All 11 Park Chan-wook Movies, Ranked Worst To Best

All 11 Park Chan-wook Movies, Ranked Worst To Best

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Park Chan-wook is one of the most prolific filmmakers of his generation, and while it’s difficult to rank his fascinating and diverse range of movies, there are some projects that stand out as the best. As both a director and writer, Park’s work is distinct, as violence, gore, and tragic romance are all familiar parts of his filmography. Well known for the Vengeance Trilogy, most notably the second installment, Oldboy, Park has made a name for himself within the thriller genre, but this is far from the only niche of cinema in which he excels.

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Every era of his work has brought exciting new visual and thematic nuance to his style, making audiences and critics excited to see what he has in store for the next phase of his career. The director has recently wrapped filming on his upcoming movie, No Other Choice, featuring Lee Byung-hun, known for his starring role in Squid Game (via Deadline). He’s known for making psychological thriller movies that mess with the audience’s head, using experimental structures and forms to create an intricate portrait of his characters.

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11

The Moon Is…The Sun’s Dream (1992)

Park’s first feature film doesn’t hint at the illustrious career the director would have

The Moon Is…The Sun’s Dream was Park’s feature directorial debut, and the director has been vocal about how much he wishes to distance himself from the project. Luckily, it didn’t take long for Park’s desires to come true, as the director is barely associated with this critical and commercial flop. Despite being a crime drama and featuring elements of forbidden love, two narratives that Park would explore later on, The Moon Is…The Sun’s Dream is nothing like the Park audiences know today.

Though the movie itself isn’t memorable or of the highest quality, there’s still a positive lesson to be learned from the film.

Though the movie itself isn’t memorable or of the highest quality, there’s still a positive lesson to be learned from the film. Park evolved as a director and learned a lot from this misstep, going on to become an acclaimed filmmaker with an unparalleled career. This proves that the road to becoming an auteur of Park’s level is long and difficult, and making some less-than-perfect films along the way is to be expected.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

The Moon Is…The Sun’s Dream (1992)

N/A

N/A

4.9/10

10

Trio (1997)

Park’s second feature film is another movie that’s better forgotten

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Like The Moon Is…The Sun’s Dream, Trio is an almost completely forgotten addition to Park’s oeuvre, and the director likely wouldn’t claim either film as a significant part of his filmography. Trio is his second feature and takes a step in the right direction after his failed first film. It includes themes of vengeance and desperation, which play a major role in the characters’ actions. Lee Geung-young, Jeong Seon-kyeong, and Kim Min-jong lead the film as the titular trio who band together to decide to rob a band to solve their problems.

Though this premise could easily work and be elevated by a director like Park, Trio lacks the grace and edge of the movies that Park is known for. While Park would later push boundaries and become renowned for intense displays of graphic violence onscreen, Trio shies away from this style, opting for a more commercial approach to the action. Though it’s a solid film, it pales in comparison to anything Park has done since.

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Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Trio (1997)

N/A

N/A

4.9/10

9

I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006)

This offbeat romantic comedy is unlike anything else Park has directed

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I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK - Poster

I’m a Cyborg, but That’s OK

RomanceComedyDrama

Release Date

December 7, 2006

Runtime

105 Minutes

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Park Chan-wook, Chung Seo-kyung

Cast

I’m a Cyborg, but That’s OK is a South Korean romantic comedy-drama directed by Park Chan-wook. The film follows Young-goon, who believes she is a cyborg and refuses to eat, and fellow patient Il-soon, who befriends her at a mental institution and attempts to help her overcome her delusions.

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Thinking of a romantic comedy as a genre that would appeal to Park creates some cognitive dissonance. However, I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK is a deeply tender and empathetic look at an unexpected connection that blossoms between two people in a mental health facility. Cha Young-goon (Im Soo-jung) believes that she is a cyborg and needs electricity instead of food to survive, while Park Il-soon (Rain) thinks he has the ability to take on other people’s traits as a form of theft.

I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK demonstrates Park’s willingness to test out his limits within different genres and discover what works best for him and his style.

As the audience slowly learns about the circumstances that brought them to the same facility, they grow to care for and understand each other, developing an honest love. I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK demonstrates Park’s willingness to test out his limits within different genres and discover what works best for him and his style. Few of his other films would tread similar quirky and upbeat territory. However, there’s something universal about I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK, making it a relatable and underrated addition to his body of work.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006)

92%

78%

6.9/10

8

Stoker (2013)

Park crafts a fun mystery, but it doesn’t hold up next to his best work

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stoker

Stoker

pg-13
Thriller

Runtime

99minutes

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Park Chan-wook

Cast

Stoker is a thriller that follows a young girl named India Stoker, whose father just passed away in a car accident. Soon, India and her mother meet a charming man named Charlie, who claims to be her uncle. Staying with them during this trying time, Charlie reveals that he has sinister intentions that India not only doesn’t heed but instead becomes infatuated with the man.

Studio(s)

Searchlight Pictures

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Though often overlooked among Nicole Kidman’s best movies, Stoker features a chilling performance from the actress thanks to Park’s direction. Also starring Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode, Stoker was Park’s English-language debut and easily demonstrated that his style and understanding of human nature translates to every language and cultural context. One of the few films Park directed but didn’t have a hand in writing, Stoker, is a more typical intergenerational thriller with twists that are exciting but not impossible to predict.

However, Stoker, like all of Park’s work, is flooded with the vivid details and imagery that make up the character’s world, plunging the audience into their web of lies and violence. The film drew numerous comparisons to classic Hitchcock mysteries, but the resounding reaction to Stoker was that it couldn’t touch the success of Park’s earlier works, particularly Oldboy. Despite this, it’s a compelling watch and is no less diverting than any of Park’s more graphic projects.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Stoker (2013)

70%

60%

6.7/10

7

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance (2002)

The first installment of the Vengeance Trilogy and an important step for Park

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Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance_Movie_Poster

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

R
CrimeActionDocumentaryDramaThriller

Release Date

March 29, 2002

Runtime

121 minutes

Director

Chan-wook Park

Writers

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

Producers

Seok Dong-jun, Lim Jin-gyu

Cast

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a South Korean crime drama directed by Park Chan-wook. Released in 2002, the film follows a deaf man and his girlfriend as they take extreme actions to secure a kidney transplant for his sister, leading to an escalating cycle of violence and retribution.

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Many icons of South Korean cinema appear in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance​​​​​​, the film that kicked off the Vengeance Trilogy, which came to define much of Park’s early career. Song Kang-ho, Bae Doona, and Shin Ha-kyun lead this neo-noir thriller that doesn’t have the same critical rating as Park’s other works but is a thrilling good time. Though the violence in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance can be excessive at times, there’s more to the film than the gore and cynical edge that indicts its characters.

Full of tragedy, devastation, and the worst of humanity’s inclinations, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is one of Park’s most bleak films to date.

Despite its mixed reviews and box office performance, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance has aged reasonably well and struck the right tone to establish the Vengeance Trilogy. Though the second installment, Oldboy, would be the film that ultimately catapulted Park to international acclaim, the rest of his filmography couldn’t exist without Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. Full of tragedy, devastation, and the worst of humanity’s inclinations, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is one of Park’s most bleak films to date.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)

53%

84%

7.5/10

6

Joint Security Area (2000)

This political thriller is the earliest example of Park’s iconic style

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Joint Security Area

Not Rated
WarDramaThrillerMystery

Release Date

September 9, 2000

Runtime

108 minutes

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Sang-yeon Park, Jeong Seong-san, Park Chan-wook, Kim Hyun-seok, Lee Mu-yeong

Producers

Lee Eun

Cast

Joint Security Area is a 2000 film directed by Park Chan-wook, focusing on the tense investigation following the deaths of two North Korean soldiers in the demilitarized zone. A Swiss-Korean investigator attempts to unravel the conflicting narratives from both North and South Korean perspectives.

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Joint Security Area is the first movie in Park’s filmography that begins to define his work as a director. It’s clear from the first moments of Joint Security Area that this is when Park was truly coming into his own as a filmmaker and could fully bring his vision to life. The movie takes place in the Korean Demilitarized Zone and slowly untangles the relationship between soldiers on the North and South sides of the zone in the wake of a shootout and the resulting investigation.

The film was massively successful in South Korea, establishing Park as a director to watch and deftly discussing the tenuous situation of the DMZ. Joint Security Area received numerous accolades and nominations at the Blue Dragon Awards and the Busan Film Critics Awards. Though Western audiences aren’t as familiar with Joint Security Area, this tense and sweeping thriller is a fantastic example of how Park became such a prominent and iconic director.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Joint Security Area (2000)

88%

89%

7.7/10

5

Lady Vengeance (2005)

Visually stunning and emotionally devastating, Lady Vengeance is a great conclusion to Park’s trilogy

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Lady Vengeance

R
CrimeDocumentaryDramaThriller

Release Date

July 29, 2005

Runtime

110 minutes

Director

Chan-wook Park

Writers

Seo-Gyeong Jeong, Chan-wook Park

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Yeong-ae Lee

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Min-sik Choi

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Tony Barry

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The final installment of the Vengeance Trilogy, Lady Vengeance, is the tragic conclusion to Park’s exploration of the cost of revenge. Lee Young-ae gives an incredible performance as Geum-ja, a young woman who loses her daughter and spends years in prison after being blackmailed into confessing to a murder she didn’t commit. Upon her release, Geum-ja does everything in her power to ensure that the real culprit is brought to justice by her hand.

Though Lady Vengeance is typically praised for its action and fight scenes, the emotional core of the movie shouldn’t be overlooked.

Though Lady Vengeance is typically praised for its action and fight scenes, the emotional core of the movie shouldn’t be overlooked. As with the first two movies in Park’s trilogy, Lady Vengeance elevates the story of a desperate character who has seemingly lost everything and slowly realizes that terrorizing their enemies won’t give them back the years they lost. Lady Vengeance is a strong addition to Park’s filmography and shows his evolution as a visual artist.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Lady Vengeance (2005)

76%

87%

7.5/10

4

Thirst (2009)

Park puts his own spin on a classic vampire narrative

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Thirst - Poster

Thirst

R
DramaFantasyHorror

Release Date

April 30, 2009

Runtime

134 Minutes

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Émile Zola, Park Chan-wook, Chung Seo-kyung

Cast

Thirst is a 2009 film directed by Park Chan-wook, in which a devout priest undergoes an experimental medical procedure, resulting in his transformation into a vampire. Struggling with his new identity, he grapples with moral dilemmas as he develops a dangerous attraction to his friend’s wife.

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Thirst isn’t a typical Gothic vampire movie and plays with more modern influences, like medical experimentation and contemporary desire. Viewers will recognize Song Kang-ho, a frequent collaborator with Bong Joon-ho, as the protagonist, Sang-hyun. Religion also plays a large role in Thrist, as Sang-hyun is a priest who is transformed into a vampire after a medical experiment goes wrong. However, his growing lust for blood isn’t the only urge that Sang-hyun has to keep in check throughout Thirst.

Like most vampire movies, Thrist tackles themes of desire, disease, and social ostracization, as Sang-hyun is both entranced and disgusted by his growing physical powers and the effect they have on others. Thirst is closer to a traditional horror movie rather than the thrillers that Park is known for, but the director proves that he understands how these genres work together. Winning the Jury Prize at Cannes, Thirst set the stage for the next phase in Park’s career after the Vengeance Trilogy.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Thirst (2009)

81%

74%

7.1/10

3

Decision To Leave (2022)

Park’s most recent feature, and an interesting departure for the filmmaker

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Decision to Leave Movie Poster

Decision to Leave

R
CrimeDramaMystery

Release Date

October 14, 2022

Runtime

138 minutes

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Park Chan-wook, Seo-kyeong Jeong

Cast

Decision to Leave is a 2022 South Korean romantic mystery film directed by Park Chan-wook. The narrative follows a detective who becomes entangled in a complex relationship with a mysterious widow during a murder investigation. Starring Tang Wei and Park Hae-il, the film delves into themes of obsession and duty, blending intricate plot twists with a nuanced portrayal of human emotions.

Producer

Park Chan-wook, Daeseok Ko

Production Company

Moho Film

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Decision to Leave earned Park many accolades after it was released in 2022, earning him nominations at the BAFTAs, as well as a win for Best Director at Cannes. The film follows the example of Park’s earlier work, The Handmaiden, taking on a slower and more contemplative tone, though Decision to Leave still has plenty of action and twists. Following the central relationship between a detective, Jang Hae-jun (Park Hae-il), and the widow of a murdered man, Song Seo-rae​​​​​​​ (Tang Wei), Decision to Leave sees the characters grapple with their desires and lies.

It’s easy to be sucked into Decision to Leave, and it’s a testament to Park’s longevity as a filmmaker that his recent works are only expanding his style and skill.

Every moment of Decision to Leave is beautifully crafted, and the definitive shots allow the viewer to drink in the gorgeous visuals and sink deeper into the world of the story. Throughout the story, the audience is just as undone by Seo-rae as Hae-jun is, culminating in a heart-shattering ending that will stay with you for a long time. It’s easy to be sucked into Decision to Leave, and it’s a testament to Park’s longevity as a filmmaker that his recent works are only expanding his style and skill.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Decision to Leave (2022)

94%

85%

7.3/10

2

Oldboy (2003)

A bloody and unforgettable demonstration of Park’s skills

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Oldboy

R
MysteryDrama

Release Date

November 21, 2003

Runtime

120 Minutes

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Park Chan-wook, Hwang Jo-yun, Lim Jun-hyung

Prequel(s)

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

Cast

After 15 years of solitary confinement, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) hunts down his captors and falls in love with chef Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung), but soon realizes all the messed up reasons that led him to such a distressing predicament. The 2003 South Korean mystery thriller is the second installment in director Park Chan-wook’s The Vengeance Trilogy and the original South Korean movie that inspired Spike Lee’s eponymous 2013 American remake.

Franchise(s)

Oldboy

Studio(s)

Egg Film, CJ Entertainment

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Oldboy is the second installment of Park’s Vengeance Trilogy, and it’s by far the bloodiest and best. Starring Choi Min-sik as Oh Dae-su, the complex protagonist of Oldboy, the movie is one of Park’s most intensely violent, and not for viewers who get squeamish at the sight of blood. Oldboy is one of the films that Park is best known for and is widely regarded as the project that catapulted him into a higher level of fame and notoriety.

Hoa Xuande as The Captain from The Sympathizer

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Considered one of the best revenge movies of all time, Oldboy is a brutal exploration of what the quest for vengeance does to a person and leaves the audience questioning whether it’s always better to know the truth. It’s here that Park highlighted his skills as an action director, deftly creating iconic and engaging shots that display the fight choreography. Oldboy stands apart in the thriller genre because not only does it scratch the action-adventure itch that audiences go to thrillers for, but it also has a deeper meaning that makes the viewer think.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

Oldboy (2003)

82%

94%

8.3/10

1

The Handmaiden (2016)

This romantic thriller is Park Chan-wook’s magnum opus

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The Handmaiden

Not Rated
ThrillerDramaRomance

Release Date

June 1, 2016

Runtime

145 minutes

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Chung Seo-kyung

Producers

Miky Lee, Syd Lim

Cast

The Handmaiden is a 2016 film set in 1930s Korea. It follows a swindler and a young woman disguised as a Japanese count and a handmaiden, respectively, who scheme to seduce a wealthy Japanese heiress and steal her fortune.

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Park’s most sweeping and romantic film to date, The Handmaiden​​​​​, might have a love story at the heart of its narrative, but that doesn’t make it any less twisted. As Park has progressed in his career, his work has only become more nuanced and gripping, and The Handmaiden is the best representation of the culmination of his style and contributions to cinema. Following the complex relationship between the young heiress Hideko (Kim Min-hee) and her maid Sook-hee​​​​​​​ (Kim Tae-ri), The Handmaiden features all of the psychosexual mind games that audiences have come to expect from Park.

Though The Handmaiden has the twists and turns of a classic thriller, the movie easily transcends the genre.

Slowly unfolding in three parts, the viewer might think they have a handle on who has betrayed whom and how the double-crosses will unfold in The Handmaiden, but Park’s layered narrative will keep audiences guessing until the end. Immediately hailed as one of the best movies of 2016, The Handmaiden remains Park Chan-wook’s best film to date, and it will be interesting to see how the artist tops this work in the coming years. Though The Handmaiden has the twists and turns of a classic thriller, the movie easily transcends the genre.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

IMDB Score

The Handmaiden (2016)

96%

91%

8.1/10

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment