When Park Chan-wook came out with the first movie in his famousVengeance Trilogy,Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, it would be one of the many films that paved the path forKoreancinema. The second film in the trilogy,Oldboy, was a massive success and is still one of the most popular films in its genre today,tackling themes of vengeancein a gory, bloody way — which the main characters dub in the name of justice.
As its main character, portrayed by Choi Min-sik, finds himself kidnapped for over a decade, he’s suddenly released. He discovers his wife is gone, and his daughter has been adopted, leading him on the path to revenge. Korean cinema, especially in the 2000s, often dwelled on these themes in both crime and thriller movies, making them some of the most popular genres. Here are 10 movies that are similar toOldboy.
10The Chaser (2008)
2008’sThe Chaserwas the first feature film by director Na Hong-jin, who would later go on to make hits likeThe Wailing. In this movie, the main character is Joong-ho, a cop who has turned to the dark side. He funds his life through being a pimp, but something new has cropped up on his radar: two of his sex workers have gone missing. When he ventures to find out what happened to them, his life becomes intertwined with a serial killer’s agenda.
How It’s Like Oldboy
The Chaseris based on the story of a Korean serial killer from the early-2000s, and Na does an excellent job of making this movie highly unsettling. With characters you won’t want to root for, it’s a compelling character study throughout its run time — just likeOldboy.Stream on AMC+
9The Man from Nowhere (2010)
Kim Sae-ron and Won Bin star in 2010’sKorean action thriller,TheMan from Nowhere, which started off the new decade with a bang when it came out. Won Bin portrays Cha Tae-sik, a pawn shop owner who befriends a local girl in the neighborhood who doesn’t really live a stable life. When the girl’s mother gets caught up with the local crime lords, the girl is kidnapped, and Tae-sik, too, gets stuck in the middle of all of this to save the girl.
LikeOldboy, the main character ofTheMan from Nowherehas a mission to achieve. While he might not be directly related to the girl, So-mi, he still cares a lot for her and her well-being, putting him on a warpath when she’s taken by some pretty terrible people.Stream on Netflix
8Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Park Chan-wook kicked off his famousVengeance TrilogywithSympathy for Mr. Vengeance, which starred Shin Ha-kyun, Song Kang-ho, and Bae Doona. Its protagonist is Ryu, who is both mute and deaf, who works a job at the factory in order to pay for his sister’s illness. When he’s laid off from his job, his anarchist girlfriend suggests that he kidnap the daughter of an executive at the company for a ransom, leading to a disastrous series of events.
Oldboyis in the same series asSympathy for Mr. Vengeance, making the themes that are apparent in both movies more striking when they’re watched together.Sympathymay not be as gory asOldboyis during its running time, but it still strikes up violence in the name of justice.Stream on Tubi
Related:Thirst: Why Park Chan-wook’s Erotic Thriller is the Most Original Vampire Film in Decades
7I Saw the Devil (2010)
I Saw the Devil
I Saw the Devilis the work of director and screenwriter Kim Jee-woon, who has made a name for himself in the past few decades.Lee Byung-hun playsa character named Kim Soo-hyun, who embarks on a path to revenge when his fiancée is murdered and dismembered by a killer (Choi Min-sik) after getting a flat tire. As the killer sets out to strike down more victims, Kim vows to take him down, no matter what it takes.
For those who enjoyed the elements ofOldboyuncovering the mystery elements,I Saw the Devilis the perfect next choice to watch. With stellar performances from Lee and Choi, it’s a must-watch in Korean cinema, especially if you like thrillers.Stream on Peacock
6The Villainess (2017)
InThe Villainess, Kim Ok-vin shows up ready to destroy and dismantle anything that comes in her way. She portrays Sook-hee, who has worked as an assassin for years, but when she has a daughter, she decides she wants to walk away from this life. Sook-hee gets an apartment, but when she becomes smitten with the man next door — who, unbeknownst to her, was sent to watch over her — it could lead to her downfall.
The Villainessis simultaneously like and unlikeOldboy; its main character is a woman, demonstrating that women-focused stories in action can be excellent when done right. At the same time, its core story follows several tropes and themes ofOldboy, which are more conventional to the genre as a whole.Stream on Peacock
5Lady Vengeance (2005)
Lady Vengeance (2005) Movie Poster
Lady Vengeance
When Park Chan-wook came out withLady Vengeance, it marked the end of theVengeance Trilogy, fully establishing him as a director to keep an eye onin Korean cinema. Lee Young-ae is Geum-ja, a woman who lands herself in jail after being accused of kidnapping and murdering a boy. But, as it turns out, she was not the real culprit, and once she gets out of prison, she’s going to hunt him down.
Like the other two movies in the trilogy,Lady Vengeanceis all about finding the path to justice — but in the eyes of the main character. With moral gray areas and a lot to question about what’s right or wrong, it’s the kind of movie that leaves its audience contemplating it after watching.Stream on Tubi
4The Housemaid (1960)
Kim Ki-young’s 1960 movieThe Housemaidis a classic staple in Korean film history, and it would change the course of many directors in Korea. Set in South Korea after the war, a newly middle class family decides to hire a housemaid. The husband, who works at a factory, finds a potential housemaid, but bringing her into the home will change their lives. When he begins an affair with the housemaid, it unlocks something very sinister.
The Handmaidtwists away from the more overt themes of revenge inOldboy, but still has an element of retribution to its story. Critiquing Korean social classes and society at the time, it’s an incredible piece of filmmaking from the period despite being highly underrated.Rent on Prime Video
Related:Here’s a Ranking of All Park Chan-wook Movies
3No Mercy (2019)
Im Gyeong-taek directed 2019’sNo Mercy, which has flown under the radar of many Korean cinema fans in the past couple of years. In-ae (Lee Si-young), a woman bodyguard and former combat instructor for the army, witnesses her autistic sister raped by a politician, reacts violently, and lands herself in jail. Upon her release, she sees her sister’s treatment has worsened, and she’s willing to take down any man who ever harmed her sister.
In this film, the main character decides to take action when her sister is harmed, mirroring a major plot element to the conflict inOldboy. While it might not be as good asLady VengeanceorThe Villainess, it can be pretty solid.Stream on Viki
2Burning (2018)
Lee Chang-dong came out withBurningin 2018, and it would become celebrated on the film festival circuit and even acknowledged at the Academy Awards. Yoo Ah-in starred as Jong-su, a Paju-based writer grappling with his father’s legal problems. When he runs into a former neighbor and falls for her, it leads him into a strange love triangle. Yet, when she goes missing, he has so many more questions than answers.
Based on a Haruki Murakamishort story,Burningcertainly is one of the best Korean movies released in the 2010s. With friction between its three main characters, it slowly morphs and transforms over the course of its runtime, ultimately becoming a minor revenge story.Stream on Netflix
1Pieta (2012)
In Seoul, a loan shark’s brutal enforcer (Lee Jung-jin) turns away from his violent lifestyle after he meets a woman (Jo Min-soo) who says she’s the long-lost mother who abandoned him when he was just an infant.
Kim Ki-duk has become one of the most contested directors in modern Koren cinema, with his work winning many accolades throughout his career.Pietacame out in 2012 and won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, but its content might be shocking for some. A young man, who works as a debt collector, uses violence in order to collect claims. But when a woman shows up and claims to be a mother, it puts him in a headspace where he questions everything and anything he’s ever done.
LikeOldboy, potential incest does play a role in the film, making this kind of movie highly debatable in terms of the characters’ moral areas in the eyes of viewers. It is also full of cruelty, making it a difficult watch at times.Stream on Prime Video
