The Korean Film Council has selected Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice as South Korea’s entry for the Best International Feature category at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards.

No Other Choice stars Lee Byung-hun as a man who turns to desperate measures after losing his job. The cast also includes Son Yejin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won and Yoo Yeon-seok.

The film premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year, where it drew rave reviews. Neon holds North American rights to the film, which is financed and produced by CJ ENM.

The distributor and studio previously partnered on Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, which won four Academy Awards in 2020, including Best Picture.

According to Deadline, the selection committee comprised producer Kwak Sin-ae (Parasite), Producers’ Guild of Korea president Lee Dong-ha (Train To Busan), director Shin Su-won and actor Jang Hye-jin (Parasite).

In a statement, the committee said the film was “considered the most competitive film among all entries, across all criteria” and described it as “a highly polished black comedy, where the protagonist’s antisocial behavior, driven by his desire for home, becomes compelling.”

They added it was “the film that stands out for its outstanding quality and excellent performances”, Deadline reported.

Park’s previous film, Decision To Leave, won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 and made the Oscars’ International Feature shortlist the same year but did not advance to the final nominations.