‘Hope’ Director Na Hong-Jin’s Debut Is Still One Of Korea’s Most Brutal Crime Thrillers
Na Hong-Jin’s new creature feature, Hope (2026), has found success in South Korea and the United States. After enjoying its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the prestigious Palme d’Or, it opened in U.S. theaters on September 9, pulling in $5 million in its first week at the box office. As it plays in theaters across the U.S., Hope marks the second-widest South Korean release in North America since Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite (2019).
The film’s success has brought renewed attention to Na. It’s hard not to be intrigued by the ambitious director behind the bold, genre-bending Hope, which crafts breathtaking action sequences and probes universal themes of morality and paranoia. To truly understand the finesse with which Na balances action, violence, humanity, and subtle comedy, though, we need to revisit his feature film debut. Years before Hope drew in audiences and critics with its ambitious, exhilarating action and moral storytelling, Na dropped one of South Korea’s most brutal crime thrillers, The Chaser (2008).
‘The Chaser’ Is an Unforgettably Brutal Crime Thriller
The Chaser is Na’s directorial debut, an action thriller inspired by the true story of South Korean serial killer Yoo Young-chul. While crime thrillers like Se7en (1995) and No Country for Old Men (2007) have made a name for themselves with their incredibly dark and gritty premises, none quite compare to the brutality of The Chaser, which is so unrelenting it’s almost mentally exhausting to watch.
In the film, Eom Joong-ho (Kim Yoon-seok), a pimp and former detective, begins to suspect one of his customers is involved in the disappearance of two of his sex workers. He begins to investigate the customer, Ji Yeong-min (Ha Jung-woo), with the help of his worker, Kim Mi-jin (Seo Young-hee). As Yeong-min begins leaving behind a grisly, growing trail of bodies, Joong-ho becomes more and more desperate for law enforcement to catch the killer, yet finds himself running into one wall after another.
The brutality of The Chaser goes far deeper than its dark premise. Na seeks to go to the darkest, most shocking, and cruel places of humanity, and he succeeds. He does this partly through the violence. The Chaser features some of the most extended, gruesome, nauseating depictions of violence. Even so, the violence isn’t always the most disturbing part of the film. Instead, it’s the incompetence of law enforcement and the terrible choices of its cast that add a layer of shock and exasperation to the story, invoking so much anxiety in the viewer. As it proceeds, growing more twisted, violent, and frustrating, it’s impossible to look away. Not only does it feature brutal crimes, but it also shows its characters' reluctance to stop them, which adds to the story's disturbing and difficult nature.
Should You Watch ‘The Chaser’?
If you recently watched Hope and are eager for more from Na, The Chaser is an excellent follow-up. Although the films boast very different premises, they share a few elements, including that unflinching approach to violence and brutality. Additionally, they both feature the thrill of a chase, whether it’s a hardened former cop chasing a serial killer or paranoid townsfolk on the heels of a monster. Where the films are most similar, though, is their candid exploration of the human capacity for cruelty. If you enjoyed Hope and have the stomach for a thriller that goes even darker and deeper, The Chaser is a must-see.
The Chaser is also an excellent watch for those already acquainted with the crime-thriller masterpieces that South Korean cinema has to offer. While Na’s debut may be one of the most brutal thrillers, there are other comparable titles. I Saw the Devil (2010) is one such film that balances grotesque violence with delicate, deft storytelling, making the depths of depravity not just viewable but unforgettable. Memories of Murder (2003) also conveys similar chills and thrills through its riveting crime thriller and exploration of desperation, while Oldboy (2003) offers a violent, exhilarating take on the standard revenge tale. Anyone who has found and enjoyed these thrilling, violent, and human tales of crime and revenge will want to add The Chaser to their to-watch list.
