Park Chan Wook’s No Other Choice is one of the most acclaimed films of 2025, with rave reviews coming out of Venice and TIFF, which is where I saw it, and I can’t say enough about this film. If the Oscars were up to me, it would be between Sinners and No Other Choice right now – allowing room for Hamnet and One Battle After Another which I still have to get to. 

 

Speaking of Oscars and Park Chan-wook, I’m still cheesed that his last film, Decision to Leave, a f-cking masterpiece, was snubbed a couple of years ago. No Other Choice is a dark comedy, it is very much of the moment, a meditation on corporate insensitivity and toxic masculinity. It is disturbing and it is also hilarious – like there is some f-cked up sh-t that happens but at the same time, the audience is laughing out loud, by intention. This is the level of skill that Director Park is working with here. And it’ll be interesting to see how Neon manages this campaign. They are, of course, the reigning Best Picture winners with Anora and they seem to be prioritising No Other Choice in the Best International Feature category at the Oscars. 

 

The stars of No Other Choice are Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin, also known in Korea as the Nation’s First Love, because she is that popular and that beloved. But not just in Korea thanks in large part due to a series called Crash Landing On You which was a global hit on Netflix that’s become even more revered because she and her co-star, the equally famous Hyun Bin, fell in love after the show came out and got married. 

 

Social media was popping off last night because there was a screening for No Other Choice in Seoul, attended by seemingly 80% of the Korean star system, including Hyun Bin who showed up to support his wife. Korean red carpets are wild, turn up the volume if you can on this. I wish it was like this in the west. 

 

For the uninitiated, Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin are pretty much the biggest celebrity couple of East Asian entertainment because they are both huge stars in their own right individually. And they’re well aware of  how obsessed people are over their relationship which is why they protect it. No photos of them, officially, posing together at the premiere (that’s not Korean style) but fans have been sharing videos of them interacting at the after-party and it’s all over that specific algorithm. 

Also popping off, though, is the presence of two members of BTS who came to support the film: RM and V. 

 

I am screaming over that moment where V immediately starts serving face and RM, who is smiling, looks over at him and immediately changes his expression to match his little brother. That’s the ARMY coming out in me. Let me get back to business because you will note, I’ve only been able to attach RM and V photos to this post, even though there were so many other people at the premiere, because those are the only ones that the photo agency made available. Like, no one bothered to take any pictures of the other stars, including the stars of the movie? Make it make sense!?

 

What else happened today…

Simone Rocha is in heavy rotation in my ETALK wardrobe so this is what I’ll be wearing on the show next year. That silver sequin dress is my whole sh-t. (Go Fug Yourself)

Dwayne The Rock Johnson is pushing for an Oscar nomination, his first. With an assist from the NY Times. (Pajiba)

Robin Wright says there will be no sequel to The Princess Bride and I am relieved. However, someone somewhere will probably try to remake it and then we’ll have to be anxious all over again. (Celebitchy)

Allie Jones cannot stop thinking about Jennifer Aniston’s Hypnotist Boyfriend. (The Cut)

The title of this article, about “Utah Mom” names, hooked me. And then I couldn’t stop laughing throughout the piece by Alex Abad-Santos. It’s a beauty. Or, should I say, it’s a beauteigh, LOLOLOL. (Vox)

BTS members RM and V attended a celebrity preview of the film 'No Other Choice' in Seoul, South Korea.
Photo credits: Lee Jae-Won/ AFLO/ Shutterstock

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