IMDb >
Oldboy (2003)
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsOldboy (2003) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 6 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 9) |
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
21 November 2003 (South Korea)
more
Tagline:
15 years of imprisonment, five days of vengeance more
Plot:
After being kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must find his captor in 5 days. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
17 wins
&
10 nominations
more
NewsDesk:
(82 articles)
Films Of The Decade – Alex’s List
(From FilmShaft.com. 18 December 2009, 4:15 PM, PST)
Thirst DVD Review
(From Collider.com. 29 November 2009, 7:57 AM, PST)
(From FilmShaft.com. 18 December 2009, 4:15 PM, PST)
Thirst DVD Review
(From Collider.com. 29 November 2009, 7:57 AM, PST)
User Comments:
One step ahead of America
more (616 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Min-sik Choi | ... | Dae-su Oh | |
| Ji-tae Yu | ... | Woo-jin Lee | |
| Hye-jeong Kang | ... | Mi-do | |
| Dae-han Ji | ... | No Joo-hwan | |
| Dal-su Oh | ... | Park Cheol-woong | |
| Byeong-ok Kim | ... | Mr. Han | |
| Seung-Shin Lee | ... | Yoo Hyung-ja | |
| Jin-seo Yun | ... | Lee Soo-ah | |
| Dae-yeon Lee | ... | Beggar | |
| Kwang-rok Oh | ... | Suicidal Man | |
| Tae-kyung Oh | ... | Young Dae-su | |
| Yeon-suk Ahn | ... | Young Woo-jin | |
| Il-han Oo | ... | Young Joo-hwan | |
| Su-hyeon Kim | |||
| Seung-jin Lee |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
MPAA:
Rated R for strong violence including scenes of torture, sexuality and pervasive language.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
120 min
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Argentina:18 |
New Zealand:R18 |
Taiwan:R-18 |
Portugal:M/18 |
Iceland:16 |
Australia:MA (tv rating) |
Brazil:18 |
Italy:T |
Norway:18 (unrated) |
Norway:15 (DVD) |
Belgium:16 |
Israel:18 |
Chile:18 |
Belgium:KNT |
Argentina:16 (DVD rating) |
Mexico:C |
Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) |
Poland:15 |
Denmark:15 |
Australia:R |
Canada:16+ (Quebec) |
Canada:18A (Ontario) |
Finland:K-15 |
France:-16 |
Germany:16 |
Hong Kong:III |
Ireland:18 |
Japan:R-15 |
Netherlands:16 |
Singapore:R21 |
South Korea:18 |
Spain:18 |
Sweden:15 |
UK:18 |
USA:R
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The code for the elevator to the penthouse is 0604. When entered in the official website, it leads to the official guest book.
more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Main character states that lack of sunlight has left him depleted of Vitamins A and E. These are obtained through diet. Sunlight is only responsible for the production of Vitamin D. Thus, the character should only be depleted of Vitamin D.
more
Quotes:
Soundtrack:
Waltz
more
FAQ
Is the movie ending the same as in the manga?How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Is "Oldboy" based on a novel?
more
more (616 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Oldboy (2003) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Zinda | Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | V for Vendetta | Freeway | The Salton Sea |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb top 250 movies | IMDb Drama section |
| IMDb South Korea section | Add this title to MyMovies |








Oldboy takes a hammer and "batters" its American equivalents, leaving them as pulped as a chewed up squid. Park Chan Wook displays what America misses with his ultra-stylish, ultra-violent thriller. Why watch Ben Affleck fail spectacularly to summon any displayable talent, when Min sik Choi serves up a memorable role as the disturbed, vengeful Dae Su Oh, in the second of the Vengeance trilogy. Park skillfully creates a compelling plot that will have you guessing through the entire film, up until the final shocking revelation. The Cinematography expertly done by Jeong-hun Jeong, who also worked on the follow up to this film, Chinjeolhan geumjassi. Everything about this film is done in style and panache and creates a memorable experience, and has many memorable scenes.
Many people accuse this film of being "unrealistic". These people forget that this a film, not a documentary. No one complains About Star Wars being unrealistic, and rightly so. Films have a right to stretch out reality, don't forget the reason it does this is to be entertaining.
Although the film has strong violence of a graphic nature, I advise you to watch it, if only to broaden your perspectives of world and Asian cinema.