Park Chan-wook’s Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is an infamously brutal revenge thriller driven by tragic events that lead characters to seek retribution at any cost. At the heart of this film lies the story of Ryu (Shin Ha-kyun), a deaf and mute factory worker whose desperate attempts to save his dying sister spiral into chaos and violence. However, beyond its violent exterior, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a stark examination of familial responsibility and the crushing weight it can impose on individuals.
Ryu’s identity is inseparable from his role as a caregiver. It wasn’t always this way, as the film introduces Ryu reflecting on his history: his elder sister (Lim Ji-Eun) is the only family he has, and before she became ill, she looked after him like a mother. She was the first to set aside her dreams, dropping out of college and working at a factory to pay for Ryu to attend art school until her kidneys began to fail. Now, the dynamic between them has reversed. Yet it is more than obligation that moves Ryu to become his sister’s caregiver, who requires a kidney transplant to survive.
In the scenes between Ryu and his sister, there is a tenderness that is absent in the rest of the film, such as when he gives her a sponge bath, gently tickling her to make her laugh, and later when he sketches drawings of their childhood memories playing together by the riverside. Nor does Ryu hesitate to offer himself as a potential kidney donor, going as far as to lie to her doctor that he has a compatible blood type. He will do anything to save his sister, a decision that ruins both of them.
Ryu’s sister, an unnamed character in the film, has blurred her identity with being a patient as much as Ryu has with being a caregiver. We know nothing about her except for her failing health and her suffering. We don’t even know her name. The last thing she wants to be is a burden, yet it would challenge anyone not to feel that way, as she becomes too weak to leave home and spends hours alone while her brother is at work. There is no one else she can turn to or rely on.
While there is tenderness between the siblings, there are moments when Ryu acts contradictorily. In one scene, as his sister screams in pain, Ryu remains seated near her while eating noodles, never looking toward her. Although he cannot hear, he can feel the vibrations and knows that she is in pain. Ryu notes that he cannot sleep when his sister can’t sleep. Still, he does nothing. This moment of detachment is a revealing glimpse of the conflicting emotions that Ryu experiences as a caregiver, a role that requires constant compassion and patience. While Ryu may not see his sister as a burden, his actions speak louder than he ever could, and there is no relief for either sibling from their roles.
Ryu refuses to let go of his sister, whose health drives every choice he makes. Desperate and unable to find a suitable organ donor, Ryu turns to the black market, where he naively attempts to sell his kidney to secure the funds for her transplant. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the film, illustrating the extreme lengths he is willing to go to fulfill his role as a caregiver. However, he is scammed and left without a kidney or the money for his sister’s transplant when a legitimate donor is miraculously found for her. The emotional and financial toll on Ryu is evident as he navigates a world where his efforts to save his sister are met with indifference and exploitation.
The societal pressures exacerbating Ryu’s plight are underscored by the film’s depiction of a harsh and unforgiving environment. South Korean society, as portrayed in the film, is characterized by stark economic disparities and a lack of support systems for individuals facing dire circumstances. The film critiques the societal structures that leave people like Ryu and his sister vulnerable and desperate, highlighting the systemic failures that contribute to the unfolding tragedy.
A crucial turning point in the film occurs when Ryu secures the money needed for his sister’s kidney transplant by kidnapping the daughter of his former employer, Dong-jin (Song Kang-ho). Tragically, Ryu’s sister discovers how he obtained the money and, overcome with guilt, commits suicide, feeling that she has become a burden to her brother. This pitiful moment ruins Ryu’s efforts and his sense of identity. Who is he without her? No one. Where Ryu once lived for his sister, he now decides to die for her instead. He becomes singularly focused on avenging her, blaming the black-market dealers for her death.
Ryu’s character and sacrifice are entwined, with his actions displaying the personal cost associated with familial responsibility. The film explores the moral ambiguity of his actions, questioning the extent to which one is willing to sacrifice for the sake of a loved one. Every choice that Ryu makes has unintended consequences, regardless of his originally selfless intentions.
Where is the line between selfless and selfish? Park answers this in the scene where Ryu drives his deceased sister and Dong-jin’s daughter, Yu-Sun (Han Bo-bae), to the river where his sister asked to be buried. As Ryu covers his sister’s body with rocks, Yu-Sun falls into the river and is swept away by the current without him noticing. The camera doesn’t spare the viewer, who sees Yu-Sun flailing as she drowns while Ryu meticulously – lovingly – buries his sister. By placing his sister above anyone else, including himself, Ryu’s actions always put someone else second. The film’s portrayal of sacrifice is complex and nuanced, reflecting the harsh realities faced by individuals caught in the web of obligation.
One of the most challenging aspects about Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is that Ryu and Yu-Sun’s father, Dong-jin, share the same goal: to avenge the one they lost. Fatefully, Ryu plays as much of a role in Dong-jin’s daughter’s death as the black-market dealers play in his sister’s. There is a twisted sense of unity, as each character has more in common than they think, but there is no room for understanding, let alone forgiveness, between them. Their roles will never allow for it.
Ryu and Dong-jin allow their familial roles to define them — one is a brother, and the other a father — with both grieving for someone taken from them. Ryu’s sister and Yu-Sun are the only innocent characters in the film. Yet, it is difficult to judge Ryu or Dong-jin as they cling to the only things they have left: their roles. Doing so gives them a purpose, a direction when they could never find their way otherwise. The question of whether it is merciful is one that Park allows the viewer to answer as Ryu and Dong-jin commit gruesome, violent acts that leave them covered in blood and hurting still. The silence surrounding them is full of pain; something that society ignores.
The cycle of vengeance in the film serves as a broader commentary on the societal implications of personal burdens. Ryu’s actions set off a chain reaction of violence and retribution, illustrating how individual struggles can reverberate throughout a community. The film’s portrayal of vengeance is not glorified but instead depicted as a tragic consequence of desperation and loss. Through Ryu’s story, the film questions the societal values that prioritize retribution over understanding and empathy, challenging viewers to reflect on the broader impact of personal struggles on society. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is more than a revenge thriller: it is a bittersweet exploration of familial responsibility and the burdens it imposes. Ryu’s narrative allows the film to delve into the complex interplay of personal sacrifice, societal pressures, and the consequences of caregiving in a world that often fails to support its most vulnerable members.
