Will Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice" win Golden Lion at Venice?

Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook's latest work, "No Other Choice," has been drawing global acclaim after its first world premiere in Venice last Friday.

Our culture correspondent Park Kun-woo has more.

Twenty-years of effort have finally paid off.

That's how to describe Korean star director Park Chan-wook's latest film, "No Other Choice," which has been receiving global plaudits.

The movie holds a perfect 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of Monday.

Just 17 reviews are in so far, but praise has been pouring in.

The BBC said it's "not just Park's funniest film, but his most humane," while the Guardian called it "the best film in the Venice competition so far."

At Friday night's premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the movie drew a 9-minute standing ovation.

There, the director shared how people found his film relatable.

"Whenever I told this story to people, regardless of timing or country, they said it was relatable and very timely."

A lead actress also shared how much effort the director put into coaching her acting.

"His direction is so detailed that, for example, he would say to put more emphasis on a particular syllable in a sentence or walk in a certain way. I would get perplexed at first, but as the shoot went on, I realized he was spot on, so I followed his every word."

Expectations are running high for Park to take home the golden lion as it's the first Korean entry in Venice's main competition since Kim Ki-duk's "Pieta" won in 2012.

"Park's already a renowned director known for the visual aesthetics of his scenes. And as he tackles universal themes like unemployment, his chances of winning are high. Just like 'Parasite,' films that are receiving acclaim at many international film festivals tend to engage with globally relevant social issues."

The winner of the golden lion among 21 candidates will be announced at the awards ceremony this Saturday.

Now the big question: Will the jury say there was truly "No Other Choice?"

Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.