Since his debut film, DANGAN Runner, Sabu has pursued his own style and narrative structure. Hard Luck Hero stays consistent with his other works, yet has a little more sophistication. His formula for film is as follows: First, chase scenes. Second, have many characters involved in one specific incident without knowing why. Third, have the plot unfold through multiple points of view. Asai and Ishii enter an illegal kickboxing contest as substitutes. lkeyama and Kishimoto are beaten severely by the Yakuza while watching the game. Fujita and Kudo, thieves who try to steal a bag, end up being chased by the police. These characters, unrelated, become involved in the same incident by chance, and each of them is chased but ends up in the same place. The comic code to Sabu′s films is the clever way that each of these various characters seem to untangle themselves from the story. A bizarre sense of pleasure is what remains from watching the desperation of these characters being chased, scene after scene. Finally, Sabu enables these characters to find their identities once again after going through such conflict, and although this may seem like an unrealistic ending, the audience will completely relate. This, ultimately, is the attraction of Sabu′s work. (Kim Ji-seok)