A visceral neo-noir thriller descending into a maelstrom of vengeance, where a man's 15-year torment becomes a haunting ballet of violence and revelation.
Oldboy
올드보이
"15 years of imprisonment, five days of vengeance."
Director:
Park Chan-wook
Cast:
Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung, Kim Byeong-ok, Ji Dae-han
Drama
Action
Thriller
Mystery
Budget:
$3,000,000
Box Office:
$17,500,000
Oldboy - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
The painting in Oh Dae-su's prison room is "The Man of Sorrows" by James Ensor.
This 15th-century Flemish painting depicts Christ crowned with thorns, presented to the crowds before his crucifixion. Its inclusion reflects Dae-su's own suffering, torment, and unjust persecution, framing him as a martyr figure in his own narrative of pain.
During the hallway fight, one of the thugs doesn't actually engage in the fight.
A keen-eyed viewer might notice that one of the fighters in the crowded corridor simply moves around in the background, making way for the main action but never throwing a punch or getting hit. He was reportedly there just to make up the numbers and add to the scene's chaotic feel.