Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' hits Netflix
The three-hour drama from the acclaimed Korean director explores the power dynamics between a documentary filmmaker and her subjects.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
The new feature from Korean director Lee Chang-dong is streaming on Netflix as of Friday.
Titled Possible Love, the film runs for nearly three hours. It pairs well with the recent documentary You Can See Everything. Both works examine how much audiences can rely on filmmakers to capture objective truth.
The plot centers on Mi-ok, a working-class woman played by Jeon Do-yeon. She agrees to participate in a documentary about laid-off auto plant workers. The project is led by a filmmaker named Lee Ye-ji, who is also referred to as Director Lee. Mi-ok’s husband, Ho-seok, was fired during a violent union strike. He now struggles with alcohol and depression. Director Lee views the couple as ideal subjects for her film.
Mi-ok forms a close bond with Director Lee and her wealthy husband, Sang-woo. The couple invites the pair to a coastal vacation home. Despite the warmth, Director Lee frequently asks Mi-ok to repeat personal stories for the camera. She admits to her husband that she is trying to love the couple specifically to secure good footage for the documentary. The film suggests this calculated affection is not genuine.
Tensions rise when Mi-ok suffers a breakdown in the woods. Director Lee hides in the trees to film the scene. This moment highlights the imbalance in their relationship. The director controls the narrative while her subject remains vulnerable.
The film contrasts with You Can See Everything, directed by Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder. That documentary features Elizabeth Holmes, a convicted tech CEO. Viewers questioned whether Fielder developed personal feelings for his subject. This uncertainty led some to debate if the film qualifies as a true documentary. Both movies challenge the idea that documentarians are neutral observers.
Possible Love questions the human cost behind documentary subjects. You Can See Everything questions the filmmaker's own bias. The new film does not attack the genre. Instead, it asks viewers to scrutinize the authenticity of both the storyteller and the story.
