Possible Love Draws Oscar Buzz on Netflix
Lee Chang-dong's film, South Korea's Academy Awards entry, is earning strong critical reviews.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Foreign
Netflix released Possible Love, directed by Lee Chang-dong, which is drawing Oscar buzz from critics and viewers. The film was selected as South Korea's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
Why it matters
The selection positions a South Korean film for consideration in the international feature category, which is watched closely by global audiences. Strong early reviews and streaming distribution give the film broad reach beyond traditional theatrical release.
Possible Love carries a 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared with 86% for Netflix's Spanish drama La Bola Negra, which is Spain's top-grossing local film of 2026. Whether the film earns an Oscar nomination has not yet been determined.
The players
Lee Chang-dong
Lee Chang-dong is a South Korean filmmaker known for critically acclaimed dramas, who directed Possible Love.
Cho Yeo-jeong
Cho Yeo-jeong is a South Korean actress who played the Park family matriarch in the Oscar-winning film Parasite and stars in Possible Love.
Jeon Do-yeon
Jeon Do-yeon is a South Korean actress and co-star of Possible Love, widely recognized for her decorated career in Korean cinema.
The details
Possible Love follows a wealthy documentary filmmaker and her husband as they make a film about a laid-off factory worker and his wife. The cast includes Cho Yeo-jeong, who played the Park family matriarch in Parasite, alongside Jeon Do-yeon.
Timeline
2026: Possible Love and La Bola Negra are released and reviewed.
January 21, 2027: Official Academy Award nominations are scheduled to be announced.
March 14, 2027: The 99th Academy Awards ceremony takes place.
Industry Dynamics
The film extends a pattern set by Parasite's 2020 Best Picture win, when South Korean cinema drew unprecedented Academy attention. Netflix's distribution of a Korean Oscar entry reflects the streaming platform's continued role in international awards campaigns.
Possible Love is available to stream on Netflix, letting viewers watch the South Korean Oscar entry at home. Those interested in La Bola Negra can also find the Netflix drama, though it is expanding in Spanish theatres to meet demand.
The takeaway
A film's Oscar eligibility can shape how audiences around the world discover non-English cinema. Watching nominated international features early gives viewers a clearer view of the year's most talked-about work.
What happens next
Official Academy Award nominations will be announced January 21, 2027, and the 99th Academy Awards ceremony takes place March 14, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more international coverage in our Foreign film section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mail Online.
