Lee Chang-dong’s ‘Possible Love’ Explores Longing and Class in a Vulnerable New Drama

Lee Chang-dong’s latest feature, Possible Love, offers a poignant examination of modern anxiety, class disparity, and the fragile nature of human connection. Premiering at the Venice Film Festival before its theatrical release on October 23 and Netflix streaming debut on November 6, the drama unfolds with a gentle yet sturdy spirit, focusing on individuals struggling to find their footing after professional and financial upheaval.

The narrative begins with a somber family car ride to a funeral. Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon) frets over her attire and pinching shoes, while her husband Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu) sits in heavy silence, dread palpable. Their young son entertains himself in the back with an empty chip bag, unaware of the oppressive tension surrounding him. Although the deceased is never named, it is implied to be a former colleague of Ho-seok, a man who lost his position at the large corporation SP and has since descended into depression and excessive drinking.

Mi-ok, holding down a menial factory job, tries to maintain stability, but her husband’s withdrawal takes a toll. In the funeral home parking lot, her path crosses with Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), a well-dressed stranger who helps retrieve her wedding ring from beneath his luxury vehicle. Sang-woo’s wife, Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), is a documentary filmmaker currently profiling the personal lives of laborers. Recognizing Ho-seok’s palpable melancholy as the dramatic centerpiece her project requires, she befriends Mi-ok and proposes they serve as subjects.

The film intricately traces the tangled relationships between these four characters, probing the ethical ambiguities inherent in the filmmaker-subject dynamic. However, the core of the story remains the ways people form bonds—both platonic and romantic—despite societal divides. Ye-ji and Mi-ok quickly develop a sisterly rapport; despite Ye-ji’s upper-class status, she comes from a modest background and empathizes with Mi-ok’s financial insecurities. In one telling scene, Mi-ok photographs Ye-ji’s Loro Piana backpack and uses a search engine to identify the brand, highlighting the quiet sting of covetousness and the yearning for things just out of reach.

Dedicated to the memory of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Dekalog 10, the film reflects on the commandment “Thou shalt not covet,” contrasting material desires with the fundamental need for security and sustenance. As Ho-seok remains isolated in his grief and Sang-woo is consumed by business deals, Mi-ok finds herself drawn to the confidence of the younger man. The emotional climax arrives during a documentary shoot where Ho-seok, filmed by Ye-ji, finally breaks down, raising questions about whether the filmmaker has truly earned the right to capture such raw vulnerability.

While Lee’s 2018 noir mystery Burning achieved surprise art-house success, Possible Love adopts a more plainspoken approach, making its moral inquiries more accessible. In an era defined by widespread employment anxiety and extreme wealth concentration, the film’s dramatic resonance may prove even stronger than its predecessor. By giving form to unspoken fears through tentative smiles and flashes of anger, Lee has crafted a work that challenges audiences to confront the anxieties of their own times.