IMDb >
Oldboy (2003)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Watch it now at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal 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 »
| Videos (see all 6) |
Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
21 November 2003 (South Korea)
See more »
Tagline:
15 years of imprisonment, five days of vengeance See 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 »
Awards:
17 wins
&
10 nominations
See more »
NewsDesk:
(106 articles)
[DVD Picks of the Week] June 15th
(From The Film Stage. 14 June 2010, 10:52 PM, PDT)
Teaser Trailer for Creepy Korean Flick Late-Night FM
(From Beyond Hollywood. 2 June 2010, 7:38 AM, PDT)
(From The Film Stage. 14 June 2010, 10:52 PM, PDT)
Teaser Trailer for Creepy Korean Flick Late-Night FM
(From Beyond Hollywood. 2 June 2010, 7:38 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
One step ahead of America
See more (634 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:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 See 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:
Dae-su Oh bangs his head right after stopping Mi-do from reading his diary. This "head banging" was not a scripted action. However Hye-jeong Kang (Mi-do) kept her cool and continued on with her lines. The director, in an interview, said that he kept and used this supposedly NG scene for its comical and emotional value.See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: In the scene when Woo-jin Lee was pulling Lee Soo-ah's hand on the bridge, there was an angle that showed Lee Soo-ah's dummy stunt double.See more »
Quotes:
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "MADtv: Episode #12.2" (2006)See more »
Soundtrack:
WaltzSee more »
FAQ
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is "Oldboy" based on a novel?
See more »
See more (634 total) »
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Oldboy (2003) See more »Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Kidulthood | Audition | Boys on the Side | Mysterious Skin | Running with Scissors |
|
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.