Drama Digest
The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea is a psycho-thrill documentary series that narrates the hunt for Yoo Young-Chul. Yoo Young- Chul is South Korea’s first serial killer, who brutally kills 20-26 wealthy senior citizens and female sex workers in the span of a few months but doesn’t steal anything. Young-Chul claims that his sole motive was his hatred toward the rich and women. The show revolves around the 2000s and reveals how the finds of police and detectives brought the truth to light.
The Feel-Good Part
The core element of any show is its storyline, and let me tell you, the raincoat killer does not disappoint. The show addresses how the serial impact and brings a change in society. In South Korea itself, police departments worked on the loopholes that allowed the prisoners to escape. It is brutal for one to feel empathy toward the victims. In addition, the cinematography and the zoom-in shots keep the eerie and gut-wrenching theme alive throughout the show.
The Disappointing Factor
The show could have had more episodes as it felt that the police caught the killer by chance. It also shows the corruption and mistakes made by the police department as Young-Chul escapes the prison more than once. Watching the police officers and how they turn a blind eye toward the most critical details gets frustrating at some points.
In-Depth Analysis
Yoo Young-Chul, a sex offender serial killer, emerged in South Korea kills senior citizens and female sex workers with a single weapon. The concept of ‘serial killer’ was new in South Korea during the 2000s. However, it was not difficult to identify that different people made the killings.
Young-Chul confesses that his killings weren’t related to any particular motive but rather his hatred towards the rich and women. He went from murdering people once a month to once a week, only to feel the euphoria. In his words, the killings made him feel like a god. Detectives and police officers had to talk and walk inside a criminal’s mind to catch the killer. It amazes one how the minds of serial killers work.
Star Power
The show centers on the psycho-thrill crimes committed by the killer. Watching all the victims’ families, police officers, and detectives talk about the murders, you can feel like you are a part of the show and empathize with the victims. It feels like the evil is hung in the air. The reenactment from the actual footage of investigations is on point.
Overall Opinion
Overall, the show is very gripping and captive and does not glorify the evil in a society like other Netflix shows. It shows the tumultuous state of Korean society and economy in the early 2000s and how the rich benefited from the loans and the emergency of the first serial killer. A must-watch for all the true crime and psycho-thrill lovers!
