Netflix is about to test a rare release strategy with Possible Love, a new Korean movie from acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong. Instead of going straight to streaming, this adults-only drama will open in Korean theaters first, then arrive on Netflix worldwide, a hybrid plan that could reshape how Korean films are financed, released and discovered.
On the surface, Possible Love is a prestige title with an all star cast. Underneath, it is a case study in how global platforms and local cinemas might learn to share the same movie, especially at a time when Korean filmmakers are feeling the squeeze of shrinking budgets and cautious investors.
What Netflix’s ‘Possible Love’ Actually Is
Possible Love is Lee Chang-dong’s seventh feature film and his first new work in eight years. The 164 minute drama, the longest he has ever directed, has an adults-only rating in Korea for direct depictions of nudity and sexual acts, and it tackles the lives of laid off workers alongside themes of love, loss, trauma and the slow repair of human relationships.
The story follows two married couples who seem to live in completely different worlds until a chance encounter pulls their lives together. From there, small cracks in their daily routines widen into emotional entanglements, the kind of intimate, slow burn storytelling that has made Lee a favorite at major film festivals.
The cast and characters underline how seriously Netflix is taking this project:
- Jeon Do-yeon as Mi-ok, reuniting with Lee after winning Best Actress at Cannes for Secret Sunshine
- Sol Kyung-gu as Ha-seok, another long time Lee collaborator from Peppermint Candy and Oasis
- Zo In-sung as Sang-woo, a recognizable star for both Korean and international audiences
- Cho Yeo-jeong as Ye-ji, known globally for playing the wealthy Park family mother in Parasite
Lee co wrote the screenplay with Oh Jung-mi, and his track record includes Green Fish, Poetry, Oasis and Burning, the latter a Cannes favorite that won prizes and was nominated for the Palme d’Or. That festival pedigree is a big part of why the release of this Possible Love Netflix Korean movie is being watched so closely.
Why This Korean Movie Is Getting A Theatrical Run Before Netflix
Possible Love was originally conceived as a traditional theatrical film before financing challenges helped steer it toward Netflix backing. Instead of dropping it straight onto the platform, Netflix has chosen a theatrical release in Korea in the third quarter of 2026, followed by a global Netflix launch in the fourth quarter.
Netflix has used this kind of limited theatrical window before for prestige films like Roma, The Irishman, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Frankenstein, but it is still unusual for a Korean Netflix backed title. Bong Joon Ho’s Okja set an early precedent in 2017, while most Korean movies produced for Netflix since then have gone directly to streaming without a theatrical stop.
A key reason is awards and festival strategy. To qualify for the Academy Awards, a film must have a public theatrical release in its home country and run for at least seven consecutive days. A theatrical run also helps build buzz in the press and on the festival circuit before the movie appears on Netflix. With Lee’s history at Cannes and other major festivals, Possible Love looks designed to travel that route, even if its actual awards outcome remains to be seen.
How ‘Possible Love’ Could Shape The Future Of Korean Films For Global Fans
The stakes go beyond one director’s comeback. Korea’s film industry is facing shrinking investment, fewer greenlit projects and audiences that are harder to pull into theaters. That environment makes it tougher to finance risky work, especially a 164 minute, adults-only drama about laid off workers and messy middle aged relationships.
Streaming platforms have stepped in as a stabilizing force, offering more predictable production conditions and instant global distribution. Netflix has publicly committed to a large slate of Korean projects, with 29 titles planned for 2025, and titles like its original KPop Demon Hunters have already shown that streamer backed projects can compete with traditional theatrical films for festival slots and awards attention.
By giving Possible Love both a theatrical launch and a guaranteed home on Netflix, the company is testing a model that could become a new norm for ambitious Korean cinema. Theaters provide local prestige and eligibility for prizes, while Netflix delivers the long tail of global viewers who discovered Korean storytelling through series like Squid Game and now want deeper, more challenging films as well.
For US based fans, that could mean seeing more Korean auteur movies move through a two step path: a limited theatrical or festival run in select cities, followed by a global Netflix release that makes them easy to watch at home. Whether viewers end up catching Possible Love in a theater or waiting for the platform drop, its hybrid rollout will be a key indicator of how many bold, adult rated Korean stories reach the world in the years ahead.