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Son Ye Jin revealed Park Chan Wook’s unexpectedly blunt reaction to her dance practice on No Other Choice, leaving the actress stunned despite months of preparation.

Son Ye Jin recalls Park Chan Wook’s blunt reaction on No Other Choice set.
Son Ye Jin is no stranger to challenging roles, but even she wasn’t prepared for director Park Chan Wook’s famously high standards. The Crash Landing on You star, who headlines his upcoming film No Other Choice, recently revealed that the celebrated filmmaker left her stunned with a surprisingly blunt comment during a scene that required her to dance.
Speaking at a production briefing in Yongsan, Seoul, on August 19, Son Ye Jin admitted that despite three months of intense practice, her performance didn’t impress the Oldboy director. “The director told me, ‘I thought you’d be better since you said you practised so much,’” she recalled. “Inside, I was like, ‘How could he say that to me?’ I had practised for nearly three months.”
Park Chan Wook’s Brutal Honesty
According to Son Ye Jin, Park Chan Wook didn’t hold back his reaction, further remarking that her months of effort didn’t seem to show in the final result. The actress admitted that the comment took her by surprise, highlighting just how demanding the acclaimed director can be with his cast, regardless of their experience or stature.
The dance sequence in question was ultimately cut from the production, but the moment underscored the intense environment on set and Park’s determination to bring out nothing short of perfection from his actors. “It doesn’t really show,” the director reportedly told her, leaving the actress both shocked and amused in retrospect.
A Big-Screen Return for Son Ye Jin
No Other Choice marks Son Ye Jin’s much-awaited return to cinema following her marriage to fellow actor Hyun Bin and the birth of their son in 2022. The film also stars Park Hee Soon, Lee Byung Hun, Lee Sung Min, Yeom Hye Ran, and Cha Seung Won, with the entire ensemble joining Park and Son at the press event.
While the actress laughed off the memory during the briefing, the incident is a reminder of Park Chan Wook’s uncompromising standards—something that has earned him international acclaim. Known for masterpieces like Oldboy and The Handmaiden, Park continues to challenge his actors, pushing them beyond their limits to achieve the vision he imagines.
No Other Choice is set to have its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2025, and anticipation is already sky-high. For Son Ye Jin, the project is more than just a comeback—it’s another test of resilience under one of Korea’s most exacting filmmakers.
Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, …Read More
Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, … Read More
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Seoul, South Korea