[Edaily Starin, Reporter YUN GI BACK ] “A performance that comes along once in a century.”

Actress Jeon Do-yeon captivated Venice alongside director Lee Chang-dong, with whom she reunited after 19 years. As the film *Possible Love* won the Grand Jury Prize (Silver Lion) at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, leading international media outlets heaped praise on Jeon Do-yeon’s performance. Following her Best Actress award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival for *Secret Sunshine*, attention is now focused on whether this success will carry her into the Academy Awards (Oscars) race.
In *Possible Love*, Jeon Do-yeon plays Mi-ok, the wife of a laid-off worker. She is a character who, though weighed down by the burdens of life, never lets go of her curiosity and desire for a different life.
International media reviews were glowing. IndieWire commented, “Less than 20 years after her first collaboration with director Lee Chang-dong, she has once again delivered a ‘once-in-a-century performance.’” The review highly praised how she built up the character’s desires and inner struggles through subtle shifts in her gaze and facial expressions, without oversharing her emotions.
Variety also described Jeon Do-yeon’s performance as “one of the most nuanced and multilayered performances of the year.” It noted that she intricately conveyed complex emotions through Mi-ok’s character, who appears cheerful on the surface but does not easily reveal her inner thoughts.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Jeon Do-yeon, who delivered an “unforgettable performance” in *Secret Sunshine*, once again conveys equally profound emotions in this film. Awards Watch also highlighted that Jeon Do-yeon’s performance stood out particularly for her ability to convey a character’s life and background through nothing more than subtle gestures and facial expressions.
The International Film Critics Association (ICS) noted that Jeon Do-yeon stands out even among a stellar cast, highly praising her expressiveness as she shifts between assertiveness and vulnerability within a single scene. They even went so far as to describe her performance as “awe-inspiring.”

This acclaim led to awards as well. *Possible Love* won the Silver Lion (Grand Jury Prize) at the Venice International Film Festival and was named Best Film in Competition by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).
Above all, this film holds great significance as it marks the first collaboration between Jeon Do-yeon and director Lee Chang-dong in 19 years, following *Secret Sunshine*. Jeon Do-yeon, who portrayed deep loss and despair in *Secret Sunshine*, revealed a different side of herself this time through a character who, while weighed down by life, still harbors desire and vitality.
All eyes are now on the Oscars. Following a review by the Korean Film Council, *Possible Love* was selected as South Korea’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. Attention is focused not only on the Best International Feature Film category but also on the possibility of Jeon Do-yeon receiving a nomination for Best Actress.
Although the full-scale Oscar campaign has not yet begun, the award at Venice and the successive rave reviews from North American critics mark a positive start. All eyes are on whether the partnership between Lee Chang-dong and Jeon Do-yeon—which began 19 years ago at Cannes—will bear fruit once again at the Oscars, following its success at Venice.