Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong vows to do best in Oscar race despite barriers

"Possible Love" director Lee Chang-dong said Friday that he would give his all in the Academy Awards race despite what he described as a challenging environment for Korean films. The film, which marks Lee's first feature film in eight years after the critically acclaimed "Burning" (2018), won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival and has been selected as Korea's entry for the Oscars. "The success of 'Parasite' has caused an optical illusion, but while it is an outstanding work, that kind of success may not come again easily (for Korean films)," Lee said in a group media interview when asked about the film's Oscar prospects. Korean director Bong Joon-ho's black comedy thriller "Parasite" (2019) made history as it became the first Korean film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2020. "For Korean films, as well as for other Asian films and those from outside the United States and Europe, the barriers remain high," Lee said, while noting efforts by the Academy Awards to become more inclusive. The maestro, known for his realistic yet po