Netflix’s New Thriller from Old Boy’s Director is Officially a Global Streaming Hit

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A new thriller is topping streaming charts worldwide, but it’s currently hard to find on streaming services in North America. Often, films are released in theaters first to maximize profits before becoming available for streaming. This movie is a great example – it’s hugely popular on streaming platforms internationally, but U.S. viewers have to see it in theaters. And given that it’s directed by Park Chan-wook, the acclaimed director of Oldboy, it deserves to be seen on the big screen.

Park Chan-wook’s latest film, No Other Choice, is currently a popular streaming success, racking up over 1.4 million views worldwide. Fortunately, it’s also playing in theaters, and given Park Chan-wook’s acclaimed work, this is a movie best experienced on the big screen. No Other Choice is a darkly humorous thriller following a paper industry professional who plots to eliminate his rivals to maintain his lifestyle.

What Do You Need to Know About No Other Choice?

Park Chan-wook is known for his intense and often dark films, including acclaimed works like Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Lady Vengeance. He’s also explored unusual territory with movies like the vampire story Thirst, the gothic thriller Stoker, and the noir mystery Decision to Leave. His latest project is a darkly comedic thriller about a man desperate to keep his job to support his family.

I’m so glad everyone’s loving No Other Choice! The critics are really impressed, giving it a 97% ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences agree with a 93% score too. They’re especially praising Park Chan-wook’s direction and Lee Byung-Hun’s acting – one review called it a ‘wickedly clever takedown of the corporate rat race’ and highlighted how perfectly Lee Byung-Hun plays the part. Plus, it’s got an 86 on Metacritic, which basically means everyone agrees it’s fantastic!

Currently, the film is only showing in US theaters. While it’s too early to say if it will achieve the same success as the Oscar-winning Parasite, it shares a similar darkly comedic style – which is expected given director Park Chan-wook’s reputation. For fans of Chan-wook, this project was a long-held dream, taking nearly twenty years to secure the necessary funding.

Park Chan-wook first started planning this movie in 2009, intending to remake the 2005 French thriller The Axe, which was inspired by Donald Westlake’s 1997 novel, The Ax. He paused the project in 2013 when he got the opportunity to direct Stoker. He wanted to improve upon both the original novel and the previous film by adding more complexity to the moral questions and giving the protagonist’s wife a more significant role – and critics seem to agree he achieved that. The film is currently performing well on streaming services and has earned $36 million worldwide, including $9.2 million domestically, which will help fund Park’s future projects.

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2026-02-07 23:40