It’s been nearly 20 years since the debut of Park Chan-South wook’s Korean action epic Oldboy and Neon wants to celebrate. Before the famous 2003 picture approaches its major milestone, the indie distributor bought the domestic rights for a theatrical anniversary release. Its theatrical release, expected sometime next year but still without a firm date, is also uncertain.
Oldboy is a standout among Park’s Vengeance Trilogy films, which also includes Sympathy for Mr Vengeance and Lady Vengeance, because of its gritty noir action and its portrayal of a seemingly ordinary businessman who becomes embroiled in a massive conspiracy. Oh Dae-Su (Choi Min-Sik) is abducted and imprisoned for 15 years before being liberated and resolved to track out his kidnapper and ensure the safety of his daughter. What follows is a dark, frightening, and twist-filled thriller that follows Oh in his chase all while becoming caught up in a whirlwind romance with the woman that took him in, Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung) (Kang Hye-jung). The film is mercilessly nasty in its action too with the highlight being its now iconic hallway battle sequence. Park collaborated with Hwang Jo-yun and Lim Joon-hyung on the script.
Following its debut, it became a fixture of the South Korean cinema industry and certainly one of the most renowned live-action manga adaptations ever made. It was so well received that it took home the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. Even within Park’s distinguished library, it remains one of his most appreciated films and provided the subject for a 2013 version by filmmaker Spike Lee starring Josh Brolin. It left a distinctive impact on the action genre that can still be felt in films like the John Wick franchise to this day. Oldboy is the latest in a succession of anniversary and legacy re-releases, including the famous shark picture Jaws and Francis Ford Coppola’s masterwork The Godfather.
The choice to re-release Oldboy also comes at a wonderful time in Park’s career since he launched his most recent film Decision to Leave at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, garnering him an award for Best Director and a nomination for the Palm d’Or. The director’s eleventh feature picture, will be South Korea’s official Oscar entry in 2023 and is sure to get praise for its expert storytelling. There has been no official announcement regarding a new release date for Oldboy as of yet.