There have been a handful of South Korean thrillers that have earned a bit of hype over the past few years: "The Chaser" (2008) and "I Saw the Devil" (2010) being the two obvious choices, though "Mother" (2009) could also be considered if one classifies it as a dramatic thriller. I recently posted a user comment on "No Mercy" (2010), which I personally enjoyed more than the aforementioned films in terms of pure entertainment value. However, "Midnight F.M." (2010) has now ascended to my top spot.
Here's a reworded plot summary from AsianMediaWiki: Popular TV anchorwoman & late night radio host Sun-Young (Soo Ae: "Sunny" 2008, "Once in a Summer" 2006) prepares to work her final radio program, after which she will prepare to take her daughter to America the following morning. During the radio show Sun-Young receives a startling text message from a man named Dong-Su (Yoo Ji-Tae: "Oldboy" 2003, "One Fine Spring Day" 2001), who has broken into her apartment and taken hostages. Dong-Su then sends the text message to Sun-Young instructing her to follow his directions and not to tell anyone.
Oh man, this is non-stop suspense from start to finish, with efficiently constructed tension and very good performances by everyone. The conventional premise is outshined by its sheer execution and avoidance of any and all dull filler material. At first the protagonist is forced to retrieve specific information from her previous shows and duplicate those moments on the air, but the storyline branches out in a variety of ways and eventually introduces themes of vigilantism and media responsibility. Soo Ae gives an inspired, energetic performance. This thriller is extremely exciting and a lot of fun to watch, relying more on pure suspense instead of graphic violence. A must see for everyone.
Here's a reworded plot summary from AsianMediaWiki: Popular TV anchorwoman & late night radio host Sun-Young (Soo Ae: "Sunny" 2008, "Once in a Summer" 2006) prepares to work her final radio program, after which she will prepare to take her daughter to America the following morning. During the radio show Sun-Young receives a startling text message from a man named Dong-Su (Yoo Ji-Tae: "Oldboy" 2003, "One Fine Spring Day" 2001), who has broken into her apartment and taken hostages. Dong-Su then sends the text message to Sun-Young instructing her to follow his directions and not to tell anyone.
Oh man, this is non-stop suspense from start to finish, with efficiently constructed tension and very good performances by everyone. The conventional premise is outshined by its sheer execution and avoidance of any and all dull filler material. At first the protagonist is forced to retrieve specific information from her previous shows and duplicate those moments on the air, but the storyline branches out in a variety of ways and eventually introduces themes of vigilantism and media responsibility. Soo Ae gives an inspired, energetic performance. This thriller is extremely exciting and a lot of fun to watch, relying more on pure suspense instead of graphic violence. A must see for everyone.