“Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Weep, and you weep alone”.
Park Chan-wook’s Old Boy isn’t just a revenge thriller – it’s a cinematic descent into madness, memory and myth. A loose adaptation from the Japanese manga of the same name, the film follows Oh Dae-su, a man who has been imprisoned for fifteen years without explanation, then released into a labyrinth of vengeance. What then unfolds is brutal, oedipal, and emotionally devastating.
This week’s trivia dives beneath the hammer swings in the hallway fight – into visual codes, production secrets and psychological framework that make Old Boy one of the most haunting films of the 21st century.
Behind the Frame – Trivia & Insights
The Hallway Fight was Shot in One Take
The iconic corridor fight scene where Oh Dae-su battles twelve men with just a claw hammer was filmed in a continuous shot over a three day period. No cuts, no stunt doubles, just excellent choreography and raw physicality, resulting in a sequence that feels as bruised and relentless as the main character.
Did He Eat a Live Octopus?
Yes he did! Choi Min-sik (Oh Dae-su) consume four live octopuses during the filming of the sushi restaurant scene. As a devout Buddhist, he performed an apology ritual after each take.
The Purple Suit? Directors Choice
Oh Dae-su’s signature plum coloured suit was chosen by Park to visibly separate him from the rest of the characters around him.
Tarantino = Fanboy
Quentin Tarantino was the lead of the jury at the Cannes film festival in 2004, where Old Boy won the Grand Prix. He then championed the film for its bold storytelling and emotional brutality, and citing it as a masterpiece in revenge.
Hypnosis Motif is a Narrative Key
Hypnosis appears throughout the film – not just as a plot device, but as a metaphor for memory, manipulation and narrative distortion. It blurs the line between truth and performance, forcing us to question each revelation.
Style Cues
- Textures: Concrete, blood, glass, silk.
- Palette: Plum, charcoal, neon red.
- Motifs: Clocks, mirrors, cages, televisions.
- Framing Techniques: Tight close-ups, side profiles, symmetrical corridors.
Old Boy is a cinematic reckoning. It doesn’t just ask what revenge costs – it asks what memory is worth? Every frame is emotionally coded, every twist a psychological wound.
This isn’t just a film, it’s brutality with beauty, vengeance with vulnerability and storytelling that cuts deep.
Ronin Cinema 