The Chaser (2008)

A disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.

Director:

Hong-jin Na

Writers:

Won-Chan Hong, Shinho Lee

Stars:

Yoon-Seok Kim, Jung-woo Ha, Yeong-hie Seo

22 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Yoon-Seok Kim	...	Joong-ho Eom (as Yoon-suk Kim)
Jung-woo Ha	...	Young-min Jee
Yeong-hie Seo	...	Mi-jin Kim
Yoo-Jeong Kim	...	Eun-ji
In-gi Jeong	...	Detective Lee
Hyo-ju Park	...	Detective Oh
Bon-woong Ko	...	Oh-jot
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Seong-kwang Ha	...	Detective Park
Deok-jae Jo
Jong-goo Lee	...	Profiler
Sang-hee Lee
Woo-jeong Oh	...	Sung-Hee
Moo-yeong Yeo	...	Police commissioner

Storyline

Joong-ho is a dirty detective turned pimp in financial trouble as several of his girls have recently disappeared without clearing their debts. While trying to track them down, he finds a clue that the vanished girls were all called up by a same client whom one of his girls is meeting with right now.

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Plot Keywords:

police detective | pursuit | anti hero | social commentary | anger | 

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Taglines:

The hunter and the hunted, the ultimate chase begins

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Haut et Court [France] Official site [Japan]

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

14 February 2008 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

The Chaser

Filming Locations:

Seoul, South Korea

Box Office

Budget:

$2,650,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$206,875, 31 December 2008

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$31,118,014, 31 December 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Big House, Vantage Holdings, Showbox Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The part where Young-min (Jung-woo Ha) slips as Joong-ho (Yoon-Seok Kim) chases him in the alley was not scripted. Actor Jung-woo Ha actually did slip on the slippery pavement while shooting, but kept running anyway. Director Hong-jin Na liked that cut so much that he kept it in the final edit.

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Connections

Remade as The Chaser

User Reviews

Based on the true story

Few years ago Korean society was shocked by a horrible serial killer mayhem. Dozen of call-girls are disappeared and never returned when they visited unknown customer. The serial killer also murdered innocent old men and women on his loose. After caught of serial killer the revealed fact was beyond one's imagination. He killed girls with hammer, chisel and amputated the victims. Some of them were cannibalized. He mashed victim's liver with food processors and drank it. Now the serial killer is sentenced to death and his existence throw serious questions about execution of death sentenced prisoner to the Korean society. For ten years Korean government never executed prisoners and now UN approved Korea as a No Execution country.

This movie is a product of these social circumstance. Of course any modernized country can have notorious serial killers. But this is most brutal and abominable criminal act as reported to the public.

Another phenomena described in this movie are the inactive police act and ugly politician. Koreans are very disappointed at this and this movie is quite accurately visualized the situation.

Whether or not crime is the best motif for movie and this movie successfully hold the breath of viewers. I am waiting another movie from this director.

Good work.