Oldboy **END MOVIE SPOILERS**

[PyroGamer]

Okay, so I watched Oldboy for the first time tonight...

Spoiler

Am I the only one who thought "what the ?" when Dae-su reacted so ludicrously to the news he was... you know... ing his daughter? I mean, not "what the " at him ing his daughter. That's was pretty much fine with me. What I couldn't understand is why he was so extremely upset over that... I mean, I'd be pissed too if I found that out, but not to the extent that that scene went...

I mean, seriously? Do you guys understand that? Maybe it's a cultural difference... would Koreans understand that? Do they have some strange cultural "honor" or something that allows them to murder and torture people without flinching, and yet suddenly be wrought with guilt over the thought of having a consensual sexual relationship with another adult?

Would they also have been even more horrified by the incestual relationship between Woo-jin and his sister? I mean, I was more disgusted by that only because the way it was portrayed it seemed almost like Woo-jin was taking advantage of her.

That whole scene just went way past me. When he started cutting off his tongue it was just like "Okay, wow, seriously? Would koreans be accepting this guy as even a plausible character?"

I dunno, maybe Dae-su was more horrified by the idea that this might loose him Mi-do than at any shame over himself. Obviously he willingly continued his sexual relationship with Mi-do, brainwashing himself to ward off any guilt. Would Koreans understand that, or would they be horrified at it? Personally I can understand that a bit more, which is what makes the whole tongue-cutting part a bit more plausible (he was doing it to salvage his relationship with Mi-do)... but not the sudden outburst when he learned about the big dark secret.

Thoughts?

 

[crystalklear64]

He beats like 8 guys with a hammer. Who cares?

 

[SneakyPenguin]

He was more so doing it to spare her the knowledge. He knew he was a monster, but he didn't want harm to come to her, physically or mentally. If he remained a random guy to her, she'd be safer.

 

[Zen Davis]

Cutting off your tongue is a deep and earnest sign of apology in those cultures. A similar thing happens in Ichi the Killer whne Kakihara wants to apologize to a mob boss for a misstep and ends up cutting his own tongue to show that he is honest about it.

It's not something that really goes on all that much in the mainstream cultures, but I'm sure something similar happens in the Yakuza/Underworld culture.

In regards to Oh-Desu, it was his wagging tongue that got Woo-jin Lee's sister to kill himself. Hence he cut off his wagging tongue as a symbol of apology. I didn't think it was that difficult to catch on, but I've watched A LOT of korean and japanese stuff prior to Oldboy.

Then he made himself forget what happened with Mido, partly to protect Mido from the knowledge, but also so that he didn't have to live with the horror of that realization.

 

[Fragonard]

[quote name='Zen Davis']Cutting off your tongue is a deep and earnest sign of apology in those cultures. A similar thing happens in Ichi the Killer whne Kakihara wants to apologize to a mob boss for a misstep and ends up cutting his own tongue to show that he is honest about it.

It's not something that really goes on all that much in the mainstream cultures, but I'm sure something similar happens in the Yakuza/Underworld culture.

In regards to Oh-Desu, it was his wagging tongue that got Woo-jin Lee's sister to kill himself. Hence he cut off his wagging tongue as a symbol of apology. I didn't think it was that difficult to catch on, but I've watched A LOT of korean and japanese stuff prior to Oldboy.

Then he made himself forget what happened with Mido, partly to protect Mido from the knowledge, but also so that he didn't have to live with the horror of that realization.[/quote] This guy nailed it on the head.
/thread

If you liked Old Boy, I suggest checking out A Bittersweet Life. It is also a revenge flick and has a simular feel to Old Boy and I personally enjoyed it more than Old Boy.
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_A_Bittersweet_Life.php

 

[PyroGamer]

[quote name='Zen Davis']Cutting off your tongue is a deep and earnest sign of apology in those cultures.

It's not something that really goes on all that much in the mainstream cultures, but I'm sure something similar happens in the Yakuza/Underworld culture.[/quote]
Thanks, I didn't know that.

In regards to Oh-Desu, it was his wagging tongue that got Woo-jin Lee's sister to kill himself. Hence he cut off his wagging tongue as a symbol of apology. I didn't think it was that difficult to catch on

Oh, well I caught on to that, of course.

Still, what my major confusion was, was over why he felt so bad about this. I just don't understand that. I suppose if I realize everything he was doing there was an attempt to salvage his relationship with Mi-Do, it's a bit more understandable... but then it's as if all that scene was just an act.

[quote name='Fragonard']If you liked Old Boy, I suggest checking out A Bittersweet Life. It is also a revenge flick and has a simular feel to Old Boy and I personally enjoyed it more than Old Boy.
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_A_Bittersweet_Life.php[/QUOTE]
Damnitt, it seems every Korean film that's been recommended to me in the last week has been missing from Netflix. Hopefully one of my local video stores has it... I notice Amazon only has the director's cut.

 

[Fragonard]

[quote name='PyroGamer']
Damnitt, it seems every Korean film that's been recommended to me in the last week has been missing from Netflix. Hopefully one of my local video stores has it... I notice Amazon only has the director's cut.[/quote]
It hasn't been released in the US, so you will have to buy it from an import site or download it. You should see the Directors Cut, that's that version I have. I havn't actually seen the regular version.