Park Chan-wook's new film "Eojjeulsuga Eopda" was invited to compete at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival and completed its world premiere.
Lead actress Son Ye-jin broke down in tears on stage as the audience gave a prolonged standing ovation.
That brief, public moment read both as a personal reaction and as a symbol of Korean cinema's growing presence on the world stage.
The film's focus on job loss and a family's struggle has already sparked sympathy and debate at home and abroad.
The moment
This was a distinctive occasion.Park Chan-wook's latest film, titled "Eojjeulsuga Eopda" (a Korean-language adaptation of Donald Westlake's novel Ax), was invited to the competition lineup at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival and had its first public screening on August 29, 2025, on the Lido of Venice, Italy.
After the screening, the audience gave a standing ovation that lasted about nine minutes. On stage, Son Ye-jin, the film's lead, could not hold back her emotions and wept.
Son Ye-jin told reporters this was her first time attending an overseas film festival. She said the thought that this shared moment with a beloved director and colleagues might be a once-in-a-lifetime memory made her choke up.
Meanwhile, observers read the scene as more than private feeling: it became a visible confirmation of the long work behind the film and the crew's efforts.
Core issues
At the center is empathy.Although the film takes Donald Westlake's novel Ax as its source, Park Chan-wook reinterprets the story in his own cinematic language.
The plot follows Mansu (played by Lee Byung-hun), a man who is fired from his job and fights to protect his family while preparing to re-enter the job market. The story foregrounds real issues: unemployment, the shifting roles within a household, and the pressure of repaying loans while trying to save.
Consequently, this narrative quickly becomes a social topic: how does a lost job translate into economic stress, changing household responsibilities, debt burdens, and shrinking savings (money set aside)?
On the other hand, critical acclaim for artistic achievement will compete with how much the film resonates emotionally with audiences when long-term judgment is passed.
Competing views
Opinion is divided.Supporters make three main points.
First, Park Chan-wook's invitation to Venice strengthens the international standing of Korean cinema. The Venice Film Festival is one of the world's most prestigious festivals (often grouped with Cannes and Berlin), so competition selection is a mark of international recognition that sends a positive signal to producers, actors, and investors.
Second, Son Ye-jin's tears and the lengthy standing ovation are read as evidence that the actress's performance and the film's sincerity connected on an international stage.
Third, the movie's focus on job loss and family struggle can broaden public conversation, offering a platform for social empathy beyond Korea.
Critics, however, point to burdens and uncertainty.
First, while competition at a top festival is an honor, it also creates intense expectations that can become psychological pressure for a director and cast.
Second, Park Chan-wook's signature complexity and ambiguity may alienate some viewers or critics who prefer clearer narratives.
Third, artistic praise does not guarantee box-office success; producers and investors face real financial risk if international recognition does not translate into commercial returns.
These concerns can affect a film's distribution prospects and long-term reputation.
In-depth analysis
The implications widen.The film ties individual experience—job loss—to broader social patterns: household reorganization, difficulty repaying loans, lower savings, and rising debt. These are sociological issues worth close analysis.
Mansu's economic anxiety can trigger psychological strain and force families to renegotiate roles. Therefore, the story invites attention from social scientists as well as viewers.
Moreover, domestic audiences are likely to find the film relatable, especially in an era marked by employment instability. Meanwhile, international viewers may interpret the story differently because of cultural context, but universal emotional beats and nuanced acting can bridge those gaps.
베네치아서 울린 손예진의 눈물
' alt='Venice screening scene'>From an industry view, if a Korean film proves artistic merit internationally, it can attract foreign investment and co-productions, potentially expanding creative resources at home.
On the other hand, an actor's international presence can increase their brand value and lead to diverse roles, while not necessarily aligning with domestic commercial expectations.
Socially and culturally, the event will likely be remembered as a case where 'critical recognition' and 'everyday resonance' intersected on a public stage.
Conclusion
The takeaway is balance.Park Chan-wook's "Eojjeulsuga Eopda" and Son Ye-jin's tears after the Venice screening met at the crossroads of private emotion and collective appraisal.
That instant reflected the wider story of Korean cinema's international push and the cumulative effort of a single film and its cast.
However, the episode also highlights the delicate balance between artistic praise and commercial reality, and the uncertain path from festival applause to broad audience acceptance.
How did you see that moment, and what direction should Korean cinema take next?
