Memories of Children

I think what I have come to realize through this course is how very narrow and specific my taste for films is. I am ashamed to say that I am very quick to make up my mind against a film when it doesn't fit my taste. This film was one of those. I did not enjoy it but it made me think carefully of why, because many Koreans sure loved it as it made the new blockbuster record when it came out.

I cannot deal with lack of professionalism. (By the way, sorry for the mass forwarding of the email from the IT guy from 'Our School' screening. I thought the class should know about it as well...) The humour in the movie only made me more exasperated at the incompetency of the police, government, society, and Korean people themselves. I was angry at the incompetent police, the oppressive government, the investigation-hampering people, the exasperating children,  and the stupid (excuse the language) women who walk around alone at night, fully knowing there is a serial killer out there. Seriously?! 

The whole time I was watching the movie, I had my eyes rolled up. Stupid. Ridiculous. Simply outrageous. I recognize that they are exactly what makes the film so comic, but I couldn't buy into it, knowing that it was based on a true case and an unsolved one at that. If this was what the director was going for, then he succeeded. 

Anyways. One of the narrative motif that I think is significant is the use of children in the film. Children are difficult to work with (presumably) so there must be a clear reason as to why the director would chose to include so many child castings in the film. If we look at the scenes where kids appear, we can find a commonality. Check it out.

They are hindrance to the investigation, police force and the government at large. What do they represent? 

I thought it was the new generation, the future that the incompetent, cruel, illegitimate oppressive government cannot handle/control. Perhaps it is these children's memories of these odd times that the title is referring to--the strange times of murder, oppression and stupidity that the children went through.