Park Chan-wook's ‘No Other Choice,' Starring Lee Byung-hun, to Open Busan Film Festival
No Other Choice stars Lee and beloved Korean actress Son Ye-jin as a married couple struggling to hold their family together amid mounting economic desperation. The film follows Man-su (Lee), a once-content middle-class family man who is abruptly laid off from his job, sending him into a spiral of anxiety and desperation. As he scrambles to regain employment and preserve the life he's built, his wife Miri (Son) becomes equally determined to protect their children and home at any cost.
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The project reunites Park with various longtime collaborators and introduces a fresh pairing in its leads — marking the first time Lee and Son, two of Korea's most celebrated stars, have appeared as a couple onscreen. The supporting cast includes Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran and Cha Seung-won.
No Other Choice is based on Donald E. Westlake's novel The Ax, which was previously adapted to the screen in French by Costa-Gavras. Park first teased the project during a public appearance at BIFF in 2019, describing it as a long-in-the-making passion project he hoped would come to be seen as his 'masterpiece.' The director's many fans are anticipating his signature blend of muscular craftsmanship, elegant mise-en-scène, psychological intensity and moral ambiguity.
'I am deeply moved and excited to experience the premiere of Park Chan-wook's desired project alongside diverse audiences on the festival's opening day,' said BIFF festival director Jung Hanseok in a statement. 'I sincerely hope that its selection will build meaningful momentum to garner greater attention and foster renewed interest in Korean cinema.'
The selection of No Other Choice underscores BIFF's efforts to champion the vibrancy and global reach of contemporary Korean filmmaking during its landmark 30th anniversary edition, organizers say. The festival runs Sept. 17–26 in the southern port city of Busan.
No Other Choice is Park's first directorial effort since 2022's Decision to Leave, which won him the best director prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Neon has acquired North American distribution rights to the new film. A major awards season push is expected from the hit-making distributor after its breakthrough success with Bong Joon Ho's Parasite.
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Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Hong Kong Fabric Innovator Comfiknit Supports The Unified Diversity Fashion Show - SOROYURU in Osaka･Kansai Expo
Showcasing its Disruptive Textile Technology on a Global Stage & Celebrating Diversity and Interconnection HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 August 2025 - Hong Kong fabric innovator Comfiknit is proud to support the Unified Diversity Fashion Show - SOROYURU, which was held on August 8, 2025 at Expo2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. Adults and children from around the world gathered to showcase their respective cultures and -promoting textile technology in celebration of cultural diversity, sustainability, and inclusiveness. The Unified Diversity Fashion Show at Expo2025 Osaka-Kansai 'SOROYURU' - Transforming the Future of Fashion The Unified Diversity Fashion Show - SOROYURU took place at the Wasse Exhibition Hall, Expo 2025 Osaka. Models from Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, Italy, France, Jordan, Canada, and Liberia were dressed in fashionable ethnic costumes made of Comfiknit's fabrics, showcasing the beauty of SOROYURU. The pieces designed for the nine nations are diverse when some of the elements on one piece are partially matched with those on another, creating a subtle sense of interconnection. The collection channels the 'SOROYURU' concept, which extends beyond colours and patterns to encompass the resonance of thoughts, ideas, and directions, fostering a harmonious balance and showcasing the linkage/unity of diversity and empathy beyond race, gender, and culture from different parts of the world. The Japanese word 'soro' (soroeru) means 'gentle coordination' while 'yuru' refers to 'something loosened, relaxed, laid-back, or unpretentious'. Comfiknit has engaged in a collaboration with Japan's innovative SteAm Design House to promote the 'SOROYURU' concept, which is envisioned to lead the development of a future-proof sustainable fashion business. SteAm was founded by Sachiko Nakajima, the curator of the Jellyfish Pavilion. A SOROYURU Executive Committee has been formed to advance the mission, with the Unified Diversity Fashion Show as the kick-off event. Comfiknit: Clothing as A Means to Enhancing Wellbeing Hiroyuki Akahori ( 赤堀宏之), Co-founder of Comfiknit, said the fabric innovator is very proud to take part in the Expo2025 as a Hong Kong company, and sponsor the meaningful fashion show, which aligns with the company's endeavor to redefine the standards of well fashion for the next generation and beyond. 'Comfiknit takes a future-proof approach to clothing in response to the growing concern for wellbeing and sustainability. The patented proprietary technology of the Comfiknit multi-layer fabrics provides wearers with the ability to manage the micro-climate on their skin, offering supreme comfort and protection without compromising style. " Comfiknit has been working with top-notch institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US and Nagasaki University, Japan, to research the cooling properties of activewear fabrics and eczema-friendly fabrics. The event producer Sachiko Nakajima ( 中島幸子）remarked, 'The event is about co-creation with shared values, visions, and joint efforts in the selection and combination process. The process itself is a great experience in promoting empathy and connections. " Official Uniform Supplier of Jellyfish Pavilion Comfiknit is the official apparel supplier of the Jellyfish Pavilion of the Expo 2025 Osaka. The colorful uniform with varying, vibrant graphics is designed by a renowned Japanese fashion designer, Shinshiro Mizuno (水野 信四郎), and made of Comfiknit's sweat management fabric. Shinshiro Mizuno and Indonesian designer Thresia Mareta are the fashion show designers. Mizuno has worked with Givenchy, Hanaemori, Yuki Tori, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, and owner of his brand[fuse] and a Givenchy-licensed wedding gown brand. Mareta, an architect-turned-fashion designer, is the founder of sustainable design brand LAKON, with a mission to cultivate an ecosystem for craftspeople to transform and sustain their craftsmanship. Special Offering to Expo2025 Kansai Visitors A limited-edition SOROYURU T-shirt collection is featured at the pavilion. Visitors to Osaka can buy Comfiknit's Activewear and Daily wear, including the SOROYURU collection at: E Salon, 5/F Lucua Osaka ( 7-26 Aug ) 〒530-8558 Osaka, Kita Ward, Umeda, 3 Chome−1−3 Hashtag: #Comfiknit #SteAM #OsakaKansaiExpo #farbicinnovation #Soroyuru #fashion #diveristy #SDG The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About Comfiknit Comfiknit is a fabric innovator and spearhead of well fashion, dedicated to developing fabrics intelligence for skin microclimate management that makes our fabrics work in sync with the human body for optimal performance of evaporative cooling, moisturizing, protection and healing. Based in Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, Comfiknit presents a range of wellness-focused products: Active wear, Moisturizing Travel wear, Daily wear and Eczema-friendly clothing （ Eczewear ) About Jellyfish Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka The Jellyfish Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka is curated by musician, mathematician, and STEAM educator Sachiko Nakajima as a co-creation space that brings science, technology, and art together to work towards the goals of the Expo2025. Activities and performances promoting sustainable development and the enhancement of well-being from different parts of the world are broadcast on the 360-degree screen in the pavilion. Thematic talks are held there every day. 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Forbes
3 hours ago
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K-Pop Label MODHAUS Nets $15 Million Investment Before Boy Band Idntt
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The funding is less about a traditional label model and more about a bet on a fan and platform-first strategy. Investors point to MODHAUS's Cosmo ecosystem — a direct-to-consumer fandom platform where fans vote on music releases, creative concepts and group units to influence the artists' content — as a scalable differentiator that turns fan armies into active partners in IP creation. To date, Cosmo reports accumulating roughly 350,000 users with about 150,000 monthly active users. Cosmo has also issued more than 10 million of its platform-exclusive digital photocards (what the company calls 'Objekts') representing its unique twist on K-pop fan behavior of buying multiple copies of album packages to collect more photocards. 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'ARTMS already has a large international fanbase and through the recent 'A Live 25' shows, the full 24-member lineup of tripleS met their Asian fans for the first time. Additionally, idntt is set to complete its 24-member lineup by the first half of next year and plans to launch large-scale promotions in partnership with a major global distributor. At such a crucial moment, we are pleased that this new investment will empower all our artists to push forward with greater momentum and scalability.' Notably, ARTMS' releases are distributed in the U.S. by Sony Music's independent arm The Orchard, bringing both the group's 2024 full-length album DALL and 2025 Club Icarus EP to major U.S. retailers and helping them land on Billboard's World Albums chart. Before MODHAUS' Series B investment round, its initial seed round was led by blockchain-specialized investment firm Hashed, with major Korean-entertainment players like Naver D2SF, CJ Investment and SM Culture Partners also joining as major investors. In July earlier this year, Jaden Jeong told Forbes that the company was actively hiring and 'needs more staff' beyond its 120 employees, hoping to find 'many people who are crazy about K-pop.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
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Yinhekuyu Media denies breaching contract with Jessie Zhang
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