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If you like ‘Zodiac,’ you’ll like ‘The Chaser’

August 22, 2014

Our recommendations for Korean entertainment continues!

"7th Grade Civil Servant." (MBC)

“7th Grade Civil Servant.” (MBC)

By Tae Hong

If you like “Chuck,” you’ll like “7th Grade Civil Servant.”

Even within a sea of spy-genre American television, “Chuck,” during its five-season run on NBC, was a fresh breath of comedic air.

You won’t find high-tech underground headquarters or a super-computer human in MBC’s “7th Grade Civil Servant,” but what you will find is a good amount of humor and the intrigue that follows with any tale of espionage.

The drama, headed by Joo-won and Choi Kang-hee playing intelligence agents, may have been critically panned for its weak second half, but in the end it’s light-hearted, stay-in-and-marathon-Sunday fun — really, what more can you ask of a spy action rom-com?

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Scene from "The Chaser."

Scene from “The Chaser.”

If you like “Zodiac,” you’ll like “The Chaser.”

David Fincher’s “Zodiac” is a psychological thriller detailing the chase of a San Francisco serial killer, based on a true story of an unsolved case.

Na Hong-jin’s “The Chaser,” also based on a true story of one of Korea’s most notorious serial killers, is more of a psychological gore-fest of hammers and blood, the kind South Korean filmmakers have become so well-known for.

Expertly filmed and intensely disturbing, the 2007 film stars two of the biggest names in Korean cinema — Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yoon-seok — at their best.

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If you like Arctic Monkeys, you’ll like the Ratios.

From standout sophomore album “Favourite Worst Nightmare” to last year’s lauded “AM,” everyone you’ve met loves British indie rock band Arctic Monkeys.

Ready for Korean electronic indie rock? The Ratios, formed by former Sinawe vocalist Kim Bada, is a contagious dose of the ever-rising indie scene that keeps on growing as more and more people turn to Korea as a center of music.

Kim’s one of Korea’s best least-known rock vocalists, and a diverse one — the band’s 2013 album, originally released in 2008, is called “Lusty Initialization,” a re-recorded gem.

Album bests are “Love Is All” and “Follow.”

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For more recommendations:

-Korean Entertainment: What Do We Recommend? 
-Korean Entertainment: What Do We Recommend? Part 2
-Korean Entertainment: What Do We Recommend? Part 3