New York Dreamer

This year at the 61st Cannes film festival, an interesting Korean film was introduced. It was “The Chaser (aka. Chulgyeogja) directed by Hong-jin Na and starring Yoon-seok Kim and Jung-woo Ha. And Director Na was a strong candidate of the Camera D’or award at Cannes.

This movie is based on a true story about an unprecedented serial killer, Yoo Younchul, who brutally and mercilessly murdered 20 people over the 9-months period between September 2003 and July 2004. The victims of this killing spree were mainly rich old people and women. His method of killing was so brutal and random, that this serial killer became the subject of much heated social discourse in an effort to understand his psychology and background of his motive.

Yoo was known to have shown artistic talent since he was young and had dreamed about going to a renowned art school in Korea. But due to his indigent family background and other unusual personal circumstances, his life was known to go into drains, like getting involved with petty crimes initially and having gone through personal relationship dramas, etc. After hearing about horrific crimes he committed and his experience growing up, especially after seeing his paintings (as shown below) and poems, many people, including me, wonder what would have impacted on his mind and psychology and what would be the real emotions this person has gone through up to those brutal killings…

At least, this movie would be very interesting because of its reality based intensity this movie is going to bring. And I expect that this would be a different kind of serial killer movie, compared to usual Hollywood thrillers I am used to.

There will be a Hollywood remake, too. Christopher Nolan, one of my favorite director, will direct this remake and Leonardo DiCaprio will be starring.

In any event, I want to see both the original and its remake when it arrives in New York. It’s gonna be an interesting ride.