'Oldboy', directed by Park Chan-wook and released in 2003, is a South Korean neo-noir action thriller that explores themes of revenge, fate, and the disturbing lengths to which one man's vengeance can go. The film is renowned for its intense narrative, dark humor, and a shocking twist that leaves audiences stunned.
The story revolves around Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man who is inexplicably imprisoned in a windowless room for 15 years without knowing his captor or the captor's motives. The only link to the outside world during his captivity is a television, which informs him of his wife's murder, for which he has been framed.
After being mysteriously released, Dae-su embarks on a brutal quest for revenge, armed with a claw hammer and driven by rage and a thirst for answers. He finds an ally and a lover in Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung), a young sushi chef who helps him on his quest.
Throughout his journey, Dae-su is manipulated and taunted by his seemingly omnipotent captor, Lee Woo-jin (Yoo Ji-tae), who promises to explain why Dae-su was imprisoned if Dae-su can discover the reason for his captivity by himself.
In his search for answers, Dae-su uncovers a shared past with Woo-jin. They attended the same high school, where Dae-su inadvertently spread a rumor about an incestuous relationship between Woo-jin and his sister, Soo-ah. The rumor led to Soo-ah's ostracization and subsequent suicide, which has driven Woo-jin's plot for revenge.
The story reaches a horrifying climax when Woo-jin reveals his revenge plot's full scale: he orchestrated Dae-su's interactions with Mi-do, who is, in fact, Dae-su's own daughter. Dae-su was released from captivity not to exact his revenge but to live out a punishment designed by Woo-jin. Dae-su, in his unawareness, has committed incest, the same act for which he condemned Woo-jin and Soo-ah.
Faced with this horrendous reality, Dae-su is broken. In desperation to protect Mi-do from the truth, he cuts out his own tongue as a symbol of his remorse for spreading the rumor that led to this series of tragic events. He then begs Woo-jin to keep the secret from Mi-do.
Despite having his revenge, Woo-jin, haunted by his sister's memory, kills himself, unable to find peace. The film ends on an ambiguous note. Dae-su, determined to forget his horrific actions to maintain a relationship with Mi-do, seeks the help of a hypnotist. However, it's unclear whether he manages to forget the truth, leaving the audience in a state of suspense.
'Oldboy' provides a grim exploration of the cycle of revenge, where lines between the victim and perpetrator blur. With its unflinching narrative and a shocking twist, it remains one of the most compelling and controversial films in the genre.