Summary
- Oldboy made a mark internationally in 2003 with a gripping story and shocking ending.
- You can still watch Oldboy on Netflix until March 24th – catch it before it’s gone!
- While the original Oldboy is a must-watch classic, the 2013 remake by Spike Lee falls short.
Park Chan-wook is perhaps best known nowadays for co-creating HBO’s 2024 series The Sympathizer and helping to spearhead the Snowpiercer franchise on screens both big and small. Back in 2003, however, he first made his name on the international film scene with a little South Korean thriller called Oldboy.
An adaptation of the 1990s Japanese manga of the same name, Oldboy came out of nowhere to become a hit on the global stage. The only reason it didn’t win the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival is because another surprise smash—Michael Moore’s infamous Fahrenheit 9/11—took the grand prize that year. A remarkable tale of vengeance, perseverance, and harrowing violence, Oldboy‘s legacy lives on more than two decades after its original release. And you can watch it right now on Netflix.
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This Brutal Revenge Thriller Has One of the Most Shocking Plot Twists In History
The ending of Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy remains one of the most shocking, brutal, and continues to surprise viewers decades after its release.
You Can Still Catch Oldboy On Netflix
When Is Oldboy Leaving Netflix?
As is always the case, films and television shows come and go all of the time on Netflix. Streaming services truly are a blessing and a curse. Fear not, dear reader, as you have a few more weeks to catch Oldboy on Netflix before it leaves the streaming giant.
According to Netflix’s official “Tudum” blog, Oldboy is leaving for U.S. subscribers on March 24th. Films leave and return to Netflix’s streaming library on a seemingly constant basis, but there is always a chance that Oldboy won’t return to Netflix for a good long while, if ever. If you’re already paying for the privilege, turning on Park Chan-wook’s seminal modern classic before it’s gone isn’t something you’ll regret.
Why You Should Watch Oldboy in 2025
Its Influence Is Still Felt All These Years Later
There are more than a handful of reasons that make Oldboy such a beloved film. After all, this is a movie that is often regarded as one of the greatest ever made. A project doesn’t stumble upon that kind of accolade for no reason. Everything from the lush, classical score and the impeccable framing to the brutal violence and masterful acting choices on display is truly top-notch.
Oldboy tells the story of Oh Dae-su, a run-of-the-mill businessman who is kidnapped and imprisoned in a hotel room-like cell for fifteen years without knowing why it has happened to him or who has orchestrated the entire thing. Once Dae-su is mysteriously released from captivity, a spiraling tale of horrific realizations, violent confrontations, and entangled romance ensues. Let’s put it this way: Oldboy is anything but a happy film; it is a beautiful, enrapturing, and almost overwhelming experience that will most likely not put you in the best of moods after watching.
That being said, Oldboy is an absolute must-watch. The twists and turns the story takes will have you reeling. The three lead performances by Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, and Kang Hye-jung are just about as good as it gets. The legendary hallway fight scene has influenced everything from the beloved homage in the first season of Daredevil to the much more lighthearted “No Diggity” montage in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Stunt coordinators and choreographers will seemingly keep referencing Oldboy until the end of time, not that anyone should be complaining.
Is The Oldboy Remake Also Worth Watching?
Spike Lee Remade The Film In 2013
Technically, Oldboy has been remade twice: once unofficially amid legal controversy with 2006’s Bollywood flop Zinda and again in 2013 with Spike Lee’s box office bomb also titled Oldboy. As Spike Lee’s version comes from one of the most notable American directors of the past 40+ years, one could be forgiven for thinking it is worth a watch. Unfortunately, that simply just isn’t the case.
Despite featuring an all-star cast that includes Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Michael Imperioli, Pom Klementieff, Lance Reddick, and Rami Malek, Lee’s remake isn’t up to snuff. To be fair to the legendary Brooklyn-based director, final cut was taken away from him, resulting in a theatrical release that was a whopping 35 minutes shorter than was originally intended. The 2013 version lacks the impact of the original and doesn’t add anything to the proceedings whatsoever, dooming the project as yet another in a long line of pointless Hollywood remakes. That harsh truth may lie at the feet of the film’s producers instead of Lee himself, but it is a reality nonetheless.
Oldboy is currently streaming on Netflix until March 24th. Do yourself a favor and go watch it!
Netflix
Netflix is one of the most popular and widely viewed streaming services in the world. Beginning with its mail order DVD service, Netflix has since grown into an entertainment juggernaut, with original shows and movies including Squid Game, Stranger Things, The Irishman, and The Killer.
Source: Netflix