On the afternoon of November 10, an interview with Jo In Sung, the lead actor of the Netflix film Possible Love, was held at a cafe on Samcheong-ro in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
Possible Love, directed by Lee Chang Dong, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Oh Jung Mi, is produced by Pinehouse Film, Anonymous Content, and Nowfilm, with Netflix as its streaming provider and NEW handling distribution. The film follows two married couples: a laid-off worker and his wife, and a documentary filmmaker and her husband. When they meet to make a documentary, they are confronted with one another’s very different lives and hidden desires. It marks the first feature film in eight years from acclaimed director Lee Chang Dong, whose previous works include Green Fish, Peppermint Candy, Oasis, Secret Sunshine, Poetry, and Burning.
In September, Lee Chang Dong received the Grand Jury Prize, also known as the Silver Lion, at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, which concluded that month. The award is considered the festival’s second-highest honor, following the Golden Lion. It marked the first time in 14 years that a Korean film had won a prize in the festival’s competition section, following director Kim Ki Duk’s Golden Lion victory for Pietà in 2012. It was also the first time a Korean filmmaker had received the Grand Jury Prize. Lee Chang Dong, who previously won the Silver Lion for Best Direction with Oasis in 2002, thus celebrated another major achievement at Venice 24 years later. Meanwhile, both domestic and international media outlets have predicted that Possible Love could receive a Best Picture nomination at the 98th Academy Awards in March next year, while Jeon Do Yeon is tipped as a potential Best Actress nominee.
In the film, Jo In Sung plays Sang Woo, a wealthy man born into privilege and the husband of Ye Ji. He stars alongside Jeon Do Yeon, Sul Kyung Gu, and Cho Yeo Jeong. He reunites with Jeon Do Yeon for the first time in 23 years since they appeared together in the 2003 SBS drama Shoot for the Stars. Since February this year, Jo In Sung has maintained an exceptionally busy schedule, appearing in three films: Humint, directed by Ryoo Seung Wan; Hope, directed by Na Hong Jin; and Possible Love. He is also currently filming the second season of Disney+’s Moving. His frequent collaborations with acclaimed filmmakers have even earned him the nickname “director collector.”
Recently, Jo In Sung won Best Actor at the 46th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards for his performance in Hope. At the ceremony, he was seen chatting animatedly and sharing a warm hug with Hyun Bin, who won the Best Actor award in the OTT series category. Their close interaction caught viewers’ attention. Since the two actors had never appeared in the same production, many netizens wondered, “How exactly did these two actors become so close?”
Jo In Sung explained, “Hyun Bin and I were just having an ordinary conversation. Bin is a younger actor I really like, and I sincerely support him as a fellow actor. There’s no reason for us not to be close. (Laughs) Although we’ve never worked together, we used to attend the same gathering when the late senior actor Ahn Sung Ki was still alive. We were among the youngest members. I was the youngest at first, and Bin joined afterward. The late Ahn Sung Ki was the chairman of that group.”
Jo In Sung also attracted attention at Netflix’s 10th anniversary celebration when he carried actor Koo Kyo Hwan on his back. Explaining how the moment happened, he said, “Kyo Hwan and Bin are the same age, as far as I know. Kyo Hwan was standing behind me at the time, and he was up quite high. He said, ‘I really want to get on your back, hyung.’ Woo Seok was standing nearby, so we took a photo together. The photographer told us to pose freely, so I asked, ‘Kyo Hwan, do you want me to carry you?’ He said yes, so I immediately gave him a piggyback ride.” His behind-the-scenes story brought laughter.
Meanwhile, Possible Love was released in select theaters in September before becoming available worldwide on Netflix on November 6 in more than 190 countries and regions.
Sources: Nate