EARLY ACCESS: Oldboy 올드보이 반응 (2003) YouTube Reaction

Interesting cultural insight that is no doubt missed to the unfamiliar (myself included). Admittedly, the comments that offer Korean insight lend a lot more weight to the story and how I contemplate it, but unfortunately, this movie seemingly only gets recommended by reaction-communities because people mainly just want to see a reaction to The Big Reveal without a whole lot of in-depth story discussion... which kind of makes Oldboy a rather tiresome social media experience. It's already kind of an exhausting movie, and I share in the sentiment that it's not really one that I envision actively choosing to watch again, despite the great performances, creativity, and quality through and through.

Trepanation21

Thank you both for sharing your deeper insight on the film! This is why we love this community! You're all the best! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Ugh I know, I'm sorry! That was our issue as well! A kind patron here was able to purchase it and download it and send it to us from the WAVVE platform, but you may need a VPN to use that site :( -Sam

TBR Schmitt

So go dig a hole and put yourself in it, then, I guess. xp

Rue

Shawn Brink

I am guessing they got it on a disc format and legally ripped it for a storage archive digitally so they could watch it or something like that it's a gray area or at least that's what I would say. So unless you are able to do something like that you will have to wait until its re release for streaming.

Lawrence Fair

This is beautifully stated. As another Korean person here, I would just like to point out something director Park Chan-Wook mentioned in a Q&A during promotion for his movie "Decision to Leave" from last year. Regarding the ending: The ending shot of Oh Dae-Su is left ambiguous on purpose. Park said that he shot it that way because it didn't really matter what ending he gave Dae-Su. By all metrics, he had lost. His willpower, his drive for vengeance, his purpose in life. Lee Woo-Jin is the clear victor. Director Park stated that whatever ending he gave Oh Dae-Su wouldn't make a difference. Whether he killed himself, ran away forever, or lived with Mi-Do. Woo-Jin made sure to condemn Dae-Su to a life of a living nightmare. Consider this quote: "Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep, and you weep alone." It appears 3 times in the movie. First on the painting above his bed in the prison. Second when he recites it after the man jumps to his death. And finally, when he sees it engraved on the photo album after he found out about Mi-Do. The final shot of Dae-Su is him either: - laughing blissfully unaware while mentally broken due to a part of his mind being gone. - Or him weeping because the hypnosis didn't work and he's living a hellish life with the knowledge in tact. If you ask Director Park which ending is the correct one, he'll tell you it's up to you how you interpret it. Either way, Dae-Su is eternally broken and there is no "fixing" him. By that sense of the picture, it's a depressing ending. Also interesting of note is that a big part of why he was only fed dumplings goes into what they represent. Fried dumplings are usually added on as a side dish before the entree. That he was fed dumplings is Woo-Jin's way of telling him he isn't worthy of eating an actual meal. Every fried dumpling Dae-Su was given came from the uneaten side dish of the guards when they order their meals. He's literally eating someone else's scraps for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Look out, Arbogast!

I'm Korean so I'll try to speak on the deeper themes that an average viewer may not get. I don't think this is as true for the younger Korean generations (I hope) but this movie came out in 2003 and it relates to people around Mi-do's age and older. Korea was founded in Confucianism and Buddhism. In America and Western cultures, it's about the individual. My life, my journey, it's mine (I heartily embrace this btw). Whereas in many Asian cultures it's more about the group and everyone around you. They believe we are part of some collective consciousness. What you do always affect others around you. A small example of this is that Asian family names are said first before the first name. "Oh" is his last name. "Dae-Su" is his first name. The director of Parasite, Bong Joon-Ho. Joon-Ho is his first name. Bong is the family name. In any case, when you make a mistake or commit some wrongdoing, it's not just that you have to make things right for yourself, but you have to somehow make it right for the whole of everyone around you. The feeling of judgment and shame are very powerful. Even as kids we don't grow up with a lot of encouragement but a lot of criticism and pointing out every mistake in the belief that being shamed will correct behavior and make children right with the rest of society. So Dae-Su exposing the brother and sister, that's why the sister kills herself. She can't live with the shame of what they did being known by everyone. And unfortunately once Dae-Su realizes what he's done with his daughter, all he wants is for her not to be exposed by what he did. He cuts off his tongue hoping that this will be enough penance to make up for this terrible shame. You notice his obsession over revenge leaves very quickly and suddenly he's on his knees apologizing. And although this may sound strange, him choosing to live with no memory is probably the writer and director's version of a happy ending. Suicide is sadly a major issue in Korea and he would most probably have killed himself. He already has tried several times during those 15 years. This is still a great, great movie about mystery and revenge with fantastic directing and acting, but these themes are there. That 3 minute one take hammer fight scene is still out of this world. Oldboy was part of the Korean New Wave. So much of Korean cinema before was K-dramas about romantic couples who don't even kiss because somehow that was inappropriate. Suddenly you had this movie that wanted to shock and shake people emotionally with its violence and what it has to say. It was and is enormously popular. This is still going on today with Parasite and Squid Game. Those just seem like highly entertaining content, but they are really Korean writers and directors making searing criticisms of Korean culture. And yet, you notice that in all three, they have very different stories, but the main character is always punished in the end.

Ellie Miller

Me neither. Amazon Prime is showing this as unavailable. Where’d you guys stream this from?

Samolina Pilchard

There’s an American remake by Spike Lee just fyi. These films are not my cup of tea lol. Give a holler if you want some older less crazy movie suggestions 😀

Michael Soukup

Can’t find this anywhere to stream. 😕

Catherine LW

감사합니다

StarChild