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Memories of Murder
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Bong Joon Ho. With Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roi-ha.
8.1/10
MOVIHERO RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
A sadistic serial rapist and murderer of young women terrorizes a small province in 1980s South Korea. To prevent further crimes, three increasingly desperate detectives with conflicting methods race against time to unravel the violent mind of the killer in a futile effort to solve the case.
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8.1/10
MOVIHERO RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTA sadistic serial rapist and murderer of young women terrorizes a small province in 1980s South Korea. To prevent further crimes, three increasingly desperate detectiv…
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RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for Memories of Murder.
MoviHero lists April 25, 2003 as the release date for Memories of Murder. Bong Joon Ho is the listed director. The listed cast includes Song Kang-ho as Detective Park Doo-man, Kim Sang-kyung as Detective Seo Tae-yoon, Kim Roi-ha as Detective Cho Yong-koo, Song Jae-ho as Sergeant Shin Dong-chul. A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateApril 25, 2003
GenresDrama · Crime · Thriller
Runtime2h 11m
DirectorBong Joon Ho
CastSong Kang-ho as Detective Park Doo-man, Kim Sang-kyung as Detective Seo Tae-yoon, Kim Roi-ha as Detective Cho Yong-koo, Song Jae-ho as Sergeant Shin Dong-chul
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is Memories of Murder right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
Memories of Murder runs 2h 11m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 7/10: a middle-ground pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 6/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 6/10, suggesting a moderate emotional load. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
Like this, but...
These share a listed genre with Memories of Murder. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.
But shorterThe Last Treatment2026 · 1h 30m
41 minutes shorter (1h 30m). Shared genre: crime, thriller.
But less emotionally intenseDuct Tape2026 · 4mEstimated emotional impact: 4/10 versus 6/10. Shared genre: crime, thriller.
But less demandingPick Up2026 · 11mEstimated attention required: 4/10 versus 6/10. Shared genre: thriller, crime.
MOVIE RATING
MoviHero Rating
MoviHero Rating: 8.1/10 from 4,915 votes. Updated Nov 2, 2026.
Rating data supplied by TMDB, shown on a 10-point scale. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from scores submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
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WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing7/10
Emotional Impact6/10
Mind-Bending2/10
Scary5/10
Violence7/10
Rewatchability6/10
Attention Required6/10
VIEWER REVIEWS
What viewers say about Memories of Murder
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“Doch eines ist sicher, alle die sich auf das koreanische Kino einlassen können werden bei „Memories of a Murder“ mit einem Film belohnt, der nachwirkt…”
Viewer reaction
“This is cracking serial killer drama from Bong Joon Ho - with some superb performances - that tracks a police investigation trying almost every technique…”
Viewer reaction
“Summary: 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…”
Selected review excerpts supplied by TMDB. Opinions belong to their original authors.
A CLOSER LOOK
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CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
Follow the character.
Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.
otherDetective Park Doo-manDetective Park Doo-man in Memories of Murder (2003), played by Song Kang-ho.Open character guide otherDetective Seo Tae-yoonDetective Seo Tae-yoon in Memories of Murder (2003), played by Kim Sang-kyung.Open character guide otherDetective Cho Yong-kooDetective Cho Yong-koo in Memories of Murder (2003), played by Kim Roi-ha.Open character guide
SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
Keep the night going.
7.3/10
MOVIHERO ESTIMATEPick Up
2026·Crime · Thriller
7.3/10
MOVIHERO ESTIMATEThe Last Treatment
2026·Crime · Thriller
7.2/10
MOVIHERO ESTIMATE12 Warriors
2026·Crime · Thriller · Action