Plot

Here is the plot summary: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) tells the tragic tale of Ryu, a deaf-mute man living in a poverty-stricken neighborhood with his girlfriend, Soo-jeong. Their lives take a desperate turn when Ryu's younger sister, Soo-won, falls ill and requires an expensive kidney transplant to survive. With no means to afford the surgery, Ryu and Soo-jeong concoct a plan to kidnap Park Dong-jin, the son of a wealthy businessman, and demand a ransom in exchange for his safe release. As events unfold, the situation rapidly spirals out of control. The kidnapping goes awry, leading to Park's murder at the hands of Ryu's own brother-in-law, Park Do-woo, who is seeking revenge against Ryu for stealing his daughter's friend. This act sets off a chain reaction of violence and retribution, ensnaring multiple characters in a web of chaos and despair. As the story unfolds, Kim, a former activist turned hitman, becomes entangled in the chaos. His own motivations for revenge are rooted in the past, when he was wronged by Park Dong-jin's father, further complicating the already-complex situation. Through its exploration of themes such as poverty, desperation, and the cyclical nature of violence, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance critiques societal ills and the consequences of seeking revenge. The film's unique blend of dark humor, graphic violence, and socially conscious commentary has made it a cult classic and cemented Park Chan-wook's reputation as one of the most innovative and provocative filmmakers working today.

Reviews