[Edaily Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] “A tip for watching the film? Just try to be a little patient while watching it. Heh heh.”

Director Lee Chang-dong made these remarks during an interview for his film *Possible Love*, held at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on the 6th, as he shared his thoughts on reaching a global audience through Netflix.

This marks Director Lee’s first new film in eight years, following his 2018 movie “Burning.” “Possible Love” tells the story of two couples—a laid-off worker and his wife, and a documentary director and her husband—who meet while working on a documentary and come face-to-face with each other’s different lives and hidden desires.

When asked about her feelings on presenting her first new film in eight years to a global audience, Director Lee said, “I’m excited, a little nervous, and it’s a bit daunting,” adding with a laugh, “I got home late last night, and since it was past midnight, I thought, ‘Maybe there’s something on?’ so I turned it on, but there wasn’t.”

She continued, “This is my first time reaching not only Korean audiences but also a global audience. Although we had a theatrical release, it was limited to specific countries and theaters. I’m curious to see how audiences will receive it.”

“Possible Love” is a project Director Lee Chang-dong had been preparing for a long time, but he faced difficulties securing domestic investment. He also put production on hold once while tackling the themes of labor and class. Amid these challenges, the film was produced by Netflix, a global online video service (OTT), drawing significant attention from the film industry.

Director Lee Chang-dong said, “I had no hesitation about collaborating with Netflix.” He added, “I believe that the essential power of film exists regardless of screen size or medium. My approach was to capture and convey as much as possible of what the film requires.”

Reflecting on last year, Director Lee described it as the “rock bottom” for the Korean film industry. “Literally, the Korean film industry had run out of steam,” he said. “It was at a point where it was uncertain whether it would even recover.”

He continued, “Streaming services grew rapidly during the pandemic, and that goes hand in hand with technological change,” explaining, “Thanks to technological advancements that rival those of movie theaters, viewers can now enjoy high-quality images on TV screens and mobile devices. We must view these changes as inevitable.”

Regarding *Possible Love*, he said, “It’s a bit different in nature from the films viewers are used to seeing on Netflix. The pacing is slow, and it’s not the kind of simple story you typically see.”

He also emphasized that viewers should resist the urge to “pause” or “skip” scenes. “If I had to give one tip,” the director said, “it would be to simply sit through the entire film.” He continued, “It’s hard to say definitively, but I think people nowadays assume it’s okay to fast-forward or skip parts of movies. A film like *Possible Love* shouldn’t be watched that way.”

He continued, “You have to align the time in the movie with your own time; watching a movie means experiencing the time within the film.” He added, “Once you start watching it that way, I believe you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself, feel a lot, and even find it enjoyable. Please just have a little patience.”

“Possible Love” was released in select theaters about 40 days before its official premiere. This was necessary to meet the eligibility criteria for South Korea’s submission in the International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards, which requires the film to be screened in its country of production for a certain period. “Possible Love” drew more than 230,000 viewers over approximately two weeks during the Chuseok holiday, achieving a meaningful result despite the limited screening period and number of theaters.

Director Lee also reflected, “I think the box office performance this time was excellent.” He added, “This was the first time Netflix Korea had a Netflix Original premiere in theaters. I believe it served as a pilot case demonstrating how streaming services can coexist with theatrical films.”

Some in the industry expressed regret that director Lee Chang-dong, a master of the film world, had turned to OTT. Director Lee stated, “We shouldn’t influence or take away from the distribution of theatrical films. We released the film in a way that didn’t cause any disruption and used this as a pilot project to transition to Netflix streaming.”

He continued, “If I had to put it that way, I’m taking the lead to open up a little possibility within the opportunities given to me,” adding, “It’s about using Netflix to showcase films with unique character—even if they aren’t commercial films—and opening up the possibility of reaching a global audience.”

The film is being mentioned as a contender for Best Picture, and lead actress Jeon Do-yeon is being discussed for Best Actress. However, the director said, “It’s still difficult. I think people are under a false impression because of the ‘Parasite’ effect,” adding, “A massive success like ‘Parasite’ is unlikely to happen again anytime soon.”

He continued, “Although the Academy has introduced reforms and is implementing various inclusive policies, the barriers are still very high. We (Korean cinema) are, in fact, latecomers.”

He smiled and remarked, “It hasn’t even been two months since the film premiered at Venice. We have to start running from here on out, and it’s really tough.”

When asked if he had any expectations, he replied, “I have no idea. I don’t know how much of a tangible impact our efforts will have going forward.” He added, “In any case, I have to do my best. Since I was selected to represent Korea, I have to do my best—not so that I or anyone else can win an award, but because the people who worked together on this film gave it their all.”

With *Possible Love*, Director Lee reunited with Jeon Do-yeon (*Secret Sunshine*) and Seol Kyung-gu (*Peppermint Candy*, *Oasis*). He worked with Jo In-sung and Jo Yeo-jeong for the first time on *Possible Love*.

Jeon Do-yeon and Seol Kyung-gu hold a special place in Director Lee’s heart. He described the two as “like brothers, like friends.” He drew laughter when he remarked, “They’ve both gained a lot of experience over the years, and our relationship has loosened up a bit over the past 20 years. We don’t even have the energy to fight anymore.”

“In a word, they’ve become freer. I liked that freedom,” he said, expressing his affection. “It was a joy to watch them live as those characters in front of the camera within that freedom. Rather than thinking, ‘They’re great actors,’ I found myself thinking, ‘They really know how to live.’” He added, “It felt like I was discovering the characters Mi-ok and Ho-seok myself.”

Regarding Jo In-sung and Jo Yeo-jeong, with whom he worked for the first time, he said, “They created such a great atmosphere that I felt at ease. It was a situation where we helped and inspired each other.” He continued, “I suppose I, too, became more relaxed and free.”

I wanted to ask Director Lee Chang-dong about the meaning behind the title *Possible Love*. He explained, “I thought it might be a bit difficult. But at the same time, I thought it would prompt people to ask questions. I thought it would make them wonder, ‘What is possible love?’ I believe it could serve as a key to understanding this film.”

“Possible Love” was recognized for its artistic merit by becoming the first Korean film to win the Grand Jury Prize (Silver Lion) at the Venice International Film Festival, one of the world’s three major film festivals. It also garnered attention from the international film community by winning the TIFF Ebert Director Award at the Toronto International Film Festival’s Tribute Awards and the Otter Award at the Mill Valley Film Festival.