Home / Arts and Entertainment / Park Chan Wook: From 'Asia Extremes' to Global Stardom
Park Chan Wook: From 'Asia Extremes' to Global Stardom
18 Jan
Summary
- Filmmaker Park Chan Wook humorously blames British distributors for 'Asia Extremes' label.
- His film 'No Other Choice' critiques capitalism and explores relatable moral dilemmas.
- Park expresses concern over the current dangerous state of the Korean film industry.
Director Park Chan Wook humorously recalls how British distributors labeled his early films like 'Oldboy' as 'Asia Extremes.' He notes that his international recognition naturally moved him beyond such niche categories, though he never actively tried to escape them, simply continuing his distinctive filmmaking style.
Now 62, Park's latest film, 'No Other Choice,' adapted from Donald Westlake's novel, is a Korean-set story of a paper manufacturing employee who embarks on a murder spree after professional redundancy. The film offers a critique of capitalism and explores the relatable moral dilemmas of ordinary people making selfish or even evil decisions.
Park expresses significant concern for the Korean film industry's current dangerous state, attributing it to a cycle of declining theater attendance and reduced investment in bolder stories by investors. He notes that 'No Other Choice' has found significant success internationally, becoming the second-highest-grossing Korean film ever in the US.
