Memories of Murder (2003)

Original title

살인의 추억

Directed by

Bong Joon-ho

Genre

black comedy, drama film, satire, detective fiction, mystery film, crime thriller film

Country

South Korea

Runtime

2h 12m

Rated

AL

Rating

8.1 of 10 from 4,665 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

In a small Korean town during the late 1980s, two detectives investigate a series of rape-murders. Their bumbling local methods clash with a more methodical approach from a Seoul detective as the case grows more elusive.

bleaktensedarkly comicfrustratingsombermelancholicgrittyslow-burn

What happens

Memories of Murder (Korean: 살인의 추억) is a 2003 South Korean neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Bong Joon Ho, from a screenplay by Bong and Shim Sung-bo, and based on the 1996 play Come to See Me by Kim Kwang-lim. It stars Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung. In the film, detectives Park Doo-man (Song) and Seo Tae-yoon (Kim) lead an investigation into a string of rapes and murders taking place in Hwaseong in the late 1980s, by a man known as the Hwaesong Murderer. The film is a semi-biographical retelling of Korea's police hunting Lee Choon-jae. Development of the film was confirmed in September 2002, after CJ Entertainment purchased the rights to Kim's play, which is loosely based on South Korea's first confirmed serial murders. It is also inspired by detective fiction and elements of Bong's personal life. Principal photography took place across South Korea, including Jangseong County, Haenam County, and Jinju. Memories of Murder was first released theatrically in South Korea on May 2, 2003, by CJ Entertainment. The film received critical acclaim, with praise for its screenplay, Bong's direction, the performances of its cast (particularly Song's), tone, and editing. It received numerous awards and nominations, and is widely considered one of the greatest films of the 21st century. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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