The Chaser is a South Korean thriller film released in 2008. The film was directed by Na Hong-jin and stars Kim Yoon-seok as Joong-ho, a former police officer who now operates as a pimp in Seoul. Ha Jung-woo plays the role of a serial killer named Young-min who is targeting the women working for Joong-ho.
The film is set against the backdrop of the bustling metropolitan city of Seoul, and is a gritty and realistic portrayal of prostitution and human trafficking. Joong-ho is a character who is desperate to make ends meet, and is driven to keep his business running by any means necessary. He resorts to brutal tactics to extract money from his debtors, using violence and intimidation to collect his debts.
One day, Joong-ho discovers that a number of his working girls have disappeared without a trace. Faced with mounting debts and no means of repaying them, Joong-ho must track down the missing girls before his business is ruined. As he investigates, he discovers that all the girls were last seen with a man named Young-min, who has a reputation as a notorious serial killer.
What follows is a cat-and-mouse game between Joong-ho and Young-min, as Joong-ho desperately tries to save his remaining girls before they too fall prey to the killer. Along the way, he must confront his own inner demons and come to terms with the moral implications of his actions.
The film has been described as a taut psychological thriller, with strong performances from the lead actors. It has been praised for its unflinching portrayal of the darker side of human nature, and its exploration of themes such as redemption, morality, and the corrupting influence of power.