The Vengeance Trilogy

Films

''Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance'' (2002)

The first installment in Park's trilogy was the 2002 film, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, a bleak and violent tale of revenge gone wrong. It tells the story of a deaf-mute man who kidnaps a young girl to pay for his sister's much-needed kidney transplant. When the young girl accidentally dies, her bereaved father goes on a search for answers and vengeance. The film did relatively poorly at the box office in South Korea finishing 30th in ticket rank. It covered less than half its production costs in both domestic and international box office gates, where in the U.S. it garnered gross revenues of $45,243.

''Oldboy'' (2003)

Park's next film in the trilogy was the hugely successful 2003 film, Oldboy. It told the story of a man who is imprisoned for fifteen years and then released with no explanation as to why he was confined and released. Now, he has been given five days to learn his captor's true identity and find out why he was imprisoned, or his new love interest will be killed. The film was very well received at film festivals and at the box office in South Korea. It won the Grand Prix award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and received positive reviews from critics. The film has gained a cult following in the years following its release and is considered a modern classic.

A remake was directed by Spike Lee in 2013.

''Lady Vengeance'' (2005)

The third and final installment in the trilogy was the 2005 film, Lady Vengeance. The film tells the tale of an innocent young woman released from prison after doing time for a child-killer still at large. Once freed, she seeks out her long-lost daughter and unveils her plan for revenge against the ghastly man for whom she served time. This film was also well received by critics and South Korean audiences alike. It grossed $7,382,034 in its opening week and competed for the Golden Lion at the 62nd Venice International Film Festival in September 2005.

Recurring cast members

Analysis

Kim Se Young explained the trilogy's violence as "an allegorical tool which serves to convey social commentary pointed at the processes of democratization and capitalism in South Korea".

Reception

Home media

In the United Kingdom, Tartan Films issued a box set on DVD. In the United States, Vivendi Entertainment released the same set.

References

References

1. [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310775/business Boksuneun naui geot (2002) - Box office / business]
2. [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/business Oldeuboi (2003) - Box office / business]
3. Associated, The. (2014-03-13). "Movies | Movie Times | Tickets Online | MoviesTrailers - Moviefone.com". Screened.com.
4. (2006-02-16). "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2005)". [[Box Office Mojo]].
5. (2005-12-08). "Oldboy (2005)". [[Box Office Mojo]].
6. (2006-10-01). "Lady Vengeance (2006)". [[Box Office Mojo]].
7. (2009). "Love Your Enemies: Revenge and Forgiveness in Films by Park Chan-wook". [[Korean Studies (journal).
8. (2012). "Film trilogies : new critical approaches". Palgrave Macmillan.
9. [http://dryden.eastmanhouse.org/uncategorized/2007/01/park-chan-wook%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cvengeance-trilogy%E2%80%9D Park Chan-Wook's "''Vengeance Trilogy''"] {{Webarchive. link. (14 July 2012 at the [[Dryden Theatre]].)
10. link. (23 January 2016 by film critic [[Richard Peña]] at ''Cine21'' {{in lang). ko
11. [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/oldboy-v545041/user-reviews allmovie (Oldboy - Overview)]
12. (1944-09-29). "Palisades | Tartan". Ladyvengeancemovie.com.
13. Kim, Se Young. (2010). "A Sociohistorical Contextual Analysis of the Use of Violence in Park Chan-wook's Vengeance Trilogy". Ohio University.
14. "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance". [[Rotten Tomatoes]].
15. "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance". [[Metacritic]].
16. "Oldboy". [[Rotten Tomatoes]].
17. "Oldboy". [[Metacritic]].
18. "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance". [[Rotten Tomatoes]].
19. "Lady Vengeance". [[Metacritic]].
20. "DVD Outsider: The Vengeance Trilogy DVD overview".
21. (2009-09-28). "Palisades Tartan Releasing Vengeance Trilogy DVD Box Set". ComingSoon.net.
22. Brian Gallagher. (2009-09-30). "Chan-Wook Park's 'Vengeance Trilogy' Comes to DVD on November 24th". Movieweb.com.
23. "Vengeance Trilogy Blu-ray: Tin | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Lady Vengeance". Blu-ray.com.
24. "Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance/Oldboy/Lady Vengeance): Movies & TV".