‘No Other Choice’ tops box office with record 330,000 moviegoers on opening day

A scene from the film “No Other Choice.” Courtesy of CJ ENM

Director Park Chan-wook’s latest film, “No Other Choice,” drew more than 330,000 moviegoers on its opening day, taking the top spot at the box office.

The film attracted 331,518 viewers on Sept. 24, according to the Korean Film Council, marking the highest opening day score of any Park film.

It surpassed the debut numbers of “Decision to Leave” (114,589), his highest-grossing work “The Handmaiden” (290,024) and “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance” (279,413).

The strong debut is especially notable given the current slowdown in theater attendance. It also edged past recent box office hits such as “Exhuma,” which opened to 330,118 last year on its way to 10 million admissions, and “12.12: The Day,” which launched with 203,813 viewers in 2023 before becoming the year’s most-watched film.

Park’s signature humor resonates

“No Other Choice” tells the story of Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), an office worker who believes he has achieved all he could want in life until he is suddenly laid off.

Struggling to protect his family and home, he embarks on a fierce battle to reenter the workforce. The film features an ensemble cast including Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yum Hye-ran and Cha Seung-won.

In an interview, Son Ye-jin described the film’s humor as distinctly Park’s. “It’s very sophisticated humor, and the more you think about it, the funnier it becomes. Because the actors absorbed it and expressed it well, the audience can really enjoy it,” she said.

She added, “Timing is very important, and each actor nailed it. Lee Byung-hun was hilarious, and Lee Sung-min made me laugh every time he delivered a line. I’ve already seen the film four times. Usually, repeated viewings reduce the laughs, but here you find new ones.”

Returning to the big screen for the first time in seven years, Son also reflected on the challenges facing Korean cinema.

“I didn’t even realize it had been seven years. Watching a film in a theater is both our memory and a great joy as actors," she said. "But with fewer audiences going to theaters these days, even reading scripts or securing investment has become difficult. As a filmmaker, that saddens me,” she said, expressing hope for the movie’s success.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.