Park Chan-wook, the critically acclaimed South Korean director, is set to adapt his 2003 cinematic hit Oldboy into an English-language series, collaborating with Lionsgate Television. This marks the first time Park will transition a work that solidified his status in international cinema into a television format.
Park expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, 'Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television. I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original, and risk-taking storytelling.'
Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development at Lionsgate Television, echoed Park's sentiment, calling him 'one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation' and expressing excitement about partnering to bring Park's cinematic masterpiece to the television screen.
The original Oldboy film, based on the Japanese manga by Garon Tsuchiya, follows the story of Oh Dae-su, played by Choi Min-sik. Oh Dae-su is abducted and held captive for 15 years without explanation. Upon his release, he must uncover the identity of his captor and the reasons behind his imprisonment within five days. This narrative is central to Park's Vengeance trilogy, which includes Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005).
Besides Oldboy, Park Chan-wook has received international acclaim for films like The Handmaiden (2016) and Decision to Leave (2022), the latter earning him a Best Director award at Cannes. His recent projects include producing and directing The Sympathizer with Robert Downey, Jr., currently airing on HBO, and the upcoming Netflix period action thriller, Uprising, set to premiere later this year.
In a recent interview, Park shared his thoughts on the 2013 remake of Oldboy by Spike Lee. He expressed both honor and unease at seeing his original work reimagined by a respected peer. Park likened the experience to a hall of mirrors, where the familiar story took on a new, slightly distorted form. While acknowledging the differences in visual and emotional impact between the two versions, Park described the viewing experience as 'fun' yet 'eerie.'
