Memories of Murder

This cleverly constructed detective thriller is inspired by the real case of Korea’s first serial killings which took place around the rural city of Hwaseong between the years 1986 and 1991 and remains unsolved to this day. Bong Joon-ho uses the schematics of the hunt-for-a-serial-killer films to reflect the period of military dictatorship in Korea. The story follows the motley team of investigators made up of a down-to-earth hillbilly cop and an ambitious detective from Seoul. By cleverly undermining genre expectations the film delivers an unsettling spectacle featuring elements of drama, thriller, detective stories and even satire and slapstick.