Son Ye-jin showcases attention to detail in ‘No Other Choice’

Park Chan-wook’s new film “No Other Choice” portrays a breadwinner pushed out of work who spirals to extremes in his fight to protect his family and home, weaving black comedy with social satire. Within the director’s precise framing and cool rhythm, it is actor Son Ye-jin who fills the screen with the warmth of everyday life. The collision between the film’s harsh logic and its human temperature sparks to life wherever she appears. Son plays Mi-ri, the emotional counterweight to her husband Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), whose moods swing from acceleration to sudden stops. With the smallest pause, a fleeting glance or a shift in breath, she conveys emotions that feel possible in real life. North American critics have noted that Mi-ri grounds the film’s cynicism in human resonance, calling her character an “emotional lever that turns the satirical tragedy back into a human story.” The persuasiveness of the role lies in its details. Son is said to have urged early in the script process that the character’s choices be made clear enough for audiences to relate to. In the finished fWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times