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Memoir of a Murderer (2017) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Memoir of a Murderer (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 118 min · Korean
Echo score 87
JustWatch #7,010 7
Directed by
Shin-yeon Won
Starring
Kyung-gu Sol, Nam-gil Kim, Seol-Hyun Kim
Budget
$125K

A retired assassin struggling with Alzheimer's is forced to confront his dark past when his daughter becomes the target of a dangerous stalker. As his memories deteriorate, he must fight to protect her, battling both the stalker and the fading grip on his own sanity. Loyalty and love are tested in a suspenseful fight for survival and a chance at redemption.

On this page (9)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 The book behind the movie
  7. 7 Movie threads
  8. 8 Movies like Memoir of a Murderer
  9. 9 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Memoir of a Murderer (2017)

Where can you watch Memoir of a Murderer? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Fawesome and Hoopla: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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3 main characters · contains spoilers

Memoir of a Murderer Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Memoir of a Murderer (2017), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Byeong-soo (Sol Kyung-gu)

    played by Kyung-gu Sol

    Byeong-soo is a complex character haunted by his past as a murderer struggling with Alzheimer's disease. His mental decline manifests in confusion and paranoia, forcing him to confront both his memories and the consequences of his actions. Desperate to protect his daughter, he oscillates between the desire for redemption and the terror of his own history.

    • 🐶 Veterinarian
    • 🧟‍♂️ Haunted
    • 🥺 Fatherly
  • Eun-hee (Seol-Hyun Kim)

    Eun-hee is the devoted daughter whose love and concern for her father drive her to support him through his struggles. She embodies resilience and compassion, determined to navigate the turmoil wrought by her father's past. Her emotional journey supports the film's exploration of familial bonds and the search for truth.

    • ❤️ Caring
    • 💪 Resilient
    • 🎓 Supportive
  • Min Tae-joo (Nam-gil Kim)

    Min Tae-joo is the chilling antagonist, a psychopath whose sinister actions are central to the film's tension. His malevolent persona encapsulates the darkness Byeong-soo battles against, blurring the lines between victim and perpetrator. His presence serves as a constant reminder of the violence that can lurk beneath the surface of everyday life.

    • 🔪 Psychopath
    • 🕵️‍♂️ Manipulative
    • 🎭 Villainous

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 22:12

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Setting

Where and When Does Memoir of a Murderer Take Place?

The setting of Memoir of a Murderer (2017): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The film unfolds in a contemporary setting where Byeong-soo is faced with modern dilemmas of mental health, universal family issues, and the impact of violence on society. The narrative interjects elements of the past through Byeong-soo's memories, contrasting his current struggles with the haunting echoes of his former life as a killer.

Location

Bamboo Grove, Police Station, Convent, Deserted Shack, Isolated Cabin

The Bamboo Grove serves as a haunting site for Byeong-soo's clandestine activities, symbolizing the dark secrets he harbors. The Police Station provides a refuge and unexpected friendship for Byeong-soo as he navigates his chaotic reality. The Convent becomes a place of sanctuary for his daughter, representing hope and protection amidst the turmoil. The Deserted Shack and Isolated Cabin are critical locations where the film's tension escalates, encapsulating the gritty struggle between Byeong-soo and the psychopathic killer.

  • 🌳 Bamboo Grove
  • 🚔 Police Station
  • ⛪ Convent
  • 🏚️ Deserted Shack
  • 🏠 Isolated Cabin

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 22:12

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3 major themes

Memoir of a Murderer Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Memoir of a Murderer (2017) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Mental Decline

    Byeong-soo’s journey through Alzheimer's highlights the fragility of memory and identity. As his mental state deteriorates, he grapples with paranoia and the fear of becoming a danger to those he loves. This theme emphasizes the psychological horror of losing one's mind while possessing a tumultuous past.

  • Murder

    The theme of murder permeates the narrative, creating a chilling atmosphere where Byeong-soo’s past as a killer resurfaces. The juxtaposition of his serene life as a veterinarian with his violent history reflects the duality of human nature and the eternal struggle between good and evil.

  • Family Bonds

    The intimate relationship between Byeong-soo and his daughter Eun-hee underscores the theme of familial ties amid chaos. Their bond serves as a source of strength but is also a catalyst for Byeong-soo’s inner conflict. The story examines the lengths one would go to protect loved ones, entwined with tragic revelations.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 22:12

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Character & theme questions

Memoir of a Murderer Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Memoir of a Murderer (2017): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the movie take place?

The film is set primarily in South Korea, featuring several key locations that reflect the story's tone. The Bamboo Grove serves as a haunting site for Byeong-soo's clandestine activities, while the Police Station becomes an unexpected refuge. The Convent provides sanctuary for his daughter Eun-hee, and the Deserted Shack and Isolated Cabin are critical locations where tension escalates between Byeong-soo and the psychopathic killer.

  • setting
  • locations
  • south korea
  • bamboo grove
  • police station
  • convent
Q2

What time period is the film set in?

Memoir of a Murderer takes place in a contemporary setting, dealing with modern issues like mental health, family conflicts, and societal violence. The narrative also interjects elements of the past through Byeong-soo's memories, contrasting his current struggles with his former life as a killer.

  • time period
  • contemporary
  • modern setting
  • memories
  • past
Q3

Who is Byeong-soo and what is his background?

Byeong-soo is the protagonist, a former assassin struggling with Alzheimer's disease. His mental decline creates paranoia and confusion, forcing him to confront both his memories and the consequences of his violent past. Once a veterinarian, he now battles the dual threat of a psychopathic killer targeting his daughter and his own deteriorating sanity.

  • byeong-soo
  • protagonist
  • assassin
  • alzheimer's
  • veterinarian
Q4

Who is Eun-hee in the story?

Eun-hee is Byeong-soo's devoted daughter, whose love and concern for her father drive her to support him through his struggles. She embodies resilience and compassion, determined to navigate the turmoil caused by her father's dark past. Her relationship with Byeong-soe serves as the emotional core of the film, exploring the theme of familial bonds.

  • eun-hee
  • daughter
  • family
  • bonds
  • support
Q5

Who is the antagonist Min Tae-joo?

Min Tae-joo is the chilling psychopath antagonist whose sinister actions drive much of the film's tension. He is a serial killer who targets Eun-hee, forcing Byeong-soo to confront his own violent past while battling this external threat. His presence serves as a dark mirror to Byeong-soo's own history as a murderer.

  • min tae-joo
  • antagonist
  • psychopath
  • killer
  • villain
Q6

What are the main themes of the movie?

The film explores several interconnected themes: Mental Decline, as Byeong-soo's Alzheimer's represents the fragility of memory and identity; Murder, reflecting the duality of human nature through Byeong-soo's violent past versus his current peaceful life; and Family Bonds, showing the intimate relationship between Byeong-soo and Eun-hee tested by chaos and tragic revelations.

  • themes
  • mental decline
  • murder
  • family bonds
  • identity
  • duality
Q7

How does the film handle Alzheimer's as a theme?

Byeong-soo's journey through Alzheimer's highlights the psychological horror of losing one's mind while possessing a violent past. As his mental state deteriorates, he grapples with paranoia and the fear of becoming a danger to those he loves. The film uses the unreliable narrator perspective, blurring the line between reality and memory as viewers must decipher truth from delusion.

  • alzheimer's
  • mental decline
  • psychological
  • memory
  • identity
  • delusion
Q8

What is the significance of the Bamboo Grove location?

The Bamboo Grove serves as a haunting site for Byeong-soo's clandestine activities, symbolizing the dark secrets he harbors. It represents the hidden violent past that continues to haunt him even as he tries to live a peaceful life. The location encapsulates the film's themes of hidden darkness and the contrast between serenity and violence.

  • bamboo grove
  • location
  • secret
  • dark past
  • symbolism
Q9

How does the film explore family bonds?

The intimate relationship between Byeong-soo and his daughter Eun-hee underscores the theme of familial ties amid chaos. Their bond serves as both a source of strength and a catalyst for Byeong-soo's inner conflict. The story examines the lengths a parent would go to protect loved ones, intertwined with tragic revelations about their shared history.

  • family bonds
  • daughter
  • father
  • protection
  • relationships
Q10

How does the movie portray the duality of human nature?

The theme of murder creates a chilling atmosphere where Byeong-soo's past as a killer resurfaces. The juxtaposition of his serene life as a veterinarian with his violent history reflects the eternal struggle between good and evil within a single person. This duality is reinforced as he must become violent again to protect his daughter, questioning whether redemption is possible.

  • duality
  • good and evil
  • violence
  • redemption
  • nature
Q11

What is the tone and genre of the film?

Memoir of a Murderer combines Action, Drama, and Thriller genres with a consistently dark tone driven by themes of murder, mental deterioration, and a grim past. The film features variable pacing, shifting between slower reflective moments where the protagonist documents his fading memories and fast-paced confrontations with the killer. The emotional weight is heavy, dealing with degenerative illness, grief, violence, and moral ambiguity.

  • tone
  • genre
  • action
  • drama
  • thriller
  • dark

Movie threads

More Movies Like Memoir of a Murderer, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Memoir of a Murderer tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Thrillers with unreliable narrators like Memoir of a Murderer

Stories where the protagonist's fractured perception blurs the line between truth and paranoia. If you were captivated by the fractured perspective in Memoir of a Murderer, explore more movies like it. This list features psychological thrillers and dramas where the protagonist's unreliable memory, mental state, or perceptions create a suspenseful and disorienting experience, making you an active participant in deciphering the truth.

  • unreliable narrator
  • psychological
  • disorienting
  • paranoid
  • suspenseful
  • mind-bending
  • Tone: dark, paranoid, unsettling
  • Pacing: variable, contemplative with bursts of tension
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern revolves around a central character whose grasp on reality is compromised, often by a condition like amnesia, dementia, or psychological trauma. The plot unfolds through their distorted viewpoint, creating suspense as the audience pieces together clues to separate fact from delusion, leading to a climactic revelation that recontextualizes everything.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core mechanic of psychological suspense built on an unreliable perspective. They create a specific, unsettling viewer experience where empathy for the protagonist is mixed with doubt, resulting in a tense and intellectually engaging journey.

Dark redemption thrillers like Memoir of a Murderer

A morally grey protagonist fights for a loved one's safety as a final chance at salvation. For viewers who enjoyed the theme of a troubled past colliding with a desperate present in Memoir of a Murderer. Discover similar movies about morally complex anti-heroes seeking redemption by protecting someone they love. These stories blend heavy emotional weight with intense action and often end on a bittersweet note.

  • redemption
  • protective
  • desperate
  • father-daughter
  • violent past
  • sacrifice
  • Tone: dark, desperate, bittersweet
  • Pacing: variable, building to intense climax
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The journey follows a flawed character with a dark history—often an ex-assassin, criminal, or vigilante—whose secluded life is shattered when a new threat emerges. Their path to redemption is intrinsically tied to protecting a vulnerable person, forcing them to use the very skills they hoped to leave behind, ultimately sacrificing their peace for a greater good.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a powerful emotional core: the convergence of a protective instinct with a quest for personal salvation. They balance high-intensity action with heavy themes of guilt, sacrifice, and love, resulting in a gripping and emotionally resonant experience that typically concludes with a bittersweet resolution.

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Every angle

Memoir of a Murderer (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Memoir of a Murderer in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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