From Korean...

Rating: 9/10 (17 February 2005)

First, I am Korean and moved to Boston on the last September - my English may not be perfect.
Don't read this if you haven't watched this movie.
Many of people who give low grades misunderstood this movie. Everything you felt uncomfortable came from the intention of Park Chan-wook. One of his purpose (of this movie) is to make viewers uncomfortable. The peculiar and funny styles and violence are also carefully calculated to make you guys sick (or relaxed sometimes). The plot of this movie is planned very deliberately. Most of things you think nonsense actually make sense if you understand those points you missed.
Those styles and violence are NOT the most important parts in this movie although some of viewers may hate (or like) this movie because of them.
What do you think the most important words (or question) is in this movie? In my opinion, it is Woo-Jin's. "We loved each other although we are brother and sister. Can you do that (can you still love each other even after you know you are father and daughter)?" - I don't know how it is interpreted in English.
Do you think Dae-su forget everything in the end? Nobody knows but Choi Min-sik, who acted Dae-su, thought Dae-su cannot forget everything even after he asked the hypnotist. Choi acted as if Dae-su still has the painful memory. You can see from Dae-su's distorted smile of the last scene. Dae-su may have to live with Mido forever with those memories. Will he still love her as a lover even after fail to forget? Without understanding those stuffs, you cannot say that you understand this movie.
I think Park Chan-wook's other movie 'Mr. Vengeance' is also his masterpiece. You can see more violence in that movie but with cool and neat style. Definitely, Park wanted to make another revenge story with excessive images and that story is 'Old Boy'.
I might be defensive for 'Old Boy' but NOT because I am Korean. I agree that this movie is not for families, kids and couples, and somebody may really hate it.
I gave 9 out of 10 because I cannot remember any prefect movie I can give 10 out of 10. But 'Old Boy' deserves 5 if it were out of 5.
Even for guys who hate this movie, I think 1-2 out of 10 is too harsh. There are many garbages from Hollywood which deserve those 1-2 (even 0).
I referred to some interviews with the Director Park Chan-wook.