올드보이
"15 years of imprisonment, five days of vengeance."
Oldboy - Characters & Cast
Character Analysis
Oh Dae-su
Choi Min-sik
Motivation
His primary motivation is twofold: to find out who imprisoned him and, more importantly, why. This quest for answers fuels his violent rampage and his will to survive.
Character Arc
Oh Dae-su begins as an ordinary, somewhat boorish businessman. His 15 years of unjust imprisonment transform him into a hardened, vengeful man singularly focused on finding his captor. After his release, he is a feral, almost monstrous figure. His journey for revenge forces him to confront his past sins, and the final, devastating revelation shatters his psyche, leading him to sacrifice his own identity and memory in a desperate attempt to protect his daughter and find a semblance of peace.
Lee Woo-jin
Yoo Ji-tae
Motivation
His sole motivation is to inflict upon Dae-su the same pain and suffering he felt after losing his sister, whom he loved incestuously. He doesn't want to just kill Dae-su; he wants to psychologically destroy him by making him commit a similar taboo.
Character Arc
Lee Woo-jin is presented as a wealthy, sophisticated, and enigmatic figure. His entire adult life has been a meticulously planned, long-game of revenge against Oh Dae-su for spreading a rumor in high school that led to his sister's suicide. He becomes a god-like figure, manipulating every aspect of Dae-su's life. Once his elaborate revenge is complete, his life's purpose is fulfilled, leaving him empty. He ultimately takes his own life, demonstrating the hollow victory of his vengeance.
Mi-do
Kang Hye-jung
Motivation
Initially motivated by compassion and a sense of kinship with the lonely Dae-su, her motivation becomes love and a desire to help him find peace and uncover the truth behind his torment.
Character Arc
Mi-do is a young, lonely sushi chef who takes pity on the disheveled Oh Dae-su and helps him on his quest. She provides him with a sliver of hope and humanity, and they fall in love. Her arc is one of tragic ignorance; she is a pawn in Lee Woo-jin's cruel game. The film's ending leaves her fate ambiguous, as Dae-su attempts to erase his memory to protect her from the horrifying truth of their relationship, leaving her with a man who may or may not know he is her father.