In the age of studio tentpoles and blockbusters focused on intellectual property, it’s rare to find true auteurs. Park Chan-wook can be classified as one of the few whose filmography is so singular and unique to themselves. His latest project, dark comedy No Other Choice, solidifies Park as one of contemporary cinema’s greatest directors.
Gracing the Palm Springs International Film Festival at the beginning of 2026, FILMHOUNDS had the chance to speak with Park on the opening night red carpet. A staple of his films is how Park deftly blends comedy and drama in singular moments, but he doesn’t see the two as different elements. “It’s not like a cocktail recipe where you’re thinking about so much percentage or drops or spoons of something”, he explains. “I’ve always considered them as [an] inseparable single entity… So that is my secret sauce to how I approach that.”
Park dives deeper into that approach, and shares his thoughts on Western media comparing No Other Choice to Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 masterpiece Parasite.
You can watch the full interview below:
No Other Choice screened at the 37th Palm Springs International Film Festival and releases in UK cinemas on 23 January.
