Oscars 2026: Park Chan-wook’s Snub Sparks Outrage
Park Chan-wook’s acclaimed thriller No Other Choice was left out of the Oscars, despite critical praise. What’s behind the Academy’s decision, and does it reveal a deeper issue with how awards are handed out?
Once again, Park Chan-wook has been left out in the cold by the Academy, with his latest film, No Other Choice, missing out on a single Oscar nomination. Despite being hailed as one of the standout films of the year, the much-hyped thriller didn’t get a look-in, even though many punters reckoned it was a shoo-in for at least a nod.
Thrillers have never had an easy run at the Oscars, but given how timely and sharp the story is, you’d think it would have been hard to ignore. Some would say it deserved a spot in the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography categories. But the real shocker is its absence from the Best International Film shortlist, which feels like a real misstep for the Academy.
Comparisons and Controversy
What makes the snub even more glaring is that No Other Choice stands right up there with Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, a film that swept the Oscars not so long ago. The reasons for the cold shoulder aren’t clear, but it’s hard not to connect the dots to Park’s recent run-in with the Writers Guild of America.
Last year, Park and his co-creator Don McKellar were shown the door by the WGA after working on HBO’s The Sympathizer during the 2023 writers’ strike. The Guild said they broke the strike rules by continuing their writing duties, though Park’s camp argued the scripts were already finished and he was just doing a bit of editing. Either way, he was banned from working on any Guild-approved projects.
Did the WGA Drama Play a Part?
There’s a fair bit of overlap between Academy voters and WGA members, so it’s not a stretch to think the controversy might have swayed some opinions. Add in a crowded field of contenders this year, and it’s easy to see how Park’s film could have been overlooked, even if it didn’t deserve to be.
Park’s history with the Oscars has never been smooth sailing. Oldboy was ignored despite winning big at Cannes, The Handmaiden didn’t get a mention, and Decision to Leave was also left out. It’s a pattern that’s hard to ignore.
Where No Other Choice Should Have Been Recognised
Some reckon Park’s earlier films might have been a bit much for the Academy, but No Other Choice is a sharp look at the effects of late-stage capitalism—right up the Academy’s alley, you’d think. It deserved to be in the running alongside the year’s heavyweights like One Battle After Another and Sinners.
Kim Woo-hyung’s cinematography is a standout, with every frame looking like it belongs in a gallery. The adapted screenplay, based on Donald E. Westlake’s The Axe, hits close to home in today’s climate. Park’s direction is top-notch, and Lee Byung-hun’s performance could easily have landed him a Best Actor nomination. Even the sound design was worthy of a nod. But, as has happened before, Park’s work has been overlooked yet again.
No Other Choice isn’t available for streaming in Australia at the moment.