Seoul: South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong has become the first Korean director to win the TIFF Ebert Director Award, a lifetime achievement honor presented at the Toronto International Film Festival.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Netflix announced that Lee will receive the prize at the festival's annual Tribute Awards ceremony on September 13, recognizing his original vision and cinematic innovation in a career spanning nearly three decades.

The award, named after the late U.S. film critic Roger Ebert, has previously been awarded to acclaimed directors such as Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, British filmmakers Mike Leigh and Sam Mendes, American director Spike Lee, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, and Chinese director Chloe Zhao.

The recognition coincides with the North American premiere of Lee's first feature film in eight years, "Possible Love," following the critically acclaimed "Burning" (2018). The festival, which runs from September 10-20, will host the premiere.

The Netflix-backed film "Possible Love" features stars Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong. It focuses on the intertwined lives of two married couples: a laid-off worker and his wife, and an affluent documentary filmmaker and her husband, as their stories unfold upon meeting.

"Possible Love" is set to have its world premiere at the 83rd edition of the Venice International Film Festival in September, followed by a limited South Korean theatrical release on September 23 and a global Netflix launch on November 6.

Lee, 72, is recognized as one of the most decorated directors in Asian cinema, with accolades including best director at Venice for "Oasis" (2002), best screenplay at Cannes for "Poetry" (2010), and the FIPRESCI prize at Cannes for "Burning" (2018).