[E-Daily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Director Lee Chang-dong’s new film “Possible Love,” his first in eight years, has been submitted for consideration at the 99th Academy Awards.

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) announced on the 25th, “‘Possible Love’ (directed by Lee Chang-dong) has been selected as South Korea’s entry in the International Feature Film category for the 99th Academy Awards.”
“Possible Love” tells the story of two couples—a laid-off worker and his wife, and a documentary director and her husband—who meet to produce a documentary and come face to face with their different lives and hidden desires.
This is director Lee Chang-dong’s new film, his first in eight years since *Burning* (2018), and it has garnered significant attention for its cast of leading Korean actors, including Jeon Do-yeon, Seol Kyung-gu, Jo In-sung, and Jo Yeo-jeong. The film has been attracting interest from the international film community even before its release, having been officially invited to the competition section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival and the Special Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival.
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) selects one Korean film annually to submit to the Academy Awards’ International Feature Film category at the request of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). This year’s selection process was conducted in accordance with the revised “Operating Rules for the Selection of Submissions to the Academy Awards’ International Feature Film Category.”
In accordance with the revised rules, the selection committee was expanded to include at least 10 members to broaden participation from diverse creative professionals. Additionally, while the process is based on document reviews and written evaluations, in-person meetings may be held when necessary.
Furthermore, the selection criteria were revised to focus on the film’s artistic quality, distribution potential in North America, and the recognition of the director and the submitted film. The evaluation method was also changed to a system where scores are assigned based on each juror’s assessment, and the film with the highest total score is selected.
A total of 15 jurors participated in this year’s judging, including film critic Jeong Seong-il, who served as the jury chair. The jury highly praised *Possible Love* for its artistic merit, the director’s clear message, and its outstanding mise-en-scène.
They also noted Director Lee Chang-dong’s characteristic deep humanism, delicate direction, and his dense portrayal of multidimensional characters and complex relationships. Furthermore, they viewed positively the high level of interest from North American media and the fact that Director Lee’s previous film, *Burning*, was the first Korean film to be shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in March 2027, and whether “Possible Love,” which is being submitted this year, will be selected as a preliminary nominee will be confirmed by the end of this year.
“Possible Love” will first open in theaters in South Korea on the 23rd of next month and is scheduled to be released on Netflix in November.