It’s been a long, silent stretch since Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” lit up Cannes back in 2018— seven years, to be exact. But the revered South Korean auteur of melancholic realism is ready to return behind the camera.
I previously reported that “Possible Love” would mark Lee’s first feature since his seven-year hiatus. Jeon Do-yeon, Seol Kyung-gu, and Jo In-sung are set to star. The shoot kicked off this summer, with post-production eyed for completion during the first half of 2026.
The story involves “two couples whose vastly different lifestyles create unexpected intersections, leading to disruptions in their seemingly stable routines.” Those are the breadcrumbs we’ve been given for now, and I don’t expect much else to be revealed any time soon.
With that said, you can forget a bow at Cannes, which has been the go-to spot for the filmmaker to premiere his films. Korean media was reporting that Netflix has hopped onboard and basically saved the project after one of the producers inexplicably backed out. It’s now been officially confirmed as a Netflix original.
Cannes and Netflix haven’t been playing nice since 2018, when the festival banned films without a French theatrical release from competing for the Palme d’Or.
The issue? France’s strict 36-month window between theatrical and streaming — something Netflix won’t agree to. Rather than bend, Netflix pulled its films altogether, opting for Venice and TIFF instead as their go-to’s. So unless something changes, don’t expect “Possible Love” anywhere near the Croisette next year.
Regardless, “Burning” — arguably Lee’s best — capped off a run that includes “Poetry,” “Secret Sunshine,” and “Peppermint Candy,” all critical darlings in their own right. Netflix or not, this one’s shaping up to be a major event for international cinema in 2026.
Turns out, there’s a much more sexual version of “One Night Only,” with lots of sex and nudity, that never made it to theaters. The film’s director, Will Gluck, blames audience discomfort for the cuts.