Watch Park Chan-wook's Vengeance trilogy in release order: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003) and Lady Vengeance (2005). The three films share themes, not characters, so each stands alone.
- Titles
- 3
- Films
- 3
- Watch time
- 6 hours
- Box office
- $43 million
- Avg IMDb
- 7.8
Vengeance Trilogy movies in release order
Here is every Vengeance Trilogy title in the order it came out, 2002 to 2005: 3 films.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance | 2002 | Film | 2h 9m | 7.5 |
| 2 | Oldboy | 2003 | Film | 2h | 8.3 |
| 3 | Lady Vengeance | 2005 | Film | 1h 55m | 7.5 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
The 3 films in the Vengeance Trilogy share themes, not a story, so there is no story order to follow; release order is the order they were made to be seen in.
Where to start
Start with Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and go in release order.
The whole thing is 6 hours. At two hours a night that is about 4 evenings.
The three highest rated: Oldboy (8.3), Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (7.5), and Lady Vengeance (7.5).
Every Vengeance Trilogy movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2002 · Film · 2h 9m
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
A deaf man and his girlfriend resort to desperate measures in order to fund a kidney transplant for his sister. Things go horribly wrong, and the situation spirals rapidly into a cycle of violence and revenge.
Why it matters: A kidnapping to pay for a sister's kidney goes wrong.
- Starring
- Song Kang-ho, Shin Ha-kyun, and Bae Doona
- Director
- Park Chan-wook
- Box office
- $2 million on a $4 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 53%
No. 02 · 2003 · Film · 2h
Oldboy
With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.
Why it matters: A man is locked in a room for 15 years without being told why.
- Starring
- Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, and Kang Hye-jung
- Director
- Park Chan-wook
- Box office
- $18 million on a $3 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 82%
No. 03 · 2005 · Film · 1h 55m
Lady Vengeance
Released after being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 13 years, a woman begins executing her elaborate plan of retribution.
Why it matters: A woman jailed for a child's murder plans her revenge.
- Starring
- Lee Young-ae, Choi Min-sik, and Kwon Yea-young
- Director
- Park Chan-wook
- Box office
- $24 million
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 76%
Vengeance Trilogy box office and budgets
The 3 Vengeance Trilogy films with reported numbers have grossed $43 million worldwide on about $7 million in combined budgets, roughly 2.8 times what they cost. The biggest is Lady Vengeance at $24 million, 55% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Oldboy ($18 million) and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance ($2 million).
The best and worst rated Vengeance Trilogy movies
Across 3 rated titles, Vengeance Trilogy averages 7.8 on IMDb. The top of the list is Oldboy at 8.3, then Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (7.5) and Lady Vengeance (7.5). At the bottom: Lady Vengeance (7.5) and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (7.5).
- Oldboy8.3 · RT 82%
- Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance7.5 · RT 53%
- Lady Vengeance7.5 · RT 76%
Who appears in the most Vengeance Trilogy movies
Ji Dae-han leads with 2 appearances as Detective Ji and No Joo-hwan, ahead of Choi Min-sik (2) and Kim Byeong-ok (2). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ji Dae-han | Detective Ji / No Joo-hwan | 2 | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) to Oldboy (2003) |
| Choi Min-sik | Oh Dae-su / Mr. Baek | 2 | Oldboy (2003) to Lady Vengeance (2005) |
| Kim Byeong-ok | Mr. Han / Preacher | 2 | Oldboy (2003) to Lady Vengeance (2005) |
| Oh Dal-su | Park Cheol-woong / Mr. Chang | 2 | Oldboy (2003) to Lady Vengeance (2005) |
| Lee Seung-shin | Yoo Hyung-ja / Park Yi-jeong | 2 | Oldboy (2003) to Lady Vengeance (2005) |
Vengeance Trilogy directors and creators
1 filmmaker has directed or created Vengeance Trilogy; Park Chan-wook has the most, with 3.
- Park Chan-wookSympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), and Lady Vengeance (2005)
How long it takes to watch every Vengeance Trilogy movie
All 3 titles add up to 6 hours. That is about 4 two-hour evenings, or 1 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance at 2h 9m.
The 3 best rated films: Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Lady Vengeance.
Everything takes about 7 days.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Vengeance Trilogy movies in?
Watch Park Chan-wook's Vengeance trilogy in release order: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003) and Lady Vengeance (2005). The three films share themes, not characters, so each stands alone.
How many Vengeance Trilogy movies and shows are there?
There are 3 titles in the Vengeance Trilogy franchise: 3 films and 0 series, released from 2002 to 2005.
How long does it take to watch all the Vengeance Trilogy movies?
About 6 hours for all 3 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Vengeance Trilogy title in chronological order?
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, set in First in the trilogy. In release order the first is Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002).
What is the best Vengeance Trilogy movie?
By IMDb score, Oldboy (2003) at 8.3, followed by Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance at 7.5.
What is the highest-grossing Vengeance Trilogy movie?
Lady Vengeance (2005), with $24 million worldwide. Vengeance Trilogy films have made $43 million in total.
Who has appeared in the most Vengeance Trilogy movies?
Ji Dae-han, in 2 of them as Detective Ji.
What is the longest Vengeance Trilogy movie?
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, at 2h 9m.
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