In вЂњMemories of Murder,вЂќ the camera is intentional in capturing the countryвЂ™s distinct cultural fabric. Why plant this seed of sadness so early? In a film focusing on the grisly murders of numerous female residents of the Gyeonggi Province, why does Bong introduce such intense nostalgia even before the first word is uttered on-screen?

The frame is drowned in sunlight, and a mournful melody begins to play. The boy catches it between his fingers and slowly rises. The filmвЂ™s first scene reveals a young boy crouched in an open field, gazing intently at a grasshopper on a stalk of wheat. The leading actor, Song Kang-ho, continued his partnership with Bong in later projects such as вЂњThe Host,вЂќ вЂњSnowpiercer,вЂќ and вЂњParasite.вЂќ The two remain heartwarmingly close to this day, evidenced by BongвЂ™s inviting Song to the stage in his Palme dвЂ™Or acceptance speech.ДЇollowing its sensational Oscars victory, вЂњParasiteвЂќ did more than simply increase its own public interest it motivated cinephiles from across the globe to reappraise Bong Joon-hoвЂ™s previous films, including вЂњMother,вЂќ вЂњOkja,вЂќ вЂњBarking Dogs Never Bite,вЂќ and вЂњMemories of Murder,вЂќ the latter of which will be rereleased in cinemas in October (or on Oct. Though the auteurвЂ™s productions have recently cast a familiar Hollywood face (Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton in вЂњSnowpiercer,вЂќ Jake Gyllenhaal and Lily Collins in вЂњOkjaвЂќ), BongвЂ™s first few films were mostly domestic, and вЂњMemories of MurderвЂќ stars an all-Korean cast. It is a simple inquiry with a complex answer, certainly not a question Detective Park (Song Kang-ho) would have entertained at the onset of вЂњMemories of Murder,вЂќ Bong Joon-hoвЂ™s breakout film. What does it mean to be an ordinary person?

Shadow of memories art