This must be the third time I’ve watched this incredible Korean crime thriller, and it never fails to amaze me. Many recent posts about the top Korean movies of all time often include Memories of Murder on the list. Since it had been a while since my last viewing, I decided to revisit it to rediscover what made this film so exceptional. It’s always chilling to remember that the movie was based on true events. Even more terrifying is the fact that, when the movie was released, the killer was still at large. This made the final scene even more brilliant, as the director delivered a message to everyone, including the murderer, through that unforgettable ending.

Everything from the acting to the pacing of the story was just top-notch. I find myself pretty much at a loss for words when it comes to great movies. I mean, what more is there to say if you’re a fan of crime thrillers than to simply just watch the damn thing? Ragging on a horrible movie is much easier to do, and I’ve done it so much that it almost comes naturally to me. 😂 However, when it comes to superbly done movies, I find that they can sometimes be a lot harder to write about.

There are two scenes that stuck with me, both of which are towards the end of the film. The first is the confrontation between the detectives and the most likely suspect in front of the underground train tunnel. When they discovered through the DNA sample report that his didn’t match the semen on one of the victims, it was such a blow to the audience. Again, we have to remember that at the time of the movie, the real killer was actually not caught. However, when I first saw Memories of Murder many, many years ago, I don’t remember having known that. So when that scene played out, it was done in a way that was so physically painful, from an emotional standpoint, to the viewers.

The second and more memorable scene was at the very end when the detective broke the rule of the fourth wall and stared painstakingly at the camera, right at us, the audience members, before going to the credits. I remembered it was a bit confusing when I finished the movie the first time around, but then I slowly realized why it was done and got goosebumps on my arms. The detective believed he had some supernatural ability to point out a bad person just by simply looking at them. When the little girl in the field told him that the man who came before him, who was also looking into the drainage ditch, was just “ordinary looking,” that was when shit hit the fan. It likely made the detective realize that the serial killer may not have been a gangster, tough-looking individual, punk, or even a mentally challenged individual, but rather he or she could just be someone like himself or the countless other people that he passed by on the streets each and every day without giving a second glance. When he looked into the camera and straight at the audience, the director was sending a message. One that likely means the monster could be anyone out there, and heck, it could be that he or she was watching the movie as well. I thought that ending was just chilly and extremely well done.

Fortunately, the real killer confessed in 2019 to the killings that was based in the movie and much more.