Tone & Language

Park Chan-wook (via translator) is thoughtful, candid, and slightly philosophical, often probing beneath the surface to find deeper meaning in both his own artistic choices and universal human behavior. Alison Stewart poses probing but warm questions, maintaining an engaging and curious tone throughout.

Conclusion

This conversation highlights not only the creative journey behind No Other Choice, but also Park Chan-wook’s reflections on art, industry, technology, and the ambiguous, intermingled emotions of modern existence. Whether discussing personal relationships, technological challenges, or the nuances of humor in dark places, Park’s insights invite listeners to consider culture, work, and storytelling in new light—all with disarming wit and sincerity.