Memories of Murder - A Hyacinth Review

Walking in Dangerous Rain

I watched this movie some time ago. I couldn't take my eyes off it. Everything taking place onscreen was riveting, from the simple act of walking down a dark lonely road in the rain, to a wild chase by three desperate detectives. This movie held me in thrall.

As a new viewer of Asian movies at that time, I tried to analyze the reason I tend not to be interested in western works any longer. I finally came to the conclusion that it has to do with the accessibility of the players. They seem to be people first, actors by choice, and stars, by the public making them so.

In Memories of Murder, I saw this human factor almost too painfully. By the end of the story, I was in tears. Even now, the mood prevails. It's been so long since these crimes took place, and I don't know absolutely that they remain unsolved, but I think it's the case, and I think about that.

The actors have become the people in my mind, and the horrible sense of defeat that becomes palpable eventually, is heartbreaking. When one relates to the inroads made on the health; mental and physical; of the detectives, who are ultimately portrayed as tireless and completely dedicated to the case, you realize that you've watched something that is historic. You have seen the probable truth.

The way this movie draws you into it, so that you are walking through dangerous rain, with a warning shout in your throat as you see a potential victim, points to the brilliance of the director and the players.

It is difficult to say, "I love this movie", just as it is hard to say, I love Silence of the Lambs, because love is a peculiar word to use for such fare.

But yes, I love it for the fact that during it, I was in a small village in South Korea in a terrible era of air-raid warnings, military dictatorship, and the hopeless pursuit of a serial killer, and landed back here in this time and place with a thud, only after turning off the DVD player, and going to the kitchen for a glass of water. I was there, I felt the desperation, and I felt the defeat and the sorrow of the detectives, who were essentially decent enough human beings when all was said and done.

There are not many movies that can time-travel you into their present. This will do it.

I most seriously recommend that you view the interviews with the director and the stars (all of them are stars of a special kind in my mind) in order to dispel some of the hold the story will have on you.

These are incredibly interesting people, and it's a sheer joy to see them smiling and peaceful. They're intelligent, educated and articulate. The younger members of the cast, the less seasoned, are so beautiful in their desire to do it right.

They definitely did it right. They were wonderful, and they thanked the interviewer. How lovely that was to see.

I watched the movie using the English subtitles rather than the English dubbing because I wanted the authenticity of the real voices and sounds. The subtitles were very good.

(Note-they are excellent in fact. At the time I wrote this I hadn't yet had the exciting experience of trying to figure out what in hell all that strangely written dialogue across the screen means. I have now viewed enough K-Drama to realize there is no meaning a lot of the time that can actually be accused of having anything to do with the plot. So, "what does that mean?", is a question that will probably not be answered in my lifetime.)
H.

It's not all show biz...

If you are here as a repeat viewer, you are aware that this site, and those connected with it, Oh Ji Ho, Lee Ji Hyeon, and to a lesser degree, One Two Three Testing, are oriented toward South Korea. The focus here at The Hyacinth Papers, has been to this date, geared in the direction of Asian entertainment.

But there are other things that capture my attention. These things are generally of a serious nature, and have touched me in some way, rather deeply.

Beginning today, I will be posting articles of that sort along with things I find in English pertaining to entertainment.

The articles posted below this notice, are arranged in reverse chronological order. The most recent, and very troubling one, being first. Scroll down to continue.

As always, I thank you for stopping by.
Hyacinth

9 Koreans abducted in Nigeria

Nine Koreans and one Nigerian were kidnapped from an oil services base by militants in southern Nigeria's volatile oil-producing Niger Delta yesterday afternoon Korean time, the Foreign Ministry said.

Armed militants used dynamite to attack a dormitory of the pipeline-laying construction site in Ogu, Bayelsa state, at 4:50 a.m. local time, the ministry said.

Gunshots were fired during the 40-minute assault, Han Sang-ho, a Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co. official in Nigeria, told YTN. The attackers landed at the coastal site in three vessels, the ministry said. The site was reportedly guarded by some dozen soldiers.

The identity of the militants was not immediately confirmed.

"We're making efforts to locate the men and their captors," Ekiyor Wilson, the state governor's spokesman said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the kidnapping.

The region's main militant group responsible for dozens of previous and on-going kidnappings, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, was quoted by AP as saying that it was not responsible.

Korean Foreign Ministry's Overseas Resident and Consular Affairs Bureau head Kim Bong-hyun confirmed that the kidnapped workers were unharmed at the time of the kidnapping. But the abductees, who contacted the company immediately after their capture, can no longer be reached by their mobile telephones, he said.

The abducted Koreans include: Lee Mun-sik, 45; Hong Jong-taek, 41; Kim U-seong, 48; Kim Nam-sik, 42; Choi Jong-jin, 39; Yun Yeong-il, 53; Choi Jae-chang, 28; Park Yong-min, 32; Kim Jong-gi, 47.

It was not immediately made known what the abductors were demanding for their release.

Foreign Minister Song Min-soon spoke via telephone with his Nigerian counterpart later in the evening upon arriving in the Philippines for a regional forum.

Before leaving for the airport, Song held a brief press conference in Seoul, saying, "We will seek every possible means for the prompt release of the workers and will continue to work closely with the Nigerian government.

"Please rest assured that the government is doing everything it can," Song said, addressing the families of the abductees.

Cheong Wa Dae and the Foreign Ministry of Korea presided over emergency meetings to discuss measures.

The ministry mobilized a 24-hour emergency crisis headquarters.

The oil-rich Bayelsa state has been mired with rampant hostage-takings.

Five Chinese oil workers remain held captive by unidentified militants since last Friday.

Since Dec. 7 last year, three Italians and one Lebanese have been held hostage by the most prominent armed separatist group in the region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

MEND last Sunday threatened to step up its attacks on oil fields unless its political demands were met.

The group is demanding the release of former Bayelsa State governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was jailed on corruption charges and separatist leader Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who is being held on charges of treason.

The group also wants a larger share in oil revenues for the locals, and compensation for communities affected by oil pollution, according to news reports.

Nigeria has been going through deep internal conflict after incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo tried and failed to amend the constitution to allow himself to be reelected for a third term.

The country will hold a presidential election on April 21.

Last June, MEND had kidnapped five Korean workers, three of whom also belonged to Daewoo, but released them about 40 hours later.

"This is one abduction too many. We as a government will do everything humanly possible to secure the release of the men and put a stop to the criminal activities of the militants," Welson Ekiyor, state governor spokesman, was quoted as saying yesterday by AFP.

Last year, about 37 Nigerian troops and some 12 Nigerian oil workers were killed by the militants. Over 60 foreigners, mostly oil workers, were kidnapped.

Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, gets more than 95 percent of its foreign exchange earnings from its oil revenues. But the country lost about 570 billion naira ($4.4 billion) in revenue last year due to frequent unrest in the delta region, news reports said.

By Lee Joo-hee
2007.01.11
Link to original article at The Korea Herald.

UPDATE:
Talks begin for abductees' rescue

The Korean government yesterday said negotiations have begun with Nigerian militants for nine Korean oil workers who were taken hostage in an overnight raid at the volatile oil-rich Niger Delta area on Wednesday.

The kidnappers contacted the Korean side early in the morning and full-fledged negotiations were set to begin in the evening Korean time.

The Foreign Ministry refused to identify the abductors, citing safety concerns for the hostages, but said the Korean workers are confirmed to be unharmed so far.
An unidentified group early Wednesday kidnapped the nine South Koreans and one Nigerian in the Niger Delta region, south Nigeria.

The armed militants stormed Daewoo Engineering and Construction's oil facility on the outskirts of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa state.

More than 60 foreign oil workers have been abducted in Africa's largest oil-producing country in the past year.

Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister Shim Yoon-joe called in Nigerian Ambassador Abba Abdullahi Tijjani yesterday morning to discuss the hostage situation. He has also asked Lagos to help release the kidnapped workers.

Photo text: Officials from an emergency team at Daewoo Engineering and Construction in Seoul check the map of Nigeria where its nine workers were taken hostage by militants Wednesday. [The Korea Herald]

The largest separatist group in the region, the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta, denied any involvement in the latest abduction. MEND was responsible for a 40-hour kidnapping of five Korean workers in June last year.

Sources said it was most likely done by a smaller group possibly wanting ransom money.

"We cannot verify yet the detailed demands of (the kidnappers)," Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ho-young told reporters.
Close cooperation from the Nigerian government is crucial, Seoul officials said.

The Nigerian government reportedly told Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon that President Olusegun Obasanjo understands the gravity of the situation and is taking a personal interest in the case, Kim said.

Seoul has dispatched several officials, including its ambassador to the Cote D'ivoire, to Nigeria to help with the negotiations. An additional three or four officials from the Foreign Ministry, the National Intelligence Service and the National Police Agency were set to be dispatched to the area, sources said.

By Lee Joo-hee
2007.01.12
Link to original The Korea Herald article.

Father's Long March to Save Family Moves Nation

"He was a true hero." Since rescuers Wednesday found the body of James Kim, who struck out on his own in search of help after becoming stranded with his family on a mountain road in the Oregon wilderness, messages of condolence have poured in from all over the world.

Photo text: CNET Senior Editor James Kim with his wife Kati and baby daughter./From CNET website/Yonhap

Desperate struggle

In the steep, rugged backcountry of Josephine County, Oregon, Big Windy Creek is battered by harsh gales, just like its name suggests, and lined with sheer cliffs on each side. It was in a snowdrift at the bottom of this gorge that James Kim's body was found, wearing tennis shoes and a jacket and sweater. It had been four days since he set out on foot in search of help, and 11 days since the family first ran into trouble. The spot where he was finally located was a mere 1.6 km from the spot where his family was rescued on Monday.

Oregon police involved in the search said it seemed that Kim, after heading off in an easterly direction, wandered some 13 km through the ravine, adding if he had instead gone west, he would have come out in the direction of a road. Kim would certainly have been dripping wet for a significant amount of his trek, police say. Joe Hyatt, a member of the local Swift Water Rescue Team who were following Kim’s trail said, "There were areas that we passed where the only option for us to pass through was to enter the water and physically swim. I can only describe him as an extremely motivated individual."

Out of determination to save his family, Kim fought through thick snow and treacherous terrain and swam through icy waters in his quest. "It seems superhuman to me that he was able to cover the distance he had,” said a shaken Josephine County Undersheriff Brian Anderson.

Photo text: Josephine County Undersheriff Brian Anderson breaks down and walks away from the microphones while announcing on Wednesday that the body of James Kim has been found in the Siskiyou National Forest after an intense search./AP-Yonhap

Wave of sympathy

U.S. broadcasters CNN, Fox News and ABC, which had been covering the rescue efforts live, each aired features on the story. Broadcasters showed scenes of Undersherriff Anderson breaking down in the middle of a press conference while discussing the loss.

On the homepage of CNET, where Kim worked as a senior editor, an article commemorating his life said, “Those who knew him say they aren't surprised that Kim, in the last act of his life, demonstrated the ultimate expression of devotion to his wife and daughters.” The string of condolences continued there as well. A site set up by Kim’s colleagues hoping for his safe return has also been inundated with messages of condolence. Link Here

The colleagues have launched a fundraising effort to aid the now fatherless family. In a message, they said news of Kim being found dead was devastating for all of them but thanked the rescue team for their efforts.


Family tragedy

On Nov. 17 Kim and his wife Kati (30) had gathered up their two daughters Penelope (4) and Sabine (7 months) and headed off on a Thanksgiving road trip. After visiting a friend’s house in Portland, Oregon the family headed back south along the coast towards home but got lost in a snowstorm. Kati received the terrible news while recovering in a local hospital. She had managed to keep her children warm throughout the ordeal but suffered severe frostbite of her hands and feet. The French instructor got married to Kim in 1999. Kim loved golf, but when his first daughter was born four years ago, he almost completely gave up the game just so he could spend more time with his family. Kati's father, Phil Fleming, said Kim was simply a “heroic father.”

December 8, 2006
Link to original Digital Chosun Ilbo article.

Korean Athlete Dies at Doha Games

One of Korea’s top horseback riders Kim Hyung-chil (47) sustained fatal injuries during an accident mid competition at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar on Thursday. He was the first Korean athlete to die during an international competition and the first fatality in equestrian events at the Asian Games. Kim was taking part in a cross-country event of the overall equestrian competition when he went down the eighth jump on a 2,470 m course with 23 obstacles.

The site of the crash was a 1.1 m step-type obstacle that should not have been that difficult for the rider, but the horse made it off the ground too early and its front legs were caught on the upper part of the jump. The horse then turned in midair and Kim hit the ground first, and the horse came down on top of his head and chest. Kim was rushed by ambulance to Hammed General Hospital near the athlete’s village but doctors were unable to save his life. “When Kim was being rushed from the scene, his helmet was still on but there was blood dripping from his head,” said Park Won-oh, the secretary general of the Korean Equestrian Federation. He added it looks as if Kim was crushed under the weight of the 500-kg horse.

The chief of the medical team at a press conference said doctors attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation but could not restart Kim’s heart.

Kim, who had 30 years on horseback, was the oldest member of South Korean team of the Asian Games. He won a bronze medal in the group competition in equestrian jumping in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games. Since 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, he participated in the Asian Games four times in a row. Since the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, he turned to eventing, capturing silver at the 2002 Busan Asian Games in group competition. Kim had a doctorate in equestrian studies from Yong-in University. His father, who died in 2002, was also a horseman and took part in 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. He leaves behind his wife So Won-mi (41), 11-year-old daughter Kim Min-ji and son Min-seop.

December 8, 2006

Link to original Digital Chosun Ilbo article.

Korea: Blockbusters flop as star marketing fails

Lee Byung-hun, Chung Ji-hoon (Rain), Daniel Henney and Jung Woo-sung share two things. First, they are indisputably top Korean actors commanding high casting fees. Second, their latest films all flopped at the box office.

The Restless

"Once in a Summer," a melodrama starring Lee along with Su Ae, failed to meet box-office expectations. "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK," a much-touted film by world-renowned director Park Chan-wook, was far from OK in terms of ticket sales, despite Chung's growing international reputation. Even though Daniel Henney revealed his sexy chest in "Seducing Mr. Perfect," theaters closed down the film hurriedly. "The Restless," a big-budget Chinese-Korean joint flick, was also sucked into the growing list of box-office failures.

What went wrong? The primary reason, of course, is that big-name stars do not necessarily bring box-office profits - unless the films involved are high quality or at least appealing to mainstream moviegoers in Korea. "Once in a Summer," released on Nov. 30, featured solid storytelling and a high-profile cast including Lee. Strangely enough, local audiences did not respond enthusiastically, with just 300,000 tickets sold.

The lackluster response came as a puzzling development for local filmmakers, who focused on Lee's soaring popularity in Japan and Southeast Asia.

More unsettling were reactions to director Park's "Cyborg." As he has commanded international fame with his award-winning "Oldboy," the local press did not spare coverage on his next project, which had been kept under the wraps right before its formal release.

As the film featured Chung, one of the biggest Korean Wave stars, and Lim Su-jeong, also a leading actress here, critics expected Park's love story to see another commercial success. Chung also frantically promoted the film since it was his silver screen debut.

But the film sold just 730,000 tickets, a crushing defeat for the celebrated Park and Chung. Although Park held on to a smidgeon of dignity with the film being invited to compete in the 57th Berlin Film Festival, its commercial failure sent a clear message: his not-so-spectacular storytelling left local audiences unimpressed.

"Seducing Mr. Perfect," with Daniel Henney, was largely designed to capture the hearts of female viewers. But the film sold just 700,000 tickets across the nation, failing to break even.

The major reason was that the production team relied too much on Henny's charms, while ignoring other negative factors. The film's basic storyline - a female worker falling in love with a handsome boss - was far from innovative, and too many English conversations baffled some Korean audiences.

"The Restless" was a huge flop considering that production and marketing costs reached a whopping 10.9 billion won ($12 million). The film boasted top stars including Jung Woo-sung and Kim Tae-hee, as well as high-quality computer graphics. But it sold just 1.44 million tickets in the box office, far lower than the needed breakeven of 4 million viewers.

Meanwhile, the relatively low-budget "200 Pound Beauty," featuring Kim A-jung, is staging a strong performance at the box office, attracting more than 4.5 million audiences across the nation, thanks largely to its tacky plastic surgery theme.

By Yang Sung-jin
2007.01.09
The Korea Herald link.