Best Korean Action Movies, Ranked (2024)

In the 21st century, South Korean cinema has experienced unprecedented success, both in terms of international acclaim and box office profits. One reason for South Korea's cultural dominance has been the country's ability to churn out high-octane action thrillers that feature formal proficiency combined with gruesome subject matters. South Korean cinema has found a cult audience in the United States among cinephiles seeking to escape the sanitized nature of mainstream Hollywood cinema.

After decades of little international attention, South Korean cinema began to make a global splash in the late 1990s through a movement now known as New Korean Cinema. This collection of films became renowned for using the genre to explore social issues affecting South Korean society. Since the birth of New Korean Cinema, directors such as Park Chan-wook, Kim Jee-woon, and Na Hong-jin have created some of the best action thrillers of the 21st century. Oldboy, I Saw the Devil, and Train to Busan rank among the greatest South Korean action films ever and gained international fame in the process.

This article was updated on November 19, 2024, by Christopher Raley: South Korean Cinema has spawned several great films over the past two decades. Action films have come to incorporate a few different genres into their mix, especially horror and mystery. Five more examples of great Korean action films have been added to this list, and this article has been updated to conform to CBR's current publishing standards.

15 Mother Is a Chilling Crime Thriller

It Portrays the Misguided Desperation of a Mother

Released in 2009, Mother challenges audience perceptions and makes them ask who they're invested in. Set in a small town, Mother focuses on a widow without a name and her son, Yoon Do-joon who has an intellectual disability. Yoon is a known troublemaker in the town who hangs out with a local hoodlum called Jin Tae. When a young girl turns up dead on a rooftop, Yoon is blamed for the crime by the police who appear mostly incompetent.

Desperate to prove her son's innocence, the mother sets about trying to solve the crime herself. Mother balances elements of horror, drama, and comedy in its crime-noir setting. While the action in this film is less than the others on the list, it is no less of a taut film as audiences watch the titular character come to grips with what she will do to protect her son. While Mother doesn't beat out its more esteemed contemporaries, it's an excellent Korean action film on its own merits.

14 Memories of Murder Is a Neo-Noir Crime Film

This Thriller Is Based on True Events

Set in 1986, a police detective, Park Doo-man (Song Kang-ho), in a small town is called out to investigate a crime scene where two women have been raped and murdered. Park is inexperienced and uses instinctual investigative methods that clash with those of Seo Tae-yoon, a methodical detective from Seoul who volunteers to help Park with the case. As the two struggle to make sense of the evidence, the killer strikes repeatedly killing more young women in the small town.

Based on the events of South Korea's first serial killer case, Memories of Murder is a gritty crime thriller that ratchets up the tension as the detectives rush to find the murderer, but they keep coming up short as more murders surface. While ostensibly an action thriller, Murder also has a solid layer of social satire as the detectives find a case that challenges their abilities and arrogance. Finally, the film's final scene makes a spine-tingling statement about the nature of evil.

Memories of Murder

In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.

Director

Bong Joon Ho

Release Date

May 2, 2003

Cast

Song Kang-ho , Sang-kyung Kim , Roe-ha Kim

Runtime

2 hours 12 minutes

Main Genre

Thriller

13 Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

It Portrays Two Brothers Fighting In the Korean War

Set predominantly during the Korean War, Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War, follows two brothers, Lee Jin-tae (Jang Dong-gun) and his younger brother Lee Jin-seok (Won Bin), as they are conscripted to fight as part of the South Korean forces in the Korean War. As the older brother, Jin-tae always watches out for his younger brother. In making a deal with his superior, Jin-tae takes on dangerous missions believing that if he wins the Taeguk Cordon of the Order of Military Merit, his brother can go home.

What follows is a gut-wrenching series of action scenes, bravery, and horror as the Korean and U.S. forces find themselves in full retreat back to Seoul. The brothers are separated and their loyalty to each other is challenged. Winning Best Movie and Best Director at the 50th Asian Pacific Film Festival, Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War is a heartbreaking action war movie that should not be missed.

Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War

R

War

Action

Adventure

Drama

History

Director

Kang Je-kyu

Release Date

September 3, 2004

Cast

Jang Dong-gun , Won Bin , Lee Eun-ju , Gong Hyung-jin , Lee Young-lan , Jang Min-ho , Jo Yoon-hee , Ahn Kil-kang , Park Gil-su , Jung Jin , Jo Woon , Hwang Taek-ha , Cho Won-hee , Yoon Hee-won , Jeon Jae-hyeong , Choi Min-sik , Kim Hae-gon , Kim Soo-ro , Jung Ho-bin , Jung Doo-hong , Park Dong-bin , Min Ji-Hyuk , Kim Bo-kyung , Jeong Gi-seop , Kwon Tae-won , Lim Hyung-jun , Park Su-il , Park Jong-moo , Park Jeong-Woo , Yeom Cheol-ho , Kim Tae-beom , Jeong Dae-hoon , Bae Jang-su , Hyun Seung-jin , Jeon In-geol , Jeon Seung-jae , Ju Myeong-cheol , Kim Man-gi

Writers

Kang Je-kyu , Kim Sang-don , Han Ji-hoon

Runtime

148 Minutes

Main Genre

War

Character(s)

Lee Jin-tae , Lee Jin-seok , Kim Young-shin , Yong-man , Mother , Old Lee Jin-seok , Jin-seok's Granddaughter , Sergeant Huh , Excavation Team Leader , Pfc. Im , Platoon Soldier #1 , Platoon Soldier #2 , Battalion Commander , Platoon Leader , Yong-seok , North Korean Captain , New Battalion Commander , Anti-Communist Federation Member , North Korean Officer , Adviser , People's Army Platoon Commander , BAR Shooter , North Korean War Prisoner #3 , Medic #2 , Colonel , Young Man at Political Group , Counterintelligence Officer , Battalion Soldier , Recruiting Officer , Recruited Soldier , North Korean Boy Soldier , Noodles guest , Jung Bak-ah , People's Army being slaughtered , People's Army Warrior , People's Army #1 , Squad Leader Sgt. Kim

12 Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance Begins the Vengeance Trilogy

Receiving Mixed Reviews, This Action Film Is Nevertheless Worth Watching

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance focuses on a deaf and mute factory worker, Ryu, who struggles to find a kidney transplant for his sister. When he gets fired from his job, he turns to black-market organ dealers who betray him after taking his severance money. Ryu and his girlfriend Yeong-mi decide to kidnap the daughter of Park Dong-jin who owns the factory where Ryu worked. Ryu deceives his sister into thinking he is babysitting Dong-jin's daughter and can collect the ransom money, but things start to fall apart.

Criticized by many critics for being extremely violent and gory, Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance also received positive reviews from some, claiming the film was a deft social critique and praising the direction of Park Chan-wook. Sympathy is indeed very violent (so viewers beware) but this gritty action film has much to say about the desperation that can affect the disenfranchised. This movie is as much about the chain of bad decisions that seem irredeemable as it is about vengeance.

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

R

Crime

Action

Documentary

Drama

Thriller

Director

Chan-wook Park

Release Date

March 29, 2002

Cast

Kang-ho Song , Ha-kyun Shin , Doona Bae , Ji-Eun Lim , Bo-bae Han , Se-dong Kim

Writers

Jae-sun Lee , Jong-yong Lee , Mu-yeong Lee , Chan-wook Park

Runtime

121 minutes

Main Genre

Crime

YouTube Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLwCCLs1fus

Producers

Seok Dong-jun , Lim Jin-gyu

Character(s)

Ryu , Dong-jin , Yeong-mi , Sister , Yu-Sun , Detective Choi , Engineer Peng , CEO , Boss , Person with Cerebral Palsy , Detective Ji , Detective Heo , Man 1 , Man 2 , Doctor 1 , Doctor 2 , Radio DJ , Chinese Delivery Man , Dong-jin's Ex-wife , Husband of Dong-jin's Ex-wife , Laborer 1 , Laborer 2 , Laborer 3 , Bus Passenger (uncredited)

11 New World Is an Epic Action Crime Drama

It Portrays the Conflicting Loyalties of an Undercover Cop

The story of New World centers around Lee Ja-Sung, an undercover police officer working his way up in the Goldmoon International crime syndicate for the last 8 years. His handler on the police force is Chief Kang. When the head of the syndicate dies, it sparks a war for power between two rival factions.

Fearing for his life, Ja-Sung begs Kang to reassign him overseas, but Kang threatens to leak Ja-Sung's identity if he quits. He even destroys Ja-Sung's police file, so there is no record of him. In a world where there are no friends for Ja-Sung and a long list of enemies, the undercover police officer must decide who he will be loyal to: Goldmoon or the police department. When it was released in 2013, New World was praised for its story, direction, and acting.

New World

Not Rated

Crime

Drama

Thriller

New World (2013): In the complex world of South Korean organized crime, undercover police officer Ja-sung is embedded in the powerful Goldmoon crime syndicate. As the syndicate undergoes a power struggle following the boss's untimely death, Ja-sung is torn between his duties to the police and his loyalty to his criminal colleagues. The film explores the intricate dynamics of loyalty, betrayal, and the quest for power within a criminal empire.

Director

Park Hoon-jung

Release Date

March 22, 2013

Cast

Lee Jung-jae , Choi Min-sik , Hwang Jung-min , Park Sung-woong , Song Ji-Hyo , Kim Yoon-sung , Na Kwang-hoon , Park Seo-yeon , Choi Il-hwa , Ju Jin-mo , Jang Gwang , Kwon Tae-won , Kim Hong-pa , Lee Kyung-young , Ryoo Seung-bum , Ma Dong-seok , Kim Byeong-Ok , Woo Jung-kook , Park In-Soo , Jung Young-ki , Park Sang-gyu

Writers

Park Hoon-jung

Runtime

134 Minutes

Main Genre

Crime

Character(s)

Lee Ja-sung , Kang Hyung-chul , Jung Chung , Lee Joong-gu , Shin-woo , Seok-moo , Yang Moon-seok , Han Joo-kyung , Jang Su-ki , Officer at National Police Agency , Mob Director Yang , Mob Director Park , Mob Director Kim , Seok Dong-chool , Police Constable Kang Chul-Hwa , Section Chief Jo , Korean-Chinese Hitman 1 , Korean-Chinese Hitman 2 , Korean-Chinese Hitman 3 , Korean-Chinese Hitman 4 , Police Executive

10 The Yellow Sea Demonstrates South Korea's Genre-Bending Prowess

Released in 2010, It Blends Romance, Action, and Comedy

Despite a small body of work, Na Hong-jin has gifted audiences with some of the most intense movies of the twenty-first century. Na began his career with the brutal action thriller The Chaser. His second feature, The Yellow Sea, again offered moviegoers a thrilling and emotionally turbulent experience full of unrelenting action. The Yellow Sea centers on a Korean man who takes an assassination job to make money and find his missing wife. However, when the job does not go according to plan, he goes on the run from both the police and the gangsters who paid him. The Yellow Sea was a commercial success, opening number one at the South Korean box office.

The film was also one of the most acclaimed films of 2010 in South Korea, earning eleven Grand Bell Award nominations, and winning for Best Supporting Actor and Best Costume Design. For his gripping performance, Ha Jung-woo won the Asian Film Award and Baek Sang Art Award for Best Actor, earning The Yellow Sea among the best Korean action movies. In the United States, critics praised The Yellow Sea for its genre-bending prowess, mixing black comedy with bone-crunching action and romantic melancholy.

The Yellow Sea

R

Drama

Thriller

Crime

This South Korean crime thriller follows a desperate taxi driver, Gu-nam, who is hired to assassinate a target in South Korea to repay his debts. As he navigates a dangerous underworld, Gu-nam becomes entangled in a violent conspiracy, struggling to survive and uncover the truth.

Director

Na Hong-jin

Release Date

December 2, 2011

Cast

Ha Jung-woo , Kim Yoon-seok , Cho Seong-ha , Lee Cheol-min , Kwak Do-won , Im Ye-won , Tak Sung-eun , Lee El

Writers

Na Hong-jin

Runtime

141 Minutes

Main Genre

Crime

9 The Man from Nowhere Is a Top-Tier Revenge Thriller

A Pawnshop Keeper Tracks Down a Drug And Organ Ring

Directed by Lee Jeong-beom, The Man from Nowhere is an action revenge thriller about a mysterious, laconic, solitary pawnshop keeper, Cha Tae-sik, who befriends his neighbor's young daughter. When a drug and organ trafficking ring kidnaps the neighbor and her daughter, Cha sets out to find them. Along the way, audiences learn about Cha's dark past and why he possesses an uncanny ability to kill.

In the United States, a movie about the drug trade and organ trafficking, all involving children, would almost certainly never get the green light from a major Hollywood studio. In South Korea, where audiences flock to see the darker side of life, The Man from Nowhere was the highest-grossing domestic film of the year. A critical success as well, The Man from Nowhere won 19 awards out of 36 nominations. It's a highly influential film and was a major source of inspiration for the John Wick franchise.

The Man From Nowhere (2010)

R

Action

Thriller

Crime

The Man from Nowhere (2010) follows the story of a reclusive former special agent who embarks on a relentless mission to rescue a young girl kidnapped by criminals. As he delves deeper into the violent underworld, he confronts his own past and the dark secrets that haunt him. This action-packed thriller highlights themes of redemption and the bonds of friendship.

Director

Lee Jeong-beom

Release Date

August 4, 2010

Cast

Won Bin , Kim Sae-ron , Kim Tae-hun , Kim Hee-won , Kim Sung-oh , Lee Jong-pil , Thanayong Wongtrakul , Kim Hyo-seo , Song Young-chang , Baek Su-ryeon , Nam Kyung-eup , Jeong Do-won , Kwak Do-won , Jo Hyun-wu , Son Sang-kyung , Lee Jae-won , Hwang Min-Ho , Han Chul-woo , Kwon Seong-deok , Jo Jae-yun , Jeong Min-sung , Sun Ho-jin , Kim Hyo-min

Writers

Lee Jeong-beom

Runtime

119 Minutes

Main Genre

Action

Character(s)

Cha Tae-sik , Jeong So-mi , Kim Chi-gon , Man-seok , Jong-seok , Detective No , Ramrowan , Hyo-jeong , Oh Myung-gyu , Bookstore Lady , Section Chief , Detective Park , Detective Kim , Moon Dal-seo , Bear , Kim Do-chi , Nam Seong-sik , Private Loan Worker , Old Man at Convenience Store , Jang Doo-sik , Jeong Bo-gwa , Jae-moon , Joong-ho

8 Shiri Is a Foundational Work of New Korean Cinema

Released in 1999, Shiri Was the Country's Most Expensive Film

A foundational work of New Korean Cinema, Shiri was among the first blockbuster-style action movies produced in South Korea during the late 1990s. Directed by Kang Je-kyu, Shiri follows two South Korean Secret Service agents who must track down a shipment of a potent new liquid explosive stolen by North Korean terrorists. At the time of its premiere, Shiri was the most expensive South Korean movie ever made. Aesthetically, Shiri borrowed heavily from 1980s Hollywood action movies and the Hong Kong films of John Woo, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To.

Shiri helped launch the careers of two of South Korea's most internationally famous movie stars, Choi Min-sik and Song Kang-ho. A massive financial triumph, Shiri finished 1999 as the highest-grossing domestic release in South Korea. At the Grand Bell Awards, Shiri amassed eleven nominations, winning Best New Actress, Best Actor, Best Lighting, Best Editing, Best Sound Effects, and Best Planning.

Shiri

R

Action

Adventure

Drama

Thriller

This South Korean follows two agents tracking down a North Korean operative, Hee, responsible for high-profile assassinations. As they uncover a plot to detonate a bomb in Seoul, the agents face intense action and complex relationships, revealing deep-rooted espionage and political tensions.

Director

Kang Je-kyu

Release Date

February 8, 2002

Cast

Han Suk-kyu , Yunjin Kim , Choi Min-sik , Song Kang-ho , Yoon Joo-sang , Park Yong-woo , Park Eun-sook , Jo Deok-hyeon

Writers

Kang Je-kyu , Park Je-hyun , Jeon Yun-su

Runtime

125 Minutes

Main Genre

Action

7 The Chaser Was Inspired By a Real-Life Serial Killer

Yoo Young-chul Was Convicted of 20 Murders

Na Hong-jin's directorial debut, The Chaser is an action thriller about a disgraced former policeman, Eom Joong-ho, who runs a small ring of prostitutes. When one of his girls goes missing, Eom begins to investigate, eventually leading him to a ruthless serial killer. The Chaser's serial killer character, Ji Yeong-min, is loosely based on Yoo Young-shul, a South Korean serial killer who murdered approximately 20 people between 2003 and 2004.

Another savage movie to excel at the South Korean box office, The Chaser was the third highest-grossing domestic release of the year in South Korea. The Chaser also earned rave reviews from critics. Overall, The Chaser won 29 awards out of 54 total nominations. Among The Chaser's most prestigious awards were six Grand Bell Award wins for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Planning, and the Popularity Award.

The Chaser

This South Korean thriller follows an ex-detective turned pimp, Joong-ho, who discovers that his missing prostitutes have been victims of a serial killer. As he races against time to save the latest victim, he faces police corruption and bureaucratic obstacles, leading to a tense and dangerous pursuit.

Director

Na Hong-jin

Release Date

September 20, 2008

Cast

Kim Yoon-seok , Ha Jung-woo , Seo Young-hee , Kim You-jung , Jeong In-gi , Park Hyo-ju , Jo Deok-jae , Choi Jung-woo

Writers

Na Hong-jin , Shinho Lee , Hong Won-chan

6 The Good, the Bad, the Weird Homages Spaghetti Westerns

Two Outlaws and Bounty Hunter Seek a Treasure Map

The Good, the Bad, the Weird is a homage to Sergio Leone's spaghetti Westerns that operates with its own sense of Korean genre-bending flair. A comedy action adventure Western, Kim Jee-woon's The Good, the Bad, the Weird follows two outlaws and a bounty hunter who compete for possession of a treasure map in 1940s Manchuria. The trio must contend with each other, and the Japanese army and Chinese bandits. The Good, the Bad, the Weird was a box office hit, becoming the second highest-grossing South Korean domestic release of 2008.

The film was among the most acclaimed South Korean movies of the year, receiving ten nominations from the Blue Dragon Awards, winning four awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and the Popularity Award. The Good, the Bad, the Weird also earned six Grand Bell Award nominations, winning for Best Costume Design.

The Good, The Bad, The Weird

R

Comedy

Adventure

The story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.

Director

Jee-woon Kim

Release Date

July 17, 2008

Cast

Song Kang-ho , Lee Byung-hun , Jung Woo-sung , Oh Dal-su

Writers

Jee-woon Kim , Min-suk Kim

Runtime

130 minutes

Main Genre

Action

Producer

Jae-Won Choi, Jee-woon Kim

Production Company

Barunson Co. Ltd., Grimm Pictures

5 Train to Busan Is One of Cinema's Greatest Zombie Movies

It Weaves Tense Action With Claustrophobic Zombie Horror

Combining elements of action, horror, and thriller cinema, Train to Busan is one of the best zombie movies in film history, cementing its place alongside Korean cinema's best action films. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Train to Busan takes place in South Korea during the dawn of a zombie apocalypse.

The film concerns a group of passengers who struggle to survive on a train traveling from Seoul to Busan. A mammoth financial success that broke many box office records, Train to Busan was the highest-grossing South Korean movie of 2016. Train to Busan became the highest-grossing Korean movie in multiple Asian countries. In addition to its commercial accomplishments, Train to Busan won 36 awards out of 78 nominations.

Train to Busan

TV-MA

Thriller

Horror

While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan.

Director

Yeon Sang-ho

Release Date

July 20, 2016

Studio

Next Entertainment World

Cast

Gong Yoo , Jung Yu-mi , Ma Dong-seok , Kim Su-an , Choi Woo-shik , Kim Eui-sung

Runtime

118 minutes

Main Genre

Action

4 I Saw the Devil Is a Controversial Work

Violence and Sexual Content Led to Multiple Cuts

One of South Korean cinema's most controversial action horror thrillers, Kim Jee-woon's I Saw the Devil stars Lee Byung-hun as a secret agent whose wife dies at the hands of a serial killer, chillingly played by Choi Min-sik. Lee's Kim Soo-hyeon sets out for revenge, but on his path toward vengeance, moral lines blur whether Kim is a hero, or slowly becoming a villain himself.

Controversy arose due to the graphic violence and sexual content in I Saw the Devil, with the film twice receiving Restricted ratings from the Korea Media Rating Board. Ultimately, Kim made several cuts, opting to release two different versions of the film, one for domestic audiences, and one for international audiences. Despite the controversy, I Saw the Devil earned critical acclaim, winning three Blue Dragon Awards and a Grand Bell Award.

I Saw the Devil

A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
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*Availability in US

Director

Jee-woon Kim

Release Date

August 12, 2010

Studio

Magnet Releasing

Cast

Lee Byung-hun , Choi Min-sik

Writers

Park Hoon-jung , Jee-woon Kim

Runtime

2 hours 24 minutes

Main Genre

Thriller

3 A Bittersweet Life Is an Existential Action Gangster Classic

Released in 2005, It Portrays a Hitman's Dilemma

Kim Jee-woon's first foray as a director in action cinema, A Bittersweet Life, is an existential gangster classic. A Bittersweet Life stars Lee Byung-hun as a lonely, high-ranking hitman who receives orders to murder his boss' mistress. After failing to commit the violent act, Lee Kim Sun-woo becomes the target of his now-former boss. Surviving, Kim plots revenge against the men he once believed were his loyal friends.

A Bittersweet Life is much more than a standard gangster movie. The film offers a thought-provoking examination of the unfulfilling nature of the gangster lifestyle and the hypocrisy that exists within criminal codes of honor and loyalty. A Bittersweet Life earned eleven Grand Bell Award nominations, winning for Best Supporting Actor.

A Bittersweet Life

Crime

Action

Drama

This South Korean crime drama follows Sun-woo, a loyal enforcer for a crime boss, who is tasked with observing the boss's young mistress. After disobeying orders, Sun-woo becomes a target and must navigate a deadly world of betrayal, violence, and retribution to survive.

Director

Kim Jee-woon

Release Date

April 1, 2005

Cast

Lee Byung-hun , Kim Yeong-cheol , Shin Min-a , Kim Roi-ha , Hwang Jung-min , Lee Ki-young , Oh Dal-su , Kim Hae-gon

Writers

Kim Jee-woon

Runtime

120 Minutes

Main Genre

Crime

2 Joint Security Area Was the Highest-Grossing Korean Movie

Released In 2000, It Eclipsed Its Cinematic Contemporaries

​​​​​​

An action mystery thriller, Park Chan-wook's Joint Security Area focuses on the investigation of a violent incident that left two North Korean soldiers dead at the DMZ. Through a series of flashbacks, audiences gradually discover the tragic events that occurred between opposing Korean factions. Joint Security Area features a fantastic cast that includes Lee Yeong-ae, Lee Byung-hun, and Song Kang-ho.

A cornerstone work of New Korean Cinema, Joint Security Area was a historic commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing South Korean movie ever. At the Blue Dragon Awards, Joint Security Area won Best Film and Best Cinematography. Additionally, Joint Security Area earned 13 award nominations from the Grand Bell Awards, winning Best Film, Best Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Effects, and the Popularity Award. In 2009, director Quentin Tarantino named Joint Security Area one of his 20 favorite films since 1992, the year he made his debut feature movie.

Joint Security Area

After a shooting incident at the North-South Korean border DMZ leaves two North Korean soldiers dead, a neutral Swiss and Swedish team investigates what actually happened.

Director

Park Chan-wook

Release Date

September 9, 2000

Cast

Yeong-ae Lee , Byung-hun Lee , Kang-ho Song

Runtime

1 hour 50 minutes

Main Genre

Thriller

1 Oldboy Is the Greatest Korean Action Film

Released In 2003, This Sequel Outshines Its Predecessor

Park Chan-wook's Oldboy is the greatest South Korean action film ever made. In the second movie in Park's Vengeance Trilogy, Oldboy stars Choi Min-sik as Oh Dae-su, a businessman who finds himself inexplicably drugged, tortured, and imprisoned for 15 years. Finally granted freedom, Oh begins to track down his enemies to discover who kidnapped him and why they subjected him to such abuse.

A box office success, Oldboy was the fifth highest-grossing South Korean domestic release of 2003. Oldboy won 40 awards out of 68 nominations, which included a win for the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival. The film's iconic single-shot hallway fight sequence and its unforgettable disturbing twist have helped Oldboy to become regarded as one of the century's best movies.

Oldboy

R

Action

Drama

Mystery

After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must find his captor in five days.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

Park Chan-wook

Release Date

Cast

Choi Min-sik , Yoo Ji-tae , Kang Hye-jeong , Kim Byeong-Ok

Writers

Garon Tsuchiya , Nobuaki Minegishi , Park Chan-wook

Runtime

Main Genre

Action

Production Company