Director Park Chan Wook has once again proven his mastery over cinema, smashing his own personal records with his latest film, ‘No Other Choice‘.
According to data from Box Office Mojo, the film officially surpassed the $10 million USD (approximately 14.65 billion KRW) mark in cumulative North American box office revenue as of February 28, 2026. This is a monumental achievement for the renowned director, marking the first time one of his films has crossed the $10 million threshold in the region.
To put this success into perspective, ‘No Other Choice’ has blown past Park’s previous highest-grossing film in North America, the cult classic ‘Oldboy‘ (2003), which garnered $2.4 million USD during its original run. The massive gap between these figures highlights the exploding popularity of Korean cinema in the West.
CJ ENM, the film’s distributor, celebrated the milestone, stating, “In a market where non-English-language films face barriers to entry, this is a clear example of the global potential of Korean cinema.” They further noted that the movie has successfully attracted not just K-movie enthusiasts but general audiences as well, driven by strong word-of-mouth reviews.
The film itself is a gripping black comedy starring Lee Byung Hun, following a man fighting a desperate ‘war of reemployment’ to protect his home and family after losing his job. Since its release, it has maintained a stellar 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critics are raving, with Film Threat calling it “thrilling to the very end,” and Original Sin praising the “meticulous cinematography and compelling performances.” If you haven’t seen it yet, the numbers suggest you’re missing out on a modern classic!
