Life can sometimes be hard. We all carry that pain and scars with us. Some are able to find a way to move past it. Others are trapped by it. And when we’re trapped by it, these scars can define our journey and how we interact with the world.

In the new film Possible Love, Lee Chang-Dong explores those ideas. He does it by focusing on Ho-Seok (Sul Kyung-gu), a man scared by his past. He struggles with mixed feelings about those events that keep him from being present and available to his family, or able to move forward.

His wife, Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon), tries to hold things together for them both, and for their son. She is a leader at work and in the home. We meet them as they attend the funeral for Ho-Seok’s former co-worker. Like Ho-Seok, he lost his job in a violent and tragic event. Now, he’s taken his life.

Ho-Seok struggles with all of it, leading to something of a breakdown with his wife at the ceremony. All of it is captured by Ye-Ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a young documentary filmmaker. She is trying to capture a picture of life for these families who were impacted by layoffs. And when she sees Ho-Seok and Mi-ok, she finds a bold, new focus for her burgeoning film.

Along with her husband, Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), Ye-Ji tries to make a connection with the couple. But as the two couples from different cultural stations and background get closer, what divides them becomes more pronounced.

This is a long, painstakingly patient film about people, culture, pain, and what divides us. It runs more than two and a half hours, slowly building toward a climactic sequence that is the last 45 minutes of the film. And that last 45 minutes has some resonant power as we move toward the conclusion that feels like you can see from the outset.

There’s some strong craft here. There are beautiful shots and space for some beautiful performances. The film played well at festivals and now is getting a wide release on Netflix. It figures to be a consideration in the International Feature competition for the Oscars as well. And there is plenty to admire.

In the end, the story and style are a choice that will connect with each person differently. For me, while I appreciated what the film and the filmmaker was trying to do, it felt drawn out at times. I was moved by swaths of the film, but the story felt a bit predictable, and in that sense, it felt too drawn out at times.

This is worth checking out and is beautifully and lovingly crafted. But it didn’t resonate with me as strongly as some other films I’ve seen in 2026.

Possible Love is now streaming on Netflix.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.