Possible Love

Ganeunghan Sarang (2026), internationally known as Possible Love, is a compelling South Korean romantic drama directed by acclaimed filmmaker Lee Chang-dong, marking his highly anticipated return to filmmaking after Burning (2018). Starring Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong, this emotionally layered Korean film explores love, marriage, social inequality, personal struggles, hidden desires, and the complicated relationships that shape human lives. Set against the contrasting realities of two married couples, Possible Love (2026) delivers an intimate and thought-provoking cinematic experience that examines the boundaries between happiness, loneliness, empathy, and desire.

The story follows Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon), a woman living a modest life with her unemployed husband Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu) and their young son. Their already difficult circumstances become more complicated when they encounter Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a documentary filmmaker interested in exploring the lives of workers affected by employment struggles. Alongside her wealthy husband Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), Ye-ji introduces the family to a completely different world of privilege, comfort, and opportunity. What begins as a documentary project gradually develops into an unexpected connection between the two couples, bringing their contrasting lifestyles and personal experiences closer together.

As their relationships become increasingly intertwined, hidden emotions, unspoken frustrations, jealousy, attraction, and deeply buried resentments begin to emerge. Mi-ok finds herself drawn towards a life that feels completely different from her own, while the relationships between the four adults become increasingly complicated. Through these encounters, the film examines the differences between wealth and poverty, the emotional consequences of unemployment, the complexities of marriage, and the difficult choices people make when confronted with desires they cannot easily understand. Each character carries personal struggles and conflicting motivations, creating an atmosphere of psychological tension and emotional uncertainty.

Directed by Lee Chang-dong and featuring powerful performances from Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong, Possible Love (2026) is a sophisticated Korean romantic drama about relationships, human desires, social class, and the search for genuine happiness. Recognized at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival, where it received the Grand Jury Prize, the movie offers a meaningful exploration of modern relationships and the complicated nature of love. With its compelling storytelling, mature themes, remarkable performances, and distinctive Korean cinema atmosphere, Ganeunghan Sarang is an intriguing choice for viewers who appreciate emotionally rich South Korean movies, psychological relationship dramas, and thought-provoking international films.

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) has submitted films to compete for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film since 1962. The award is handed out annually by the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue.

As of 2026, South Korea won once for Parasite (2019), which was also the first film not in English to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Every year, each country is invited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to submit its best film for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The International Feature Film Committee oversees the process and reviews all the submitted films. Following this, they vote via secret ballot to determine the five nominees for the award.

The Korean nominee is chosen annually by a special committee assembled by the Korean Film Council.

Shin Sang-ok and Lee Chang-dong are the most submitted filmmakers with four films selected each. Shin later became internationally famous after he was held hostage in North Korea between 1978 and 1986, and forced to make movies for Kim Jong Il. Seven other filmmakers (Lee Doo-yong, Kim Ki-duk, Kim Tae-kyun, Lee Joon-ik, Jang Hoon, Bong Joon Ho and Park Chan-wook), have had two of their films selected.

Bong Joon Ho's Parasite (2019) was the first Korean film to be nominated in the category. It won four Academy Awards, including: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film, alongside nominations for Best Film Editing and Best Production Design. As of 2026, the film remains the only non-English language Best Picture winner.

Burning (2018), Decision to Leave (2022), and No Other Choice (2025), advanced to the December shortlists, but were not nominated.

All the films submitted are primary in Korean. Below is a list of the films that have been submitted by South Korea for review by the Academy for the award since its conception.

• List of Academy Award winners and nominees for Best International Feature Film
• List of Academy Award-winning foreign language films
• Cinema of Korea
• In the Absence

• The Official Academy Awards Database
• The Motion Picture Credits Database
• IMDb Academy Awards Page

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