• Director:  Chan-wook Park

• Writer (s):  Chan-wook Park, Jae-sun Lee, Mu-yeong Lee & Yong-jong Lee

• Starring:  Kang-ho Song, Ha-kyun Shin & Doona Bae

• Country:  South Korea

• Language:   Korean

• Followed By:  Oldboy (2003)

'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance's audio is in native Korean language.  To fully enjoy the effect of the film--it is highly recommended that you enjoy the original language version with English subtitles--without English voice dubbing.

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) is the first in the trilogy of vengeance films from director Chan-wook Park; followed by Oldboy (2003); which precedes Lady Vengeance (2005).

As with Oldboy (2003) there is an instance of conflict with the main character who in this case is a deaf factory worker named Ryu (Ha-kyun Shin). He lives with his sister who is ill and in need of a new kidney. So he utilizes his earnings from factory work to save enough money for his sisters kidney transplant. Then there is this problem: he is soon fired and given 10,000,000 Korean won as severance pay. Now, 10,000,000 Korean won was not enough for his sister's transplant (he could not donate a kidney to his sister because he was not a possible match). Ryu has to find a way to earn money. In retaliation for being fired from his job, he and a friend Yeong-mi (Doona Bae) comes up with a plan: kidnap the firing boss's best friend, Dong-jin's

(Kang-ho Song) daughter and hold her for a ransom of --10,000,000 won.

It seemed like a good plan in the beginning. Well that was until Ryu saw an advertisement for organ 'trade'--a kidney, for the matching kidney he needed for his sisters transplant. Ryu decides to 'trade' one of his kidneys and he had to pay 10,000,000 Korean won (about 10,000 USD) for the transaction. Seemed like a good deal--not. After giving his money and kidney to the black market dealers--they disappear, leaving Ryu naked and abandoned on the 'cutting room floor' (heh heh). Almost immediately thereafter, a call comes from the doctor with great news! There is now a match and the transplant can go on as planned--it (the transplant operation) will only cost--10,000,000 Korean won! Now Ryu and Yeong-mi had to now go through with the original plan--kidnapping.

Wait, something goes wrong--Ryu sister dies. The kidnapped child winds up, "displaced" (by displaced I mean dead). He is out 10,000,000 won--and one kidney. I say that is enough misfortune to make anyone go on a quest for vengeance. Ryu decides to avenge his sister's death by killing those whom he believed to be responsible 1. the black market dealers and 2. Dong-ji, the kidnapped victim's father--but there is a twist: since the kidnapping, and now murder of his daughter, Dong-ji is out for his own vengeance and there is not an opportunity for mercy.

When I tell you that this movie is full of fantastic twist and the story line of the characters are brilliantly developed in this movie--its true. There is not one turn in this movie that lacks awe. From the cinematography to the cast who give such an outstanding passion to each character! I want to go on and give further information on the twists of the movie--but I will ruin the intensity of this film. As in Oldboy (2003) you will have to experience the action as the characters themselves experienced it.

'revenge was never this sweet!' (IMDb).

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) 'Boksuneus naui geot' Korea. Dir. Chan-wook Park. IMDb