Park Chan-wook: Screenwriting Lecture

There is nothing quite like entering the dark and twisted worlds of writer-director Park Chan-wook’s films. Breathtakingly beautiful and, at the same time, deeply horrifying, his films are awash with expertly drawn characters, rich environments and nightmarish storylines.

Oldboy (2003) brought Park to international attention. The second part of a loosely connected trilogy, all themed around the concept of vengeance (the other two being Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and Lady Vengeance (2005), Oldboy expertly plays with the emotions and allegiances of its audience.

Park seems to take a gleeful joy in subverting his audiences’ expectations, slowly revealing hidden sides and agendas for his main characters and plot twists that continually surprise. For instance, The Humanist (2001) puts a surprising spin on the blackmail crime genre. I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006) challenges preconceptions about mental health, set to a science fiction backdrop. And Thirst (2009) is not your typical vampire horror flick. He’s also not afraid to shock through the use of strong violence and sensually erotic sex.

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