Neon lights and heated pursuits in Gangnam B-Side

1 September 27, 2024September 27, 2024

Neon lights and heated pursuits in Gangnam B-Side

by solstices

Introducing its key players with a sleek and stylish first teaser, Disney+’s upcoming crime drama Gangnam B-Side is ready to deliver a dose of adrenaline-pumped action. When a key linchpin goes missing, a prosecutor, a detective, and a mysterious broker all converge on her trail in hot pursuit.

Beyond the drudgery of ordinary lives and daily commutes in Gangnam lies a seedy underbelly unbeknownst to most. “Beneath the world we live in, is the realm they play in,” read the chyrons. Illuminated by neon lights and punctuated with a heart-pumping score, the city’s nightlife harbors illicit deals amidst the throngs that fill its clubs.

It’s no wonder, then, that an anxious Kim Hyung-seo a.k.a. BIBI (The Worst of Evil) pushes her way through a crowd to stumble out onto the streets. As the club ace Jae-hee, it seems she may have gotten herself entangled in something worse than she thought, forcing her to go on the run. “You’ve upended the dregs of Gangnam,” accuses someone in voiceover. “Everyone is searching for Jae-hee.”

For one, Jo Woo-jin (Narco-Saints) has her on his radar as the hot-headed elite detective Kang Dong-woo. Given that it takes a whole team to hold him back from a suspect that lit his fuse, it’s likely that Dong-woo won’t stop at anything until he’s caught the elusive Jae-hee.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Ha Yoon-kyung (The Frog) plays the austere prosecutor Min Seo-jin, who carries herself with a composed steadiness. Lacking any inside connections, Seo-jin must rely solely on her skills to rise in the prosecutor’s office. That means producing results, and apprehending Jae-hee is the perfect accolade.

In between both sides of the chase stands Ji Chang-wook (Queen Woo) as Yoon Gil-ho, a broker with an unknown motive. At the very least, it doesn’t seem like he’s particularly lawful — surely a room covered in plastic sheets doesn’t bode well, and neither does the blood staining his face as he sets a crate of alcohol aflame. But the question remains — who exactly is Jae-hee, and why is everyone so desperate to capture her?

Helmed by filmmaker Park Nuri (Money) with scripts by Joo Won-kyu (Argon), Gangnam B-Side will first be revealed at the 29th Busan International Film Festival, following which it will be streaming on Disney+ come November 6.