Korean Film 'Possible Love' Wins Global Praise With Story of Class Divide

A new film by renowned South Korean director Lee Chang-dong, returning after eight years, is drawing wide attention. After a theatrical run in October, his film 'Possible Love' recently arrived on Netflix, and since its release on November 6 it has generated a strong response from audiences and critics.

The film has been selected as South Korea's entry in the international feature film category for the 2027 Academy Awards, placing it at the centre of awards discussion as well as audience interest soon after its release.

'Possible Love' tells a psychological story of class inequality. At its centre are two couples from different classes. A wealthy filmmaker couple wants to make a documentary about the daily life of a worker couple from a closed factory.

As the work proceeds, the relationship among the four people gradually takes on a strange, complex and psychological form. Because of this portrayal of class division, many are comparing the film with the 2019 Oscar winner 'Parasite'.

On the popular review site Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 98 percent 'Fresh' rating. Many viewers and critics are calling it the best film of the year.

Rolling Stone magazine described the film as 'a tragedy, a time bomb and the best film of 2026'. Daily Beast film critic Nick Shager wrote that it is probably the best film of this year.

Observer critic Wendy Ide praised the film's intellectual depth and outstanding acting. Well-known critic Peter Travers also recognised it as one of the best films of the year.

The film's biggest attraction is being seen as the performance of actress Jeon Do-yeon. The Hollywood Reporter and Vogue magazine predict she could receive an Oscar nomination for best actress for this film.

If that happens, Jeon Do-yeon would be the first South Korean actress nominated in that category. Discussion of her performance has continued since the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival last September.

At Venice, 'Possible Love' won the prestigious Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize.

In an interview with Vogue, Jeon Do-yeon said she was very happy that they were in the Oscar race and that people were talking about the film. She said she had watched the film again herself after it came to Netflix. In her words, 'Possible Love' is a film that leaves a different impression on each viewer, and audiences can interpret it in countless ways of their own. She said she was proud to hear so much discussion and praise for the film.