Oldboy Tooth Extraction Scene Explained
In the 2003 South Korean film Oldboy directed by Park Chan-wook, one of the most intense moments happens when the main character Oh Dae-su pulls out teeth from a gangster named Park Cheol-woong. This scene stands out for its raw violence and clever filmmaking. Oh Dae-su has been locked in a private prison for 15 years by a mystery man. After escaping, he hunts for answers and tracks down Park Cheol-woong, who runs the prison for the client who ordered Dae-su’s captivity.https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4(2003)/%EC%A4%84%EA%B1%B0%EB%A6%AChttps://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4(2003)
Dae-su bursts into the gangster’s hideout and beats him up badly. Furious and desperate for clues, Dae-su grabs a tool like a hammer or crowbar and yanks out the man’s teeth one by one. He pulls out a total of six teeth in this brutal payback.https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4(2003)/%EC%A4%84%EA%B1%B0%EB%A6%AC The torture forces Park Cheol-woong to reveal a key tape recording with the voice of the person behind Dae-su’s imprisonment. Dae-su even makes the gangster sit in a chair, mimicking how he was tortured during his captivity.https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4(2003)/%EC%A4%84%EA%B1%B0%EB%A6%AChttps://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%9D%B4%EC%9A%B0%EC%A7%84(%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4)
What makes the scene so powerful is how the director avoids showing the gore straight on. Instead of close-ups of teeth being ripped out, the film cuts away at key moments. You see a bloody tooth stuck in the tool and blood dripping from the gums. Then it switches to the gangster’s view with just screams and pulling sounds. This tricks your mind into imagining the pain, which hits harder than direct shots of violence.https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4(2003) Park Chan-wook uses this style throughout Oldboy. Even later when Dae-su cuts his own tongue, the movie skips the actual slice and shows blood hitting the floor with sounds. It builds tension and leaves a stronger mark on viewers.https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4(2003)
The tooth pulling fits the movie’s theme of revenge. Dae-su mirrors the cruelty done to him, showing how revenge twists people. Park Cheol-woong works for Lee Woo-jin, the rich man who imprisoned Dae-su. During the attack, Dae-su gets close to answers but faces more mind games from Woo-jin, who has a weak heart and controls things remotely.https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%9D%B4%EC%9A%B0%EC%A7%84(%EC%98%AC%EB%93%9C%EB%B3%B4%EC%9D%B4) Fans remember this part as a peak of the film’s brutal yet smart storytelling.
