[Exclusive] Director Lee Changdong Returns After 7 Years... Jeon Doyeon, Sol Kyunggu, and Zo Insung Join Cast

Filming for "Possible Love" May Begin as Early as September
"Part of Production Budget to Be Provided from France"

Director Lee Changdong will take the helm of a feature film for the first time in seven years since "Burning" (2018).

Director Lee Changdong Visiting Jeonju International Film Festival Photo by Yonhap News

According to the film industry on May 19, filming for his new project "Possible Love" is expected to begin as early as September. The goal is to wrap up shooting by the end of this year, with post-production scheduled for completion in the first half of next year.

This film passed the preliminary review for the "Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support" program by the Korean Film Council, which concluded on April 23. Preparations for filming are being conducted in strict secrecy, with only Lee's closest associates aware of the details. The final list of projects selected for support under this program will be announced in early June.

In the list of projects that passed the preliminary review, released by the Korean Film Council, this film is classified as an "international co-production." A film industry insider stated, "A French distributor and production company will provide a portion of the production budget, aiming to submit the film to the Cannes International Film Festival next year." Lee Joon-dong, CEO of Pinehouse Film and Lee Changdong's younger brother, commented, "The project is still in its early stages," adding, "All possibilities remain open."

Movie 'Miryang' Still Cut

For the lead roles in this film, Director Lee has cast Jeon Doyeon, Sol Kyunggu, and Zo Insung. Jeon Doyeon delivered a delicate portrayal of a soul crushed by pain in Lee's "Miryang" (2007), becoming the first Korean actor to win the Best Actress award at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2007. At the time, Lee praised her, saying, "She is an actress who is hard to define or fit into a set mold. She expresses a wide range of emotions with such delicacy that it is difficult to categorize her."

For Sol Kyunggu, working with Director Lee was nothing short of a turning point in his film career. He quickly rose to stardom through his realistic performances in "Peppermint Candy" (2000) and "Oasis" (2002). At a 2018 event commemorating the re-release of "Peppermint Candy," Lee remarked, "I never told him he was doing well during filming, but I always trusted and relied on him. Meeting an actor like Sol Kyunggu was a great fortune for me."

Movie still cut from "Peppermint Candy"

Zo Insung has entered a new heyday, showcasing a wide acting spectrum in works such as "The King" (2017), "Escape from Mogadishu" (2021), and "Moving" (2023). This will be his first time working directly with Director Lee. However, he previously experienced Lee's influence indirectly by appearing in "Anshiseong" (2018), directed by Kim Kwangsik, who was an assistant director for "Oasis." At the time, Zo Insung commented, "Perhaps because Director Lee Changdong reviewed the script, there were many great lines."

Director Lee is a globally acclaimed master who has created a diverse array of masterpieces. Based on unembellished realism, he poses profound questions about life and society. Sean Baker, director of "Anora," which won five Academy Awards this year, even cited Lee as "the most respected director."

Movie 'Anshiseong' Still Cut

His career began as a novelist. While working as a high school Korean language teacher, his short story "War Trophy" was selected in the Dong-A Ilbo New Year's Literary Contest in 1983, marking the start of his literary activities. He later received critical acclaim for works such as "Soji" (1987) and "There Is a Lot of Dung at Nokcheon" (1992), which reflected the perspectives of ordinary people.

He made his directorial debut with the film "Green Fish" in 1997. With "Peppermint Candy" in 2000, he became a leading director in Chungmuro, and in 2002, he won the Best Director award at the Venice International Film Festival for "Oasis." In 2003, he briefly served as Minister of Culture and Tourism. With "Miryang" in 2007, he rose to the ranks of world-renowned masters, and in 2010, he won the Best Screenplay award at the Cannes International Film Festival for "Poetry."

In February of this year, he published his first collection of short stories in English, "Snowy Day and Other Stories," which garnered international attention. Penguin Books, the American publisher behind the release, commented, "Originally published in Korea in the 1980s and translated into English for the first time in 2025, these outstanding stories explore injustice and betrayal, vividly depicting the conflicts between family members, the strong and the weak, and those who wish to preserve versus those who wish to change."