Eight years have passed since the release of Burning. But Lee Chang-dong is finally back. Driven by massive anticipation, his upcoming project—Possible Love—secured theatrical release dates this fall ahead of a Netflix drop. Instead of pushing a straight-to-streaming launch, distributors carved out a traditional cinema window.
South Korean theaters get the movie on September 23, 2026. Fans in Australia will gain access on October 22. Just a day later on October 23, audiences in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Japan can watch the film in cinemas. Netflix will distribute the title globally on November 6, according to recent schedule confirmations.
This theatrical rollout follows a heavy festival circuit. During a massive September push, the movie will compete for the Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. And the selection acts as a historic festival return. Lee hasn’t appeared at the Italian event in 24 years. Possible Love travels to North America shortly after. It screens in the Special Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival.
Production materials describe the cast as “one of the biggest ensembles of powerhouse Korean talent”. Playing a woman named Mi-ok, Jeon Do-yeon anchors the roster. Sul Kyung-gu portrays her unemployed husband, Ho-seok. A wealthy filmmaker named Ye-ji is played by Cho Yeo-jeong. Zo In-sung completes the core group as Ye-ji’s spouse Sang-woo. The narrative explores class tension when Ye-ji decides to shoot a documentary about laid-off workers. Her artistic pursuit forces the two couples together. Their different worlds collide. So the characters must confront the very trauma they are running from.
Other regional productions like the Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 sequel target summer audiences. Lee favors intense drama instead. He doesn’t rush his artistic process. The director recently offered insight into the massive production timeline. “I’m not the type of filmmaker who can make movies easily,” he stated. “Before I begin a film, I must be certain of what it means — to me, to the audience, and to cinema itself. That is why Possible Love took so long to make.” A newly released poster shows Mi-ok and Ye-ji standing beneath moonlit trees at dawn to highlight this uneasy tone. The dark image creates an unsettling atmosphere.
A 24-Year Absence Raises the Prestige Cinema Stakes
Lee last competed at Venice during the 59th festival in 2002. He won five awards that year for his work on Oasis. He even secured the Silver Lion for Best Director. His return to the Lido places Possible Love at the center of the 2026 awards conversation. Netflix is clearly using the October theatrical window to qualify the movie for major international accolades. The company gains a huge advantage after locking prime festival placement before a digital release. Subscribers can expect an intense spotlight on the film before it even reaches their screens.