South Korea has officially selected Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love as its candidate for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards. The Korean Film Council confirmed the submission on Tuesday, positioning the drama as the country’s sole representative in the race for the 99th Oscars, set to take place in 2027.
The announcement caps months of speculation within the domestic industry, with Possible Love widely considered a frontrunner ever since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The film marks Lee Chang-dong’s return to the director’s chair after an eight-year hiatus, following his acclaimed 2018 thriller Burning. That previous work earned South Korea its first-ever nomination in the category, though the prize ultimately went to Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma. With Possible Love, Lee now aims to go one step further and secure the country’s first win in the category.
The movie, which runs 165 minutes, is scheduled for a domestic theatrical release on September 23, 2026. According to the synopsis provided by the film’s distributor, the story centers on a laid-off worker named Ho-seok and his wife, Mi-ok, whose lives become entangled with a documentary filmmaker and her spouse. As the four characters cross paths, they are forced to confront hidden desires and long-suppressed emotions, leading to a slow-burn examination of intimacy, class, and personal failure.
Lee Chang-dong assembled a formidable ensemble for the project. Jeon Do-yeon, who previously won the Best Actress prize at Cannes for Lee’s 2007 film Secret Sunshine, stars as Mi-ok. Sul Kyung-gu, a veteran of both mainstream thrillers and art-house dramas, portrays Ho-seok. Zo In-sung, known primarily for his television work in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, takes on the role of Sang-woo, while Cho Yeo-jeong, who gained international recognition through Parasite, plays Ye-ji. Rising star Jo Yu-ri rounds out the principal cast in an undisclosed role.
The selection process in South Korea is notoriously competitive, with the Korean Film Council reviewing dozens of eligible titles each year. This cycle, Possible Love beat out several high-profile competitors, including Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 and Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, both of which had their own awards-season momentum. Industry insiders suggest that Lee’s film benefited from its Cannes reception, where critics praised its restrained direction and the nuanced performances of its cast, even though it left the festival without a major trophy.
For Lee Chang-dong, the Oscar submission carries additional weight given his filmography’s history with the Academy. Beyond Burning, his 2010 film Poetry was also submitted by South Korea but failed to make the shortlist. The director has long been regarded as one of the most significant figures in contemporary Korean cinema, and Possible Love fits neatly into his thematic interests - psychological depth, moral ambiguity, and the quiet fractures in ordinary lives. Early reviews, while not comprehensive, have noted the film’s deliberate pacing and its willingness to let silence carry meaning, trademarks of Lee’s work since Peppermint Candy in 1999.
The Academy’s International Feature Film category has become increasingly competitive in recent years, with countries submitting their most ambitious productions. South Korea’s decision to back Lee’s film signals confidence in its awards viability, but the path ahead is long. The Academy will release a shortlist of 15 films in December, followed by the five official nominees in January. Previous Asian contenders, including Parasite - which won the Best Picture Oscar in 2020 - have demonstrated that language and cultural barriers are not insurmountable, but the category remains a steep hill for any submission.
Possible Love will first have to prove itself at home. Its late-September release places it in the same window as several domestic blockbusters, though the film’s target audience is clearly the festival and awards circuit rather than multiplex dominance. The distributor has yet to announce an international release schedule, but a broader rollout is expected in early 2027, timed to coincide with the Oscar voting period.
For now, Lee Chang-dong and his cast can focus on the campaign ahead. The director has maintained a measured public presence since the selection news broke, with studio representatives stating only that he is “grateful for the recognition.” The real test will come in the coming months, as Possible Love joins a global slate of submissions vying for the Academy’s attention. South Korea has come close before - twice with Lee at the helm - and the hope is that this time, the long wait ends in a win.
Source: Variety
