Lee Chang-dong returns with new film Possible Love

Director Lee Chang-dong has released his new film, Possible Love, marking his first work in eight years since the psychological thriller Burning. The film is inspired by a 2009 incident in South Korea involving mass layoffs at a car factory and the subsequent suppression of a metal workers' union strike.

The story follows a married couple, Ho-seok and Mi-ok, living in a small industrial town two years after a similar tragedy. Ho-seok, a welder struggling with alcoholism and the psychological aftermath of his termination, and his supportive wife, Mi-ok, encounter Ye-ji, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, and her wealthy husband, Sang-woo.

Through Ye-ji’s documentary project regarding systemic layoffs and corporate restructuring, the film explores themes of class warfare, empathy, and the emotional toll of economic instability. The production features an ensemble cast including Sul Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon, Cho Yeo-jeong, and Zo In-sung.