Memories of Murder

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🎙️ EPISODE 402: 02.16.22 part of the BONG JOON-HO director focus series The great Song Kang-ho, who would go onto star in three of Bong Joon-ho's next five films, plays Park Doo-man, the detective in charge of solving a string of murders. He is, in some ways, the polar opposite of his first film, Barking Dogs Never Bite's protagonist played by Bae Doona). Whereas that character couldn't help seeing the good in people, Kang-ho's character can't help seeing evil. And that's the major crux of Memories of Murder, based on South Korea's real first serial killer: if it were only so simple to merely SEE evil then how easy it would be to conquer, right? But that's the scariest part. We can't.

While this is often cited as the one that put Bong Joon-ho on the map, it didn't totally work for me. Don't get me wrong, it's a solid 9, a great film that totally comes together in the end. But at times, the humor felt forced and/or misplaced, especially given the subject matter. It also might have benefited from a longer running time. Even at 130 minutes, it felt that some of the threads were a little thin or half-baked. (For reference, I think of David Fincher's Zodiac, which–while only a half-hour longer–feels like a much more complete story.)

But where MoM shines is in specific moments and in Song Kang-ho's awesome performance. He's one of those that actors who is so good he transcends the language divide. He strikes the perfect balance of heart and hilarity, the bumbling fool one moment to the emotional center the next. And he's integral to this film's success.

CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ EPISODE 401 - (YOU ARE HERE) - EPISODE 403 ⫸

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Memories of Murder (Korean: 살인의 추억) is a 2003 South Korean crime thriller film co-written and directed by Bong Joon-ho. It is loosely based on the true story of Korea's first confirmed serial murders, which took place between 1986 and 1991 in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung star as Detective Park and Detective Seo, respectively, two of the detectives trying to solve the crimes. It was released on May 2nd, 2003.