The bitter smile that Park Chan-wook has kept in his heart for 17 years
The cold and cruel world contained within it

Director Park Chan-wook's 2025 film "Inevitable" is a film that took a whopping 17 years from conception to release.
Based on Donald Westlake's novel Axe, the screenplay was initially written in English for production in the United States, and then moved back to Korea, going through many twists and turns.
Normally, after a project has been abandoned once or twice in this process, it is rare for it to be attempted again, but director Park Chan-wook had a special attachment to this story, and as a result, it was made into a movie after more than 10 years.

The film, like the original novel, tells the story of a laid-off worker who, desperate to find a new job, murders those he sees as his competitors.
It is a cruel fable about people living in a capitalist world.
The original novel unravels this allegorical setting by blending thriller and black comedy, genres that director Park Chan-wook excels at.
Movie fans have been wondering which of the two original elements "Eoseotbittae" would focus on.

Director Park Chan-wook's choice was black comedy.
"I Can't Help It" contains more comedy than any of the director's previous works, and the variety ranges from slapstick to wordplay.
But if you look at the moments in this movie that make the audience laugh out loud, you can't find the characters who are actually performing the comedy having fun.
This is a characteristic of comedies that provide memorable laughs.
These films don't intentionally elicit laughter, but instead present characters in absurd situations who repeatedly make mistakes and misjudgements out of fear and desperation, making the audience laugh while also leaving them feeling anxious or sad.
The laughter provided by "There's No Choice" also falls into that category.

Mansu rehearses in front of a mountain of logs that will soon be turned into pulp, with three colleagues smoking heavily in front of him.
Shouting loudly because of the noise the trucks make-

Mansu
“I heard that in America, they call layoffs ‘axing’?
Do you know what they say in Korea?
(Pretends to cut my neck with the blade of my hand)
'You're a piece of shit!' So, firing means, with an axe
“Isn’t that like cutting off a person’s head?”

Everyone applauds.
Mansu, I'm so excited to keep up the momentum, but I can't think of the next sentence.
Look down at your left palm.
Mansu, regaining his confidence after looking at his handwriting listing keywords, said out loud -
Mansu
“When the company was founded, the previous chairman made a promise to the workers’ representatives.
"Instead of forming a union, we guarantee lifetime employment! This is a gentleman's agreement, a gentleman's agreement! But the son of the chairman is destroying this beautiful tradition like an old shoe..."
--- p.12

beforehand
This is going to be the best interview ever, kill it all.

Mansu
(I'm not confident, but I'm responding)
Okay, they're all dead!

beforehand
(Tie a nice new green tie)
Green light!
--- p.79

A long line in front of a photographer taking instant photos.
Mansu pushes his way in, and his face turns pale when he sees his wife dancing in the distance.
Miri and Jin-ho made a great pair.
I circle around in advance and glance at the entrance, but when I actually see Mansu, I get angry.
The waiter hands Mansu a tray with cocktail glasses on it.
Mansu, who waves his hand in refusal despite his mouth watering, sets off towards his wife.
Trying not to stand out among the crowd, he sways his body as if dancing, moving from side to side, pushing his way through the crowd, gradually getting closer to Miri.
In advance, I deliberately smile brightly at Jin-ho.
Jin-ho's face, which was filled with excitement, appeared and disappeared, revealing himself over his shoulder.
Miri's eyes were closed in a smiling manner and she seemed to be in heaven now.
As soon as Mansu turns around, trembling with jealousy, Miri opens her eyes and furtively looks around, but her husband is already moving away.
--- p.103

Mansu
honey....
honey....
Don't do this to me.
(He finally raised his head, and with a very persuasive look in his eyes)
I have an interview, you know, a really tough one...
Look straight at your opponent, like that...
(I raised my hand without realizing it and pretended to pull the trigger, then I was startled and lowered my hand)
....is really hard to do.
--- p.109

Mansu opens his eyes after completing his own ritual.
Bring your lips to the glass.
Take a sip and don't swallow.
A selection that looks through the eyes.
There is no place to run anymore.
Mansu closes his eyes and pours the rest of his alcohol.
As the beer glass tilts, the whiskey glass inside falls over.
The two drinks mixed together flowed into Mansu's mouth, his Adam's apple rising and falling in gulps.
A pleasure I had forgotten about suddenly came flooding back.
I feel dizzy and collapse.
The head sinks into the chest and remains there for a while.
Finally satisfied with the selection, I also empty my glass in one gulp.
Hit your side hard twice with your right elbow, then sit down and stretch your legs.
Mansu's face turned red as he raised his head, his eyes bloodshot.
Mansu chuckles and rummages through the drawer, then finds a pair of pliers.
He shoves it deep into his mouth and pulls out his molars with a final scream.
Mansu pours all the remaining bomb drink into his mouth where blood is pooling, like a devil.
--- p.154-155

Mansu turns around at the sound of groans.
It seems like the election is about to wake up.

Mansu
I hate to say this...
no.
This is the final interview.
If you've dug the ground so far, all that's left is to plant the trees.

Miri, who heard the groans of the elect, was shocked -

beforehand
Honey, honey, you...
If you do something bad, I'll do it too, okay?

--- p.160-161