Memories of Murder

[ThereWillBeBud]

I've been looking for some new films to watch and came across Memories of Murder. It's a 2003 film by Oh Bong-Joon (The Host) I'm thinking about ordering this, but just wanted to see if anyone has seen/recommends this film.

Synopsis - In 1986, in the province of Gyunggi, in South Korea, a second young and beautiful woman is found dead, raped and tied and gagged with her underwear. Detective Park Doo-Man and Detective Cho Yong-koo, two brutal and stupid local detectives without any technique, investigate the murder using brutality and torturing the suspects, without any practical result. The Detective Seo Tae-Yoon from Seul comes to the country to help the investigations and is convinced that a serial-killer is killing the women. When a third woman is found dead in the same "modus-operandi", the detectives find leads of the assassin.

[Agent Cooper]

I think it's great and I recommend it. It has often been compared with Fincher's Zodiac and they are indeed somewhat similar, though different in acting style.

The murder mystery is, like Zodiac, based on a real crime case.

[Romulus]

One of the my favorite films of the decade. It is often compared to Zodiac, but I prefer Memories of Murder much more. One reason being the characters and the character development. Probably some of the strongest writing I've seen in a foreign film (not as good as The Lives of Others, I'll admit).

I've always placed this on my Top 10 list, and nobody has ever pointed it out so I figured nobody had heard about it.

[1blufan]

On my Top Ten list of favorite movies.

Also check out Antarctic Journal by Bong Joon-ho.
I haven't seen Mother yet which came out last year, but I'm eager to.
Obviously The Host was another good one and there's been talks of him making another.
The Host looks excellent on BD also. Still his best for me is Memories of Murder and it is much like a Fincher film.

[Sagacious Koreo]

Highly recommended, man. It's easily Bong Joon Ho's masterpiece.

[Cremildo]

The Real-Life Killer That Inspired Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Memories Of Murder’ Has Reportedly Been Identified

The report says that police finally found their leading suspect after DNA pulled from the crime scenes matched that of an inmate that is already incarcerated. This leads the investigators to believe that the person that is responsible for the murders decades ago is actually someone they’ve had in custody already. The actual identity of the person hasn’t been released.

As of now, the police are continuing their investigation, but the focus is on this new suspect and his relationship to the crimes from the ‘80s and early-‘90s. From 1986 to 1991, 10 women were found murdered in the South Korean city of Hwaseong. Now, it appears that those victims might receive some sort of justice and “Memories of Murder” might have a brand-new ending.

[GRD43L]

You beat me to the news. It was all over Korean news channels yesterday.

As of midnight Wednesday, NA time, cold case crime unit had 3 DNA matches with the suspect in the 50's. The preserved samples from the original investigation was used using modern DNA identification technology. Police stated the definitive answer will be announced after about 1 month of investigation.

The new investigation will confirm the suspect as THE murderer of women in HwaSeong from 1986~1991.

The suspect cannot be charged due to statute of limitations running out back in 2006. The suspect is already in prison, for what I understood to be a life sentence, for a different murder (of similar nature). So no doubt the killer moved on and continued his serial killing until he got caught.

This will certainly stir up the interest in the movie Memories of Murder. The movie was mentioned in almost all news announcements.

[Dr. Pavel]

was he in the prison during the release?

[GRD43L]

Originally Posted by Dr. Pavel

was he in the prison during the release?

The suspect is currently in prison serving a life sentence for a different murder.

[captveg]

Why does South Korea law have a statute of limitations on murder? That seems stupid.

[GRD43L]

Originally Posted by captveg

Why does South Korea law have a statute of limitations on murder? That seems stupid.

It is stupid.

Since 2015, South Korea has REMOVED the SoL on first degree murders.

[Shingster]

Well, bugger me sideways and call me Susan!

Originally Posted by Dr. Pavel

was he in the prison during the release?

Apparently he's been in prison since 1997. I do wonder if he got to see the film from inside prison though.

[GRD43L]

More revelations yesterday.

His current prison sentence is from rape/kill of his sister in-law! But the connection between that crime with the HwaSeong serial killing was not made until … another indicted serial killer hinted to the police that the HwaSeong killer probably would have continued on with same crime and likely would have been caught + in prison.

[iliketowatch]

Enjoyed this movie. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

[GRD43L]

Prime suspect has been identified as Lee Chun-Jae, a Hwa-Seong native who was questioned during initial investigations but was never on the suspect list.

From inside the jail, Lee continues to deny involvement in Hwa-Seong murders despite overwhelming DNA evidences against him. He is in an isolated cell with no TV due to the on-going investigation.

[AlphaNoodle]

It's easily my favorite Bong Joon Ho's film - Highly recommended! It's probably one of my favorite movies of all time, it really sells the frustrations of the protagonists while also serving as an engrossing murder mystery based off historical events.

[GRD43L]

More update on the on-going investigations:

More than 10 visits by the crime profilers with Lee, the murder, has produced confessions for:

14 total murders, of which 9 were from Hwa-Seong (in Memories of Murder), remaining 5 from before & after. Last murder was killing of his sister-in-law, the crime for which he is currently serving a life sentence.

And 30+ sexual assaults.

After the confession his name and picture has been formally released by the police. His name and picture has already been circulating since last week.

Based on 4 DNA matches from the evidences, it is speculated by the news/media that Lee recognizes that he has absolutely no chance of getting out of prison therefore decided to unload all the details.

[Cremildo]

Lee Choon-Jae, the serial killer depicted in "Memories of Murder" (2003), confessed to 14 killings and many other rapes and murders today in a retrial requested by Yoon Sung-yeo, "who was falsely accused of raping and murdering a 13-year old girl in Hwaseong in 1988".