Memories of Murder
The worst of them will stay with you... forever.
2003 • 131 min • Crime · Drama · Thriller
Our family guide
Best from age 16- 100 Reviewers · 3 · 53%
- 81 Audience · 4706 · 47%
In 1986 South Korea, local detectives struggle to catch a brutal serial killer targeting young women. Their investigation becomes increasingly desperate and fraught with internal conflict, highlighting the challenges of a difficult case in a time with limited forensic tools. The film is a dark and intense look at a real-life unsolved crime.
- Violence & peril
- 8/10
- Language
- 3/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 4/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 4/10
- Scary moments
- 7/10
Heads up
- Depicts brutal violence against women, though often implied
- Features scenes of police brutality and questionable interrogation tactics
- Some characters drink and smoke frequently
- Brief nudity in a crime scene context
What it models well
- Perseverance in the face of adversity
- Seeking justice for victims
Talk about it after
- The limitations of investigative techniques before modern forensics
- The psychological impact of unsolved crimes on a community
- The nature of justice when a perpetrator is never caught
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Memories of Murder. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
Amazon Video
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At HomeLinks go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.
Top billed cast
Director: Bong Joon Ho • Crew: Bong Joon Ho, Shim Sung-bo
Trailers & clips
This Scene in 'Memories of Murder' Was 100% Real—and Painful!
Mark Kermode reviews Memories of Murder (2003) | BFI Player
Clip
MEMORIES OF MURDER Trailer
Official UK Teaser Trailer
MEMORIES OF MURDER Official Int'l Main Trailer
Bong Joon Ho & Song Kang Ho Introduce Memories of Murder
Reviewer notes
RecommendedSummary: 10/10: one of the greatest crime films of the 21st century, a perfect marriage of Bong's satirical instincts and his capacity for devastating emotional truth. This is a great mystery film featuring comically inept police detectives, and it stands as one of the best Korean films of all time. (The other top contender is probably Parasite, also by Bong Joon-ho.) This is a must-see for any cinephile.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersThis is cracking serial killer drama from Bong Joon Ho - with some superb performances - that tracks a police investigation trying almost every technique known to man to trace a rapist/murderer who is terrorising young women (especially if it is raining and if they are wearing red).…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersDoch eines ist sicher, alle die sich auf das koreanische Kino einlassen können werden bei „Memories of a Murder“ mit einem Film belohnt, der nachwirkt, der nach dem Abspann nicht nur ein weiterer gesehener Film ist. Man liest es vielleicht aus dieser Rezension raus, dass „Memories of a Murder“ überzeugen konnte und genau deswegen sollte auch klar sein, was Ihr nun tun solltet. Genau!…
Fan reviews
Sign in to rate and reviewBe the first fan to review this.
Gallery
Details
- TMDB audience
- 8.1/10 (4,706)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $2,800,000
- Box office
- $26,000,000
- IMDb
- tt0353969
- Official site
- www.memoriesofmurder.com
