"Possible Love" is director Lee Chang-dong's first feature since 2018's "Burning," premiering in Korean theaters September 23, 2026, as a Netflix original ahead of its streaming release, and stars Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Jo In-sung, and Jo Yeo-jeong as two couples whose lives collide and expose each other's hidden desires. Combining multiple Korean entertainment outlets, the film competed for the Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, where its premiere drew a seven-minute standing ovation and some of the strongest early critical reception of any Korean film in recent memory.
Story
The film follows Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu), a laid-off worker still dealing with the aftereffects of a general strike and its violent suppression, and his wife Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon). Their lives become entangled with documentary director Ye-ji (Jo Yeo-jeong), who wants to film the couple, and her wealthy husband Sang-woo (Jo In-sung). As the two couples' worlds overlap, each character comes to recognize how different their lives truly are from one another, while confronting desires they'd kept hidden even from themselves.
Cast
Jeon Do-yeon plays Mi-ok, Sul Kyung-gu plays Ho-seok, Jo In-sung plays Sang-woo, and Jo Yeo-jeong plays Ye-ji, marking Jo Yeo-jeong's first film collaboration with Lee Chang-dong as well as her first project working alongside Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, and Jo In-sung. Jo Yu-ri also appears in the film, marking her first film role. Jeon Do-yeon and Jo In-sung previously worked together in the 2002 drama series "Shoot For the Stars," making this their second collaboration.
Festival Reception
"Possible Love" held its world premiere at the Sala Grande theater during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on August 6, 2026, in competition for the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion. The screening ended with a reported seven-minute standing ovation, and early reviews were overwhelmingly positive — the film held a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes shortly after its premiere. The Hollywood Reporter described Lee Chang-dong's work as restoring a sense of ideal festival atmosphere through a film widely discussed as a potential masterpiece, while IndieWire highlighted Jeon Do-yeon's performance as another landmark turn less than twenty years after she first worked with the director on "Secret Sunshine." Beyond Venice, the film has also been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival's Special Presentations section, the New York Film Festival's Main Slate, San Sebastián, the Zurich Film Festival's Gala Premiere section, the BFI London Film Festival's Gala section, and the Vancouver International Film Festival's Special Presentations section.
Possible Love at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Theatrical Release | September 23, 2026 (Korea) |
| Director | Lee Chang-dong |
| Lead Cast | Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Jo In-sung, Jo Yeo-jeong |
| Distribution | Netflix (limited theatrical release ahead of streaming) |
| Festival Status | Venice Film Festival competition selection; Toronto, New York, and other major festival selections |
| Director's Prior Feature | "Burning" (2018) |
FAQ
Is "Possible Love" a theatrical release or a streaming film?
Both — it's a Netflix original film that receives a limited Korean theatrical release starting September 23, 2026, ahead of its eventual streaming release.
How long has it been since Lee Chang-dong's last film?
"Possible Love" is his first feature since "Burning," which released in 2018 — a gap of roughly eight years.
How was the film received at its Venice premiere?
Very positively — the screening drew a reported seven-minute standing ovation, and early reviews from outlets including The Hollywood Reporter and IndieWire were highly favorable, particularly toward Jeon Do-yeon's performance.
Sources: The Kyunghyang Shinmun, Sisa Week, and Korean Wikipedia's entry for "Possible Love."