The film 'No Other Choice' has taken the box office by storm, drawing in 330,000 viewers on its opening day and securing the number one spot.
'No Other Choice' tells the story of Mansu, played by Lee Byung-hun, a satisfied office worker who suddenly finds himself unemployed. As he fights to protect his family and home, he embarks on a personal battle for reemployment. The film has set a record for the highest pre-sale numbers for a Korean film this year, attracting 331,518 viewers on its first day. This marks the highest opening score for a film by director Park Chan-wook, surpassing his previous works such as 'Decision to Leave' (114,589 viewers on opening day), 'The Handmaiden' (290,024 viewers), and 'Lady Vengeance' (279,413 viewers). Additionally, it has outperformed last year's top-grossing film 'The Grave' (330,118 viewers) and 2023's most-watched film 'Spring in Seoul' (203,813 viewers) on their respective opening days. The film's prospects look promising as it continues into the Chuseok holiday period.
The unique vision of director Park Chan-wook, combined with the stellar performances of actors Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hae-soo, Lee Sung-min, Yum Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won, has garnered praise from audiences. Viewers have shared their thoughts, saying, "Watching it in the theater made it even more special," "The film was so immersive, I couldn't look away," "Director Park Chan-wook has done it again," and "The chemistry between the actors was phenomenal."
By Ji-won Kim, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr