MEMORIES OF MURDER
Bong Joon Ho | 2003 | South Korea | 2h12m | Presented in the original Korean audio with English subtitles
Before PARASITE made Bong Joon Ho an international household name, MEMORIES OF MURDER had already established exactly what kind of filmmaker he was going to become.
Set in rural South Korea during the 1980s, the film follows detectives investigating a series of murders that appear connected. Park Doo-man, played by Song Kang-ho, relies on instinct, intimidation and the conviction that he can identify a criminal simply by looking at him. When detective Seo Tae-yoon arrives from Seoul, he brings a more methodical approach, favouring evidence, procedure and careful reconstruction over gut feeling. In theory, the two methods should strengthen the investigation. In practice, their partnership becomes another source of tension in an increasingly fraught investigation.
Bong takes the structure of a police procedural and steadily pulls it apart. The investigation moves between grim crime scenes, bureaucratic incompetence, moments of slapstick and stretches of genuine dread. That tonal control became one of Bong’s defining strengths. Comedy never cancels the horror, and the horror never distracts from the failures of a police force under pressure.
The film was inspired by the Hwaseong serial murders, a case that remained unsolved for decades after the film was made. That knowledge hangs over every failed lead and every false confession. Bong is interested in the detectives, but also in a police system trying to manufacture certainty when it has very little evidence to work with.
Song Kang-ho gives one of the defining performances of his career, moving from bluster to exhaustion as Park’s confidence begins to erode. The final moments are among the most discussed in Bong’s filmography and give the entire investigation a weight that extends far beyond the conventions of a crime thriller.
MEMORIES OF MURDER is one of the great films of modern Korean cinema, and was chosen by FOMO Film Club member Anya for screening this week.
17:30 Saturday 5 September
FOOD AND DRINK POLICY: FOMO Cinema Lounge Bar opens 1 hour before the first screening of the day and closes at 02:00, serving a wide selection of beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic refreshments including coffee and tea, as well as fresh hot popcorn. Outside food is allowed in the bar but not in the cinema. No alcohol from outside is allowed. All guests are invited to arrive early and stay late.
LOCATION: FOMO Secret Cinema, Bazari Orbeliani, Tbilisi. A five minute walk from Liberty Square metro.
HOW TO FIND FOMO: Enter Bazari Orbeliani via Atoneli St above Carrefour and take the stairs on your left to Level 1. Signage is on the door. You can also check our Instagram story highlights for a video showing exactly how to find us.
REFUND & CREDIT POLICY: If FOMO cancels a screening, all ticket holders will receive a full refund. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, we’ll issue you a credit for the value of your ticket, which can be used for any FOMO film screening within the following 30 days.
FOMO Secret Cinema • Bazari Orbeliani, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
