Oldboy (2003) poster2

South Korea10 Essential South Korean FilmsStop 2 of 10

Oldboy

올드보이

2003 · 120 min · Thriller

A man inexplicably imprisoned in a locked room for fifteen years is suddenly released and given a few days to discover who caged him and why, hurtling toward a shattering truth. Park Chan-wook's brutal, operatic revenge masterpiece.

Why it’s here

Park Chan-wook's Korean-language revenge thriller and a defining modern South Korean genre film.

Runtime
120 min
Genre
Thriller · Mystery
Mood
tense · dark
Entry
easy entry
Best for
first visit

Content notes: war or political violence · violence or threat · sexual content · suicide or self-harm Non-exhaustive

Part of 10 Essential South Korean Films

This film is stop 2 of 10 in the hand-ranked native-cinema route through South Korea. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

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