The Allegory of 'Oldboy'

The prison of the false self, and the cost of freedom come late

The 2013 movie ‘Oldboy’ is not a story about revenge. The theme of revenge is just a plot device to lubricate the story. The true meaning is far deeper.

This is a story, manifested by the unconscious of the writers, about the false self.

The movie begins with the protagonist being a total douchebag, an accurate description of the corrupt false self, which has completely enveloped, consumed, and suppressed the purity of the true self. This man is completely corrupt, bereft of principles and ethos… the false self.

In the main event of the first act, he finds himself imprisoned. But he had always been in the figurative prison of the false self. Nothing has changed for him other than the locale. The true self has already been in the prison of the false self for years.

After many years, and out of the blue, he finds himself free… he somehow reconnects with his true self, his childhood innocence, hence ‘old boy’… an innocent inner child in an aging body. He is now more principled, more pure in his motive… and less corrupt. He understands the errors of the false self, for which he feels responsible (as he should). He is in touch with his inner innocence, the purity of the inner child.

However, his adventure following his newfound freedom is disappointing…

He realises that the actions of the false self are irreversible and unforgivable, and too much time has passed to make any meaningful difference as the true self. He understands that ignorance is bliss, and that freedom has only allowed him to see the horrific consequences of what the false self had done in his name, and how late it is for any possible forgiveness. Time is irreversible. Thus, despite the true self regaining freedom, the true self has nothing left other than the burden of the sins of the false self.

So, in the American version of the movie, the protagonist chooses to revert to the false self, back into the prison of the monster. At least there, the true self is suppressed and numb. He won’t feel the pain of regret. He’d rather feel the pain of the corrupt false self, as long as he doesn’t hurt anyone anymore.

He gives up. The price of redemption come too late was just too high…

Was it the right move? Perhaps, especially when there is no reason left for which to be the true self anymore… nothing left to be true to. Self-delusion numbs the senses. The whole point of the false self is to suppress the true self and all its pain from innocence and sensitivity.

But what if denying the numbness of the false self is worth it, just out of principle, or at least out of spite to the demonic false self that has cost you so much? What if suffering to keep your true self is worth it, even when it’s too late to do anything with it?