Lee Byung-hun Breaks New Ground at the Golden Globes

Lee Byung-hun has already left his mark on this year’s Golden Globes, regardless of whether he leaves with a trophy. As the first Korean actor to be shortlisted for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical, his performance in Park Chan-wook’s satirical thriller No Other Choice has drawn considerable attention. This latest recognition follows his previous appearances in Netflix’s record-breaking series Squid Game and the platform’s most-watched film, KPop Demon Hunters.

Speaking to Variety ahead of the 83rd Golden Globes, which Nikki Glaser is set to host on CBS and Paramount+ tonight (11 January), Byung-hun recounted the moment he learnt of his historic nomination. He was asleep when a friend from Korea sent him a message. The news, arriving mid-slumber, felt surreal. “I was sleeping. And my Korean friend texted me. That’s how I found out, but it was like dreaming, because I was sleeping! It was fantastic. And I was so happy but I’m trying to be satisfied only with the nomination, because acting is not about winning or losing. Everybody has their own value. So whatever it is I’m trying to enjoy that day, and it’s going to be my first experience at the Golden Globes. And I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of great moviemakers and actor friends.”

He faces stiff competition from the likes of Jesse Plemons (Bugonia), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), George Clooney (Jay Kelly), and Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon). Asked about his preferences among these contenders, Byung-hun admitted a particular fondness for a couple of titles. “I liked One Battle After Another and Train Dreams. In Train Dreams, there is this deep pain in that film that sort of continues from the beginning to the end. And it’s a little bit hard to put [into] words, but it’s almost as if a needle is kind of pricking you throughout the film. It’s not like there’s a huge climax or it makes you sob necessarily, but it’s really like that consistency of that feeling was really notable to me.”

Park Chan-wook’s Satirical Edge

Among the most talked-about films of 2025, No Other Choice stands out for its biting humour and moral ambiguity. Juan Barquin, writing for MovieWeb, offered a sharp take on the film’s tone and Park’s evolving style:

"No Other Choice is as pitch-black a comedy as they come, reveling in the messiness of murder and the skewed morals of what is and isn’t right when your life (and the lives of others) depends on it. That dark tone is bound to be off-putting for some, unable to grapple with the playfulness with which Park presents monstrous actions, but that indulgence in cruelty is part of the point.

Everything about No Other Choice feels like Park having a field day with his work. His sense of humor pairs with the way he interrogates moral conundrums, never once being ashamed to laugh at (or with) something even when it is being presented in earnest (like his sincere, if occasionally deranged, romances like The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave in recent years).

Most delightful of all here is the way his style continues to evolve, his formal playfulness feeling looser than ever. His usual stylistic flourishes – seemingly always determined to discover new ways to present a joke through a simple cut or finding beauty in a minute moment through an inspired transition or a dissolve between scenes – are less tied to character emotions or underscoring narrative beats in this picture and more for the sake of just looking cool."

Recognition and Anticipation

For Byung-hun, the nomination itself is a milestone, and he seems intent on savouring the experience rather than focusing on the outcome. The Golden Globes, with their blend of glamour and unpredictability, offer a unique stage for international talent. As the ceremony approaches, anticipation builds—not just for the results, but for the conversations and connections that such an event fosters among filmmakers and actors from around the world.