Entertainment · Film · 19 hrs ago
Lee Chang-dong’s two films show the toll of a worker’s dismissal on his family
Lee Chang-dong’s films “Heartbeat” and “Possible Love” both portray a family living with the effects of a father’s dismissal from work.
In both, actors Seol Kyung-gu and Jeon Do-yeon play a married couple with a son named Cheol-i.
“Heartbeat” follows the boy’s fear as he worries about his mother, who has depression, while his father protests from a tower crane.
“Possible Love” shifts the focus to the parents, showing the father’s trauma from a strike and its violent suppression, and the mother’s work supporting the family.
The feature also brings the couple into contact with a documentary director and her wealthy husband, highlighting differences in money and outlook.
The feature gives the workers’ struggle more detail, including a strike, a violent crackdown and group therapy where workers share their experiences.
Lee said he first considered making a film about a major layoff and strike more than a decade ago, but stopped because he questioned whether dramatizing the events was right; both films are now available on Netflix.
Lee Chang-dong’s short film “Heartbeat” and feature film “Possible Love” both depict the effects of a worker’s dismissal on his family.
Actors Seol Kyung-gu and Jeon Do-yeon play a married couple in both films, whose son is named Cheol-i.
“Heartbeat” focuses on the anxiety of the couple’s young son as his father protests from a tower crane and his mother struggles with depression.
“Possible Love” puts the parents’ lives at the center and depicts workers’ struggles and trauma more directly.
Lee said the feature developed from an earlier project he had stopped over concerns about turning real events into fiction.
- Who
- Director Lee Chang-dong, whose two films portray a dismissed worker and his family.
- What
- Heartbeat” and “Possible Love” explore the effects of a worker’s dismissal and struggle on his family.
- When
- Heartbeat” was released on Netflix on the 2nd, and “Possible Love” on the 6th. The article was published on Nov. 7, 2026.
- Where
- Both films were released on Netflix.
- Why
- Lee said he had long considered how to portray workers’ suffering through film, after encountering a major layoff, a workers’ strike and a forceful crackdown more than a decade earlier.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Lee encountered a major layoff, a workers’ strike and a forceful crackdown, which led him to consider making a film.
Lee halted the original project over concerns about recreating workers’ resistance and the crackdown in a fictional film.
Lee made the short film “Heartbeat” based on the earlier idea, then developed it into “Possible Love” by adding the story of a documentary director.
Heartbeat” was released on Netflix.
Possible Love” was released on Netflix, and Lee spoke to reporters about the film.
- Short film
- Heartbeat” (2022)
- Feature film
- Possible Love
- Shared cast
- Seol Kyung-gu and Jeon Do-yeon play a married couple in both films
- Son’s name
- Cheol-i
- Netflix release
- Heartbeat” on the 2nd; “Possible Love” on the 6th
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What people are saying
함께 식사하면서 언젠가 다시 (영화화를) 해보겠다고 약속했는데 믿지 않으시는 것 같았다
이번 작품이 어느 정도 완성된 뒤에 말씀드렸더니 굉장히 좋아하셨다
영화를 보고 치유받는 것 같았다는 말을 전해 들었는데 참 다행이고 고마웠다