Maps of Movies

Oldboy (2003)

Where Oldboy says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

A story set in Seoul that was shot in Busan, a Paju studio, and New Zealand

Scenes and places

The room with only a TV (2003)

Dae-su wakes locked in a plain room with only a TV, which becomes his clock and calendar. He practises shadow boxing and plans his escape.

Set in The locked room — A plain room where Dae-su is held with only a TV.

Filmed at Art Service Film Studio, Tanhyeon, Paju — A Paju set is reported as the place where the two leads' confrontation was shot; whether it was this room isn't known. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The rooftop release (2003)

Dae-su is released onto a rooftop, where a man at the edge is about to jump. He first mocks him, then stops him and they talk.

Set in A rooftop — The roof where Dae-su is set free.

Filmed at Garak Hyundai Apartments / Munjeong Hyundai Apartments, Songpa, Seoul — Rooftop scene; sources disagree on the exact complex. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The live octopus at the sushi bar (2003)

Dae-su enters a sushi restaurant asking for something alive. The young chef Mi-do feels strangely familiar to him. He eats a live octopus.

Set in A sushi restaurant — The restaurant where Dae-su meets Mi-do.

Choi Min-sik really ate a live octopus (4 takes); director Park said Choi prayed to the octopus before each take.

Chasing the dumpling taste (2003)

Dae-su traces a dumpling taste to find where his meals came from, visiting Chinese restaurants one after another.

Set in Chinese restaurants — The restaurants Dae-su searches one by one.

The bug in the electronics market (2003)

Dae-su suspects his enemy is listening and asks for a bug to be found and removed.

Set in An electronics market — Where Dae-su has the bug removed. Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Yongsan Electronics Market, Seoul — Said to be filmed here; single fan-cafe source, point is the district's representative coordinate. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Woo-jin's penthouse (2003)

Dae-su follows a scripture clue to the top floor of a high tower and enters Woo-jin's penthouse.

Set in The penthouse — The top-floor home of Lee Woo-jin.

Choi Min-sik reportedly fell asleep lying on the ground during the penthouse sequence and had to be woken between takes.

Filmed at Korean Film Studios (Yangsuri), Namyangju — The penthouse is a studio set built here. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The snowfield (2003)

A snowy landscape closes the film.

Set in Snowfield — A snowy landscape.

The snow epilogue was shot in New Zealand because South Korea had no snow at the time; the crew's luggage, cameras and costumes did not arrive, so they rented cameras and made substitute costumes.

Filmed at Pukyong National University front gate, Daeyeon, Busan — The street around the room Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Pusan National University front, Busan — Fight on the street after release Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Chungmuro, Seoul — The watch shop Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Oh Dae-su — A man who is locked in a room for years without knowing why.
• Mi-do — A young sushi chef Dae-su meets after his release.
• Lee Woo-jin — A man from Dae-su's old school who lives in a penthouse.