同是「復仇系列」，這部系列中的首作其實是朴贊鬱從《JSA安全地帶》的人民關懷，過渡到《原罪犯》暴力美學的作品，當中多了一重社會性，同時亦探索「極端電影」（extreme cinema）的可能性，挑戰看觀的尺度。《復仇》是一個可悲不可恨的故事：綁架富家女來替親姊換腎。是出自親情，也以為「善意的誘拐不是犯罪」，但這走鋼線的一著，卻鑄成了填補不了的錯──肉參意外死亡，其父千里尋仇，接著換來的是各種以暴易暴的兇殘手段。朴贊鬱以冷靜抽離的角度，去檢視人性vs暴力、資本家vs工人的拉鋸局面，當中沒出路的困局，更看得人透不過氣來，心痛神傷。

‧02年釜山影評人協會最佳電影及最佳導演

A continuation of the director's recurring theme: revenge. Similar to OLD BOY, SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE deals with the situation when humanity is under extreme violence. A deaf guy resorts to kidnapping to save his only sister who is dying of kidney trouble after his transplant surgery plan fails. He mistakenly kills the kidnapped daughter, whose father sets out to get revenge on him. With a gripping plot and daring dark tones, SYMPATHY is a psychological thriller about how human instincts change and stretch amidst extreme emotions and situations.

‧Best Film and Best Director, Pusan Film Critics Association 2002

Oct 11 (Tue) 5:30pm / bc