In order to examine the mechanistic basis for differential sensitivities to chilling and subsequent recovery between two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cutivars, a chilling-tolerant japonica type (Ilpumbyeo) and a chilling-susceptible indica type (Taebaekbyeo), changes of physiological responses and antioxidant enzymes were investigated. Both cultivars at 3 leaf stage were exposed at a low temperature of 5~circC for 3 days and subsequently recovered in a growth chamber at a 25~circC for 5 days with 250 mmol m-2 s-1 . Physiological parameters such as leaf fresh weight, relative water content, cellular leakage, lipid peroxidation, and chlorophyll a fluorescence showed that the chilling tolerant cultivar had a high tolerance during chilling. However, the chilling-susceptible cultivar revealed severe chilling damages. The chilling-tolerant cultivar was also faster in recovery than the chilling-susceptible cultivar in all parameters examined. We analyzed the activity and isozyme profiles of four antioxidant enzymes which are: superoxide dismutase (SOD), caltalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutation reductase (GR). We observed that chilling-tolerance was due to a result of the induced or higher antioxidant enzyme system, CAT and APX in leaves and SOD, CAT, APX, and GR in roots. Especially, we observed the most significant differences between the chilling-tolerant cultivar and -susceptible cultivar in CAT and APX activity. Also in isozyme profiles, CAT and APX band intensity in the chilling-tolerant cultivar was distinctively higher than in the chilling-susceptible cultivars during chilling and recovery. Thus, the cold stability of CAT and APX are expected to contribute to a tolerance mechanism of chilling in rice plants. In addition, the antioxidative enzymes activity in roots may be more important than in that of leaves to protect chilling damage on rice plants.