Park Chan-wook originally considered setting the film in the past so the characters could write each other handwritten letters i…

Park Chan-wook originally considered setting the film in the past so the characters could write each other handwritten letters instead of text messages. When he decided on a contemporary setting, the characters communicate through smart watches, voice recordings, and translation apps. Typing felt too ordinary for what he wanted the relationship to feel like. Tang Wei does not speak Korean. To help her master the dialogue, Park made dozens of audio recordings of himself performing every character’s lines. Tang said: «Using just his voice, he could vividly express the inner thoughts and feelings of a woman. It was just like enjoying a great radio play.» Watch Decision to Leave on @mubi and get 30 days free at mubi.com/artofcinema or via the link in my bio. Film subject to availability: India, Turkey, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, France, Spain, and Netherlands.