One final notable movie that me and my partner watched this month is the popular 살인의 추억 (Memories of Murder) by Bong Joon-Ho. Released in 2003, the movie is a black comedy, crime drama based on the true story of the Hwaseong serial murders that occurred in the 1980s. Set in a rural town, the film follows two detectives, the seasoned Park Doo-man and the more methodical Seo Tae-yoon, as they investigate a series of brutal murders of young women. Their investigation is continuously hindered by the lack of technology and their own stupidity. The murders continue as they investigate, causing frustration and desperation to build within the detectives. The film goes into the themes of obsession, guilt, and of course the effects of the serial murders. In the end, the killer’s identity is tragic and shocking.
Believe it or not, the movie, like mentioned above, is based on the true serial murders in Hwaseong conducted by Lee Choon-jae. These murders were the first serial murders in Korea, and were unsolved for years until very recently in 2019. The way the crime was solved was also by chance and luck.
The film may be a murder mystery in the 1980s, but it also provides a deep insight into the Korean world during that period and how vastly different it was. Firstly, it shows the rural side of Korea that many people do not know about and how isolated/”not cared for” it was back then. Nowadays in Korea, crimes are solved at a significantly higher rate than the west (specifically the US) because of the presence of security cameras everywhere. But this wasn’t the case back then, especially in a rural setting. Thus, it made it much harder to investigate the serial murders properly. Overall, it shows just how far the country has gotten within the 20+ years between the actual murders and the film’s release.
In Bong Joon-Ho’s signature style, the film starts off as a black comedy which is purposeful to create a lighter mood despite the situation in hand. In the middle, this tone rapidly switches to a very dark, grim, and serious tone. As mentioned before, this is purposeful to let the audience truly understand how serious the situation is. Innocent lives are being lost because of the detectives’ carelessness. This makes people think how sad these series of crimes were in reality back when technology and knowledge was limited, especially in South Korea which was still very far behind the Western world.
Without spoiling, the ending scene may be one of the most chilling and well done endings.
Comments
"Memories of Murder" is such a gripping film! Bong Joon-Ho really knows how to blend dark humor with serious themes to create a deep, impactful experience. It’s amazing how the film not only tells a compelling story but also provides a snapshot of Korea's rural past and its evolution in crime-solving technology. The chilling ending also stuck with me.