← Back to results
Oldboy
올드보이
2003 120 min South Korea R 18+
★8.3
Drama, Thriller, Mystery, Action
Director: Park Chan-wook
💬 Based on the comic
«Old Boy»
byGaron Tsuchiya
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Description
With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.
Budget:
$3M
US Gross:
$2.46M
Worldwide:
$17.5M
Starring
Choi Min-sik
Actor
Yoo Ji-tae
Actor
Kang Hye-jeong
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2004
— Grand Jury Prize
Georges Awards 2005
— Best Independent Film
European Film Awards 2004
— Screen International Award
Cannes Film Festival 2004
— Grand Jury Prize
Saturn Awards 2006
— Best Action, Adventure or Thriller
Saturn Awards 2007
— Best Special DVD Edition
Key opinion
Oldboy is widely regarded as a visceral, masterfully crafted revenge tragedy that blends intense action with profound psychological exploration. While some viewers find its extreme violence and dark themes overwhelming, it remains a landmark of modern Korean cinema known for its stylistic precision and emotional weight.
| Acting | Choi Min-sik’s raw, unflinching performance captures the protagonist's profound transformation from a broken prisoner to a man hollowed out by vengeance. | |
| Score | The score, particularly the use of Vivaldi, perfectly complements the film's shifts between brutal violence and melancholic despair. | |
| Direction | Park Chan-wook’s direction excels at creating a highly stylized, trance-like atmosphere that keeps the audience anchored despite the increasingly disturbing narrative. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is praised for its intricate, non-linear structure and philosophical resonance, though some critics find the plot's fantastical nature and reliance on coincidence to be distracting. | |
| Emotion | The film’s reliance on extreme, graphic content divides audiences; proponents see it as essential to the visceral impact, while others find it needlessly excessive or unpleasant. |