Lee Byung-hun Reveals How Park Chan-wook’s Precision Made ‘No Other Choice’ His Toughest Role

In an exclusive interaction with India Today at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), acclaimed South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun reflected on the challenges and rewards of working under Park Chan-wook’s razor-sharp direction in the film No Other Choice.

The movie, which had the honour of opening BIFF 2025, also marks the much-anticipated return of Son Ye-jin to cinema after a seven-year hiatus.

Lee praised Park’s renowned attention to detail, describing how the director’s mastery of mise-en-scène extended far beyond the broader visuals. “The director places a lot of importance on mise-en-scène, and he pays close attention to everything—from distant props to costume patterns to lighting. His meticulous nature shines through in his instructions to the actors,” Lee said.

Recalling one particularly demanding sequence, the actor shared:

“For example, there's a scene where I'm interviewing for the first time. That line was really long. While saying it, I was conscious of the sunlight reflecting off the building, trying to avoid it. My teeth were hurting, my legs were shaking, and I kept making subtle adjustments to hide it. All of these layered instructions shaped my performance.”

Lee emphasized how Park’s approach ensured that even the smallest gestures carried weight, often adding hidden clues for the audience. “Some hints are in the script, but sometimes the director asked me to add extra layers. It forced me to think about multiple things at once while acting. It was extremely difficult, but also an invaluable training experience,” he added.

No Other Choice has quickly become one of the most-discussed titles at BIFF, not only because of Park Chan-wook’s direction but also due to Son Ye-jin’s high-profile comeback. With Lee Byung-hun’s candid reflections, the film’s artistic depth and on-screen intensity are drawing even greater anticipation.