The humanness of Memories of Murder

I finally got around to watching Memories of Murder a couple of days ago and it is genuinely of the tightest and most compelling crime thrillers I have watched.

What struck me particularly was the sharp humanness that underlines the whole film. There's something about how it's shot and the set design that is incredibly immersive and throws you right into 80s South Korea. The movie is awfully human. The meat shop, the bar, the houses and the small town with the paddy fields truly captured the small town feel in a way that feels grounded, and raw. Certain scenes like Park asking Seo what Seoul is like and if it is "bigger than America", Park going on his tangent about America having FBI at the bar, or Park gifting Kwang Ho 'Nice' sneakers which he thought was Nike resonated a lot with me as someone from India who can feel the small-town fascination with the big city and the outside world.

The film wonderfully recreates 80s South Korea and gives you an idea of the rural life and culture at the time in a strikingly immersive and resonant manner. The film is fantastic not only in how thrilling and compelling it is, or the brilliant characterization of the two leads, but also in how it showcases South Korea at the time, under the corruption of a dictatorship. The regular civil defence drills and the garrisons being gone to suppress a demonstration against the leadership in Suwong City give a dive into the social reality of the country in the era. I loved this film for how beautifully human it is. Apart from the chilling mystery unfolding throughout the film, it goes beyond and slyly comments on the social situation of the country in a way that is best described as human. The little scenes in between the disturbing and horrifying murders add a lot to the film. I really enjoyed this movie, it works as a chilling crime thriller as well as a social commentary.