K o r e a n F i l m D i r e c t o r s S e r i e s

난이질적인스타일이나느낌들이충돌하는걸좋아한다. 아주

사소하고 일상적인 것에서 출발하지만 점점 기괴하고 만화적

인게뒤섞이면서그둘이충돌하는긴장감같은것말이다.

_봉준호

I like it when unfamiliar styles or feelings collide. I

like the tension when subtle details from trivial

moments in life mix with elements that are comic

and bizzare, clashing with each other.

_BONG Joon-ho

Korean Film Directors Series BONG Joon-ho: Mapping Reality within the Maze of Genre

Published by Korean Film Council in association with Cine21

Compiled & Printed by Cine21 | Copyright ⓒ Korean Film Council, December 2005

Edited by LIM Youn-hui

Translated by PARK Soo-mee

Proofread by Darcy PAQUET

Designed by KIIM

First Published, 30/12/2005

ISBN 89-8021-039-6 93680

Korean Film Council | 206-46, Cheongnyangni-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea, 130-010 | Tel +82-2-9587-596 | Fax +82-2-9587-590 | pdh21@kofic.or.kr, sant0804@kofic.or.kr | www.kofic.or.kr

Cine21 | 116-25, Gongduk-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea, 121-750 | Tel +82-2-6377-0538 | Fax +82-2-6377-0505 | bookedit@cine21.com, icepoint@cine21.com | www.cine21.com

C o n t e n t s

Foreword_6

Critic_8Finding the path of reality in a jungle of genres

Interview_26My creative impulse is based on encounters with the unknown

Filmography_44

Biography_46

Film Information_48The Host

Memories of MurderBarking Dogs Never Bite

Review_54

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최근몇년간한국 화는자신의 토에서자국관객의폭넓은사랑을누리고있습니다. 거기에뿌리를두고개화한한국 화는‘ 화라는꽃밭’에피어난

고유한꽃으로서세계 화의다양성에기여하고있습니다.

한국이사랑하는거장임권택감독은언젠가이렇게말한적이있습니다. “아무리아름답다한들장미만피어있는꽃밭이란얼마나심심할것이냐. 화라

는꽃밭에한국의 화감독으로서한국 화를꽃피우는것이나의할일”이라고말입니다. 한국 화를다시들여다보면그색채와형식이얼마나다양한지

를발견할수있을것입니다. 한국이경험한정치적격변과농업국가에서첨단정보사회로달음질쳐온압축성장의결과라할급격한사회변화, 동서문화의

충돌과융합이문화지도안에만들어낸형형색색의문양들, 그러한토양에서한국 화의다양성은예비되었습니다.

화진흥위원회는이같은상황에대한이해를돕기위해한국 화의근본저력인한국 화감독들을소개하고자한국의 화전문매체인씨네21과공동으

로<한국 화감독시리즈>를발간합니다. 2005년도에는그첫번째로박찬욱, 봉준호, 류승완감독을소개합니다. <공동경비구역 JSA>, <복수는나의것>,

<올드보이>, <친절한금자씨>의박찬욱감독은스토리와스타일의실험을계속하며 화의예술성과대중성의경계를자유로이넘나들고있습니다. <플란

다스의개>로데뷔, <살인의추억>에서연쇄살인사건을추적하는형사들을내세워1980년대한국의시대상과좌절을뛰어나게형상화한봉준호감독의다

음작품은<괴물>입니다. 그가자신만의색깔로그려내는시대와사회에대한고민은한국 화관객들의또다른관심대상입니다. 최근<주먹이운다>로국

제 화계에알려지기시작한류승완감독은<죽거나혹은나쁘거나>, <피도눈물도없이>, <아라한장풍대작전> 등으로이미국내에서는그역량을충분

히보여준한국 화의젊은힘입니다.

화진흥위원회가씨네21과공동으로발간하는<한국 화감독시리즈>를통해한국 화의다양한빛깔을만나보시기바랍니다.

안정숙화진흥위원회위원장

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For the past few years, Korean films have nourished unparalleled support from its own people. Rooted in its own history, the fruits of Korean

cinema have helped to contribute to the diversity of world cinema.

IM Kwon-taek, one of Korea’s most beloved directors, once said that there would be nothing more boring than a flower garden if it only had

roses, no matter how beautiful they are. “In a garden of films, it is my duty as a Korean director to water the flowers and make them bloom”, he

said. To look back on the history of Korean cinema, one can easily discover its diverse colors and styles. In a way, the diversity of Korean films

was already predicted in the rapid growth and dramatic political changes that have taken place within the past few decades as the country

transformed from an agricultural society into a hub of informational technology. Social changes and the dilemmas and harmony of Eastern and

Western cultures have helped to create the diverse shapes in our cultural map.

To facilitate a cultural understanding of Korean films, the Korean Film Council and Cine21, a Korean film weekly, have collaborated on several

books titled “Korean Film Directors Series” about Korean directors who have helped to fuel the energy of contemporary Korean cinema. In 2005,

we begin with three directors, PARK Chan-wook, BONG Joon-ho and RYOO Seung-wan. PARK, the director of <Joint Security Area>,

<Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance>, <Old Boy> and <Sympathy for Lady Vengeance> has attracted popular and critical success by pushing stylistic

experiment and weaving them into unconventional plots. BONG, who debuted with <Barking Dogs Never Bite>, is currently shooting his next

film <The Host>. His outstanding use of a genre set-up in <Memories of Murder>, a story dealing with an investigation of a serial rape-murder

case, presented a poignant glimpse of the desperation of the country’s social mood under military dictatorship in the 1980’s. BONG’s style of

tackling social issues is a focus of interest for many Korean viewers. RYOO Seung-wan began to spread his name in the world of the film

industry with eclectic action flicks such as <Die Bad>, <No Blood No Tears>, <Arahan> and <Crying First>. His films have shown the

potential of the force of young Korean directors.

It is my sincere hope that, through the “Korean Film Directors Series”, you may meet the diverse colors of Korean cinema.

AN Cheong-sookChairperson,

Korean Film Council

발간사 Foreword

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장르의정 에서현실로난길을찾다

＿ 장 르 적 관 습 과 작 가 주 의 적 욕 망 의 이 상 적 인 접 점 , 봉 준 호 의 작 품 세 계

Finding the Path of Reality in a Jungle of Genres _ The Flim World of BONG Joon-ho:

_ The Ideal Point of Contact Between Genre Conventions and Auteurist Desire

작가론 Critic

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봉준호감독은단두편의장편 화만으로한국 화계에서가장주목받는감독중하나로부상했

다. 이런경우는신인급감독이주도하는한국 화계에서조차흔치않은경우다. 그에대한기대

의상당부분은두번째 화<살인의추억>에서비롯된것이지만, 데뷔작 <플란다스의개>가높

은성취를보여주지않았다면그에대한평가는‘유보’에머물 을지도모른다. <플란다스의개>

와 <살인의추억>, 이두편은소재, 주제, 화적스타일, 그리고무엇보다흥행결과라는측면에

서대조적이었지만, 봉준호감독의 화적지향을드러내준다는점에서는일관성을갖는다.

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BONG Joon-ho rose to become one of the most revered names in the Korean film industry

after shooting just two feature films. Such a case is rare in the world of Korean cinema

even though it is often driven by first-time directors. The buzz about BONG stemmed

largely from his second feature film, <Memories of Murder>. However, public response

to that film may not have come readily had his debut feature, <Barking Dogs Never Bite>

not shown BONG’s potential. While the two films are drastically different in both subject

and style, not to mention commercial success, they share a common bond in that they both

reflect BONG’s cinematic taste.

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＿이질적인 것들의 충돌

결국봉준호의 화세계를파악하기위해서는 <플란다스의개>(2000)를 먼저짚고넘어가야한다. 이 작품은함께어울리기힘든이질적

요소들의결합, 장르 화에대한이중적태도, 남루한캐릭터에대한천착등봉준호 화의특성들을모두갖추고있다. <플란다스의개>는

“일상을재료로장르 화보다더재미있고아기자기한 화를만들고싶었”던봉준호의욕망이투 된 화다. 이 화의주인공은중산층아

파트에사는대학시간강사윤주(이성재)와이아파트관리사무소직원현남(배두나)이다. 윤주는어느집에선가울려나오는강아지짖는소

리를참다못해강아지를아파트지하에감금한다. 그러나진짜시끄러운강아지는따로있었다. 윤주는문제의강아지를찾아내아예옥상에

서떨어뜨려죽인다. 연이어실종된강아지를찾기위해현남이자발적으로나선다. 그러나도리어윤주의아내가사온강아지가실종된다.

<플란다스의개>가펼쳐놓는상황은, 화로만들어진것이놀라울정도로시시하다. ‘연쇄강아지실종사건’을놓고벌이는아파트단지

안에서의추격극이라니! <플란다스의개>는 강아지실종이라는작은사건을아파트라는소시민의생활공간에던져놓고, 멀쩡하던사람들이

얼마나예기치못할소동에빠져드는지를관찰하는짓궂은농담이다. 이 사건은강아지를생의마지막위안으로여기던노파에겐죽음이고,

그보단덜쓰라리다해도강아지를동생처럼돌보던아이에겐사랑의상실이다. 반면신경예민한시간강사에겐소음제거라는목표의달성이

고, 개의육질에매혹된경비원과부랑자에겐 양보충의귀한계기다. 그리고일상의나른함에지쳐있던경비실여직원에겐자아실현의기

회도된다.

이처럼 <플란다스의개>의재미는아파트라는일상적인공간과 (비록강아지이긴하지만) 실종사건이라는이질적인요소가결합하면서발

생한다. 윤주가회색의아파트에서푸른숲을바라보는첫장면부터이같은극명한대조의전략이구사되지만, 아파트곳곳에서추격전이벌

어지고지하실이라는아파트의은 한공간이드러나면서그의의도는본격화된다. 지극히일상적이고평온한삶의터전으로만보 던이곳

은욕망의집합체로서의실체를보여주는것이다. 중산층의신분상승욕구, 생명에대한무관심, 중요한의사결정에서소외된자의비애등이

전시되는것이다. 그리고봉준호감독은여기서한발짝더나아간다. 판타지적인요소를결합시켜‘이질적요소들의충돌’을강화하는것이

다. 지하실의‘보일러김씨’에피소드나아파트옥상의응원단장면은그대표적인경우다.

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＿Clashes of the Unfamiliar

To analyze the cinematic world of BONG Joon-ho, it is vital to examine <Barking Dogs Never Bite>. The film creates noteworthy

characters that illustrate BONG’s cinematic vision including his contrasting attitudes to genre films, his obsession toward social minority

groups, and his ability to mix opposing elements. <Barking Dogs> is a film that projects BONG’s personal desire to make “an amusing film

more entertaining than a genre movie, using daily life as an ingredient”. The film’s main characters are Yoon-ju(LEE Sung-jae), a university

lecturer living in a middle-class apartment and Hyun-nam(BAE Doo-na), a caretaker in the apartment’s maintenance office. Yoon-ju is

aggravated by the incessant barking of a tiny dog that someone has stashed in their apartment. One day, Yoon-ju finds a random dog in his

neighborhood and, thinking that it will stop the incessant barking, confines it in the basement of his apartment. It turns out however that the

noisy dog is somewhere else. Yoon-ju finally manages to track it down and drops it from the roof of his apartment building. Meanwhile,

Hyun-nam searches for the missing dog. Separately, a dog that Yoon-ju’s wife has brought home has gone missing.

<Barking Dogs> is based on a series of incidents so trivial that it is surprising they could be put together into a feature film. The film

follows the seemingly simple story of a missing dog in an apartment complex. In doing so however, it generates some dark humor as the

audience is led to observe ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances. Indeed, the dog’s death means different things to different

people. For an old woman, who looked after her dog as the last joy of her life, the news about the missing dog is a matter of life or death. For a

pet-loving child, it means a loss of affection. For a neurotic lecturer, the dog’s murder is a sincere mission to silence its incessant barking. For

a janitor with a taste for dog stew, it is a precious chance to supplement his diet while a bored maintenance office clerk sees it as chance to

retain her self-esteem.

The pleasures of <Barking Dogs> begin as scandal touches the mundane lives of the people living in a mundane apartment. After all, it’s

just a missing dog, but somehow there is more to it than that. The dramatic contrast of irreconcilable elements in the film is foreshadowed in

the opening scene when Yoon-ju looks out on the green forest from his gray apartment. From there, the film’s motif becomes stronger as a

war-like chase develops in the apartment corridors, eventually revealing the secret underbelly of the apartment basement. The apartment

building, which originally appeared to be a peaceful dwelling, now starts to show the fears and desires of the people living there; the audience

is witness to their ambition for upward social mobility, their indifference to life, and the tragedy of their having been excluded from the social

majority. BONG takes a step further by bringing in a layer of fantasy to the film, thereby fulfilling his intention to mix unfamiliar elements.

Episodes related to the ghostly tale of the “boiler man” and the cheering squad on the apartment rooftop are but two examples that reflect

BONG’s intent to intermix the usual with the unusual.

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＿웃다가 뒤통수 맞을라

이런이질적요소들의충돌은그의코미디를장르의컨벤션에서벗어나게한다. 쫓고쫓기는아슬아슬한추격이펼쳐지는데, 그배경은환

한햇살아래노출된아파트의복도이다보니웃음이터져나오는것이다. 이런변칙코미디의맥락을따라가게되면, 윤주와현남이진지해지

면진지해질수록웃음은배가된다. 하지만그웃음의뒤끝은개운치않다. “웃다가정신차려보니갑자기낯선곳에와있는듯한이상한느낌

이드는색다른코미디”( 화평론가허문 )라는평처럼, <플란다스의개>의유머는웃는이의뒤통수를내리치며, 어느순간가슴한구석을

서늘하게한다. 이 화는현실을예리하게풍자하며코미디라는장르를날렵하게빠져나간다. 윤주는뇌물을통해대학교수자리를얻지만,

도리어현남이관리사무소에서해고되는 화의결말은이전보다사악해지는세상을아프게짚어낸다.

<플란다스의개>의두주인공을바라보는그의시선은확연히다르다. 교수로의신분상승을위해비열한행동을감수해야하는윤주는사

악하면서도불쌍한, 이중적인존재로묘사되지만, 현남의경우는일관되게순수한인물로등장한다. 갑갑하고어두운강의실에갇혀있는윤

주와밝은햇살아래서산을오르는현남의모습이대비되는마지막장면에서그의의도는극명하게드러난다. 이후 <살인의추억>과현재제

작중인 <괴물>에서도비루한주인공을내세우고있는봉준호감독은본인 화의캐릭터에대해다음과같이말한다. “난한군데오래머물

러일하는직종에관심이많다. 복권파는부스에갇혀서하루종일있는복권아줌마, 문방구점원, 식당점원등등. 이런맹숭맹숭한인물들

은사람들이나 화가관심을가져주지않는다. 어떤방식으로도주목받지못하고잘기억되지않는사람들. 이런인물들이이상한사건에말

려들었을때콘트라스트효과도클거다. 나는이런인물들을감싸주고싶었다.”

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＿장르 화에 대한 동경과 거부

불행히도“도회적이지만따뜻하고, 잔인해보이지만소프트하고, 현실적이지만몽환적인 화를그리면서일상의재미를쫓아가려했다”

는봉준호감독의의도는당시한국관객에게제대로전달되지못했다. 2000년 2월개봉한이 화는 7만명의관객을동원하는데머물 다.

한국에서의썰 한반응과대조적으로이 화는홍콩, 슬램댄스, 부에노스아이레스, 도쿄, 로카르노등세계곳곳의 화제에초청되었고높

은평가를받았다. 하지만 <플란다스의개>는‘백색인’(1994), ‘프레임속의기억’(1994), ‘지리멸렬’(1995) 같은세편의단편 화에서드러

난그의 화광적기질과세상에대한통찰력, 화적표현력등을감안하면대중에게는다소심심한 화 다. 봉준호감독은훗날“<플란다

스의개> 같은경우는내가찍었던단편 화의연장선에있어야한다는불필요한강박속에서만들어졌다”고고백한바있다. 봉준호감독에

따르면이 화는자신이신혼초에살던아파트를소재로삼았으며, 심지어촬 조차그곳에서이뤄진‘지극히개인적인 화’다.

이 화속에서봉준호감독의 화적뿌리를엿보는것은그리어렵지않다. “할리우드장르 화에대한지극한사랑, 그리고그와동시에

존재하는 장르 화에 대한 거부감”(봉준호)이 그것이다. 봉준호는 중학생 시절 화감독이 되겠다는 꿈을 굳혔다. 특정한 화에 향받은

것은아니지만, 그의예술가적지향은디자인을하는아버지와 <천변풍경> 등을쓴리얼리즘소설가박태원을외조부로두었다는점과어느

정도연관이있을것으로보인다. 그는요즘처럼 DVD나비디오가전혀없을뿐더러극장에서개봉하는 화도한정되어있던중·고등학생

시절, 대사도알아듣지못하면서 AFKN에서밤시간에하는 화를즐겨보았다고고백하기도했다. “고전적인호흡과정공법으로승부하는

드라마들, 이를테면존프랑켄하이머, 윌리엄프리드킨, <ET>까지의스티븐스필버그, 그리고프란시스포드코폴라에대한애정이있다.”(봉

준호) 그과정은그에게“미국장르 화의쾌감과흥분을몸이체현”하게끔했다. 하지만대학(연세대사회학과)에진학해 화동아리에가

입한뒤로는“에드워드양과허우샤오시엔 화에완전히꽂혀서숏을다외우기도”하면서할리우드 화와거리를두게됐다. 그의 화에

서뜬금없이장르 화적인장면이등장하곤하는것은그러한‘분열’에서기인한다.

그는 데뷔할당시부터‘충무로’시스템을잘이해하고있었다. 대학시절 16mm 화를찍던그는졸업한뒤한국 화아카데미에들어가

‘지리멸렬’등을만든다. 이곳을나온뒤에는충무로로들어가연출부활동을했다. 당시그가참여한주요작품은박기용감독의 <모텔선인

장>과민병천감독의 <유령>이다. 이두작품에서그는 화아카데미동기인, <지구를지켜라>의장준환감독과함께시나리오작업에참여했

고, 연출부로현장을지키기도했다.

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＿Laugh Until You are Struck on the Back of Your Head

BONG manages to escape the conventions of the comic genre by allowing unfamiliar notions to clash. This clash elicits laughter because

the film captures people who are desperately chasing one another under bright sunlight in an apartment corridor. The comic effect in this

twisted comedy doubles when characters like Yoon-ju and Hyun-nam become serious. The film’s humor does, however, leave a bitter

aftertaste. According to film critic HEO Mun-young, <Barking Dogs> is an unusual comedy that leaves viewers in a strange place after they

have cleared their throats from laughing. The humor in <Barking Dogs> is like a blow to the back of the audience’s head, chilling their heart

with hidden irony. The film parodies social reality, brilliantly sneaking away from, and out of, the comic genre.

The film’s conclusion is a footnote to society’s bitter reality. Yoon-ju, with the help of a few well-placed bribes, becomes a full-time

professor while Hyun-nam is fired from her job for having neglected her office duties. BONG’s view of the two characters is significantly

different. Yoon-ju is both evil and sympathetic, a man who tolerates dirty deals to become a university professor. Hyun-nam is consistently

innocent. BONG’s motives become clear in the film’s last scene, in which Yoon-ju is confined in a dark lecture room while Hyun-nam climbs

to the top of a mountain under bright sunlight. BONG continues to use insignificant characters in his following films. He says, “I am interested

in jobs where you have to work in a small space for a long time, like ladies selling lottery tickets, cashiers at stationary stores, restaurant

waitresses and the like. Films have never paid attention to characters with such boring jobs. They are never remembered by anyone. I figured

there would be a dynamic effect when these people become entangled in strange incidents. I wanted to embrace these characters”.

| 18 |

| 19 |

＿Admiration and Rejection of Genre Movies

Unfortunately, BONG’s intent to “depict the joys of ordinary life” through a film that is “warm but urbane, realistic but dream-like, violent

but soft”, was never fully realized. The film, which was released in February 2000, closed just a few weeks after its release having attracted

only 70,000 viewers. Contrary to its lukewarm domestic response, <Barking Dogs> received high honors at noted international film festivals

including Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Locarno and the Slamdance Film Festival. In spite of this international acclaim and considering

BONG’s potential as a cinephile, his outstanding sense of observation, and the cinematic expressions that were so evident in his previous three

shorts-“White Man”(1994), “Memories in My Frame”(1994) and “Incoherence”(1995)-<Barking Dogs> lacked an edge. BONG later

confessed that, while shooting <Barking Dogs>, he was preoccupied with the idea of making a feature film that would stand as a reflection of

his previous shorts. According to the director, <Barking Dogs> was “a highly personal film”, shot in an apartment where he had lived during

the early years of his marriage, dealing with apartment life as the main subject matter. Indeed, while watching <Barking Dogs> it is not hard

to catch a glimpse of BONG’s cinematic heritage, namely his admiration for Hollywood genre movies as well as his rejection of them.

BONG decided to become a filmmaker when he was in middle school. He was not influenced by any one particular film, he says. Rather,

his creative influence may have come from the artists in his family, particularly his designer father and his grandfather PARK Tae-won, the

latter having authored <Landscape of the Riverside> and who is well-known for actively pursuing literary realism in his works. In his teenage

years, when there were few films showing in local theaters and access to DVDs or videos was limited, BONG recalls enjoying late-night

movies on AFKN, a local channel for the US military in Korea, but not understanding fully what the films were all about. “I have affection for

dramas that follow the classic rhythm of cinema like films by John Frankenheimer, William Friedkin, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven

Spielberg’s <ET>”, BONG says. The films he watched in his adolescence allowed his body to experience “the excitement and pleasures of an

American genre film”, he says. However, after BONG joined a campus film club in college (while majoring in Sociology at Yonsei

University), he kept a certain distance from Hollywood films. He became deeply immersed in directors like Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-

hsien, so much so that BONG memorized every shot in their films. The short scenes in BONG’s films that reflect conventional genre movies

stem from this “schizophrenia” of the films he watched as a teen.

By the time he shot his debut film, BONG reports that he understood the Korean film industry and its system very well. After shooting

films in 16mm in college, BONG joined the Korean Academy of Film Arts and completed “Incoherence”. After finishing his program at the

Korean Academy of Film Arts, BONG joined the production crew of PARK Ki-yong’s <Motel Cactus> and MIN Byung-chun’s <Phantom,

the Submarine>. In both films, BONG contributed to the script with his friend from the Korean Academy of Film Arts, JANG Jun-hwan,

director of <Save the Green Planet!>.

| 20 |

＿스릴러 장르 속에 시대의 공기가

그의두번째 화 <살인의추억>(2003)은 그가만들어온단편 화의맥락보다는충무로시스템에서익힌노하우가보다잘드러나는작

품이다. 1980년대중반에서 90년대초반까지화성이라는한국의한지방도시에서실제로일어났던연쇄사건을소재로하는 <살인의추억>은

같은사건을소재로만들어진연극 <날보러와요>와이사건에대한봉준호감독의치 한조사가결합돼만들어졌다. 화는 1986년한지방

에서젊은여인의사체가발견되는것으로시작한다. 곧바로또한여성이살해되면서경찰서는분주해진다. <살인의추억>의주인공은이지

방의토박이형사박두만(송강호)과서울에서파견나온서태윤(김상경)이다. 전형적인버디무비처럼두사람은대조되는성격의소유자인데,

박두만이감과미신을숭배한다면서태윤은“서류는거짓말하지않는다”는신조를갖고과학수사를시도한다. 두사람의충돌속에서여성들

은계속죽어가고, 두형사또한점점미쳐간다.

<살인의추억>은 <플란다스의개>와비교한다면훨씬더할리우드장르 화에가까운작품이다. 연쇄살인사건을수사하는형사들을주인

공으로내세운이 화는가장미국적인장르라할수있는미스터리스릴러에속할것이다. 하지만살인사건이벌어지는공간은음침한도시

가아니라햇살아래볏단이출 이는농촌이다. 형사들은범인과치 한머리싸움을하고총격전을벌이기보다는점집을찾아가자문을구

하거나고문으로거짓자백을강요한다. 두번째피해자가발견되는대목의롱테이크장면은 <살인의추억>의지향점을명확히드러낸다. 현

장으로간박두만은용의자의것으로추정되는발자국을발견하고의경에게증거물이니잘보존하라고지시한다. 그가시체가있는논둑아래

로내려갈무렵, 경운기한대가다가와무심하게발자국을지우고가버린다. 반대편에서현장으로접근하던반장과감식반일행은논둑아래

로죽미끄러져버린다. 이렇듯 <살인의추억>은연쇄살인사건의엽기성과이를추적하는형사들의멋진모습을전시하기보다는오히려전근

대적이고우스꽝스러운상황을보여줌으로써시대에관해진술한다. <살인의 추억>이 할리우드장르 화의섭리를거역한다는가장명확한

증거는끝끝내범인이잡히지않는다는점이다. 잡히기는커녕, 이 화는범인이누구인지조차명확히밝히지않는다. 이 화가제작되기전

상당수의투자자들은“범인이안잡히는스릴러 화가어디있냐”며투자를포기했을정도라고한다.

| 21 |

＿Capturing the Essence of an Era within the Thriller Genre

BONG’s second feature film, <Memories of Murder>(2003) showcased the skills he honed while working on his earlier projects.

<Memories of Murder> is based on the events surrounding a series of murders that took place in a small city on the outskirts of Seoul in the

mid 80’s and early 90’s. The film is a combination of BONG’s meticulous research and of a play entitled, <Come to See Me>. The film,

which is set in 1986, begins with the discovery of a young woman’s dead body in a small city outside of Seoul. Soon after, another young

woman is murdered. The body count rises. Korean police are now dealing with the first serial killer in their country. The main characters of

<Memories of Murder> are two police investigators, PARK Doo-man(SONG Gang-ho), a native of the small town, and SEO Tae-yoon(KIM

Sang-kyung), a special detective sent from Seoul to straighten out the department. The two possess personality characteristics opposite to

those you might expect to see in a typical buddy movie. PARK plays hunches and seeks clues from fortune tellers and magic charms while

SEO endeavors to build a case from hard evidence, holding onto the belief that “documents never lie”. As the story deepens, the two cops

become enraged as the killer becomes more brazen.

<Memories of Murder> is closer to a Hollywood genre movie than <Barking Dogs Never Bite>. The film, which explores the

investigation surrounding a serial murder case, can be classified as a mystery thriller, perhaps one of the most typical American film genres.

Yet the crime scene in <Memories of Murder> is a farm village overlooking a rice paddy, not the gloomy backstreets of some dark city. The

film reminisces about a time when detectives had only themselves to rely on. They seek help from fortunetellers and torture suspects into

confessing. The use of the long shot after the discovery of the second victim’s body poignantly shows the film’s point of view. PARK Doo-

man, after finding the footprints of a potential suspect, orders his assistant to secure the area. But as Doo-man walks down the levee of a rice

paddy, a farmer drives his tractor through the supposedly secure site, destroying all the evidence. In the next scene, the chief detective and his

team of investigators slide down the mud of the levee. <Memories of Murder> reflects on Korea’s past by posing an absurd view of its social

mood at the peak of modern development. This is a departure from other cop movies, which usually show charismatic investigators in bizarre

cases. In many ways, <Memories of Murder> resists the rules of a Hollywood genre movie. Perhaps the greatest evidence of this resistance is

that the killer is never caught. The film refuses to make an assumption as to the killer’s identity. Instead, the mystery surrounding the actual

crime remains, just as it does today. Indeed, several potential investors refused to support the film’s production, saying that there cannot be a

thriller in which the killer is never caught.

| 22 |

봉준호감독이 <살인의추억>에서보여주고자했던것은장르 화의오락적인쾌감이아니라 1980년대라는시대의공기이다. 이 화의

곳곳에는 20년에가까운박정희군사독재가끝난뒤주인공만바뀌었을뿐또다른집권자에의해자행된군사독재의흔적이스며들어있다.

물론그가담아내는시대의그늘은단지정치적인것에만머물지않는다. 그시대에깃들어살던무능한경찰과여인들의희생을방조했던다

른모든사람들의비겁한눈빛까지포착함으로써, <살인의추억>은장르 화의틀을완전히빠져나간다. 온마을의불을끄는등화관제훈련

속에서살인이벌어지는후반부에가면그의주제의식은강렬해진다. “이 화에서가장중요한건등화관제모티브다. 누가나에게 80년대를

어떻게기억하세요?’라고묻는다면‘등화관제의시대요’라고말할거다. 그건인위적인어둠을만드는행위다.”(봉준호)

지루해보이기까지하는평온한농촌과연쇄살인사건이라는이질적인요소를결합, 대비시키려는봉준호감독의일관된의도는오프닝장

면에서부터드러난다. 출 이는아름다운황금벌판은환한햇빛을머금고있지만, 결국배수로속의흉측한시체를품고있는것이다. 이

화에서이질적인요소간의충돌은코믹한느낌뿐아니라그가표현하고자하는시대의초상마저전달한다. 지하실에서형사들이범인을심각

하게취조하고있는데보일러기사가쓱나타나서달그락거리는장면이전자라면, 아름다운논위로이물스러운공장이떡버티고있는장면

들은파괴되고있는공동체의운명을드러낸다. 또한이들장면은익숙했던리얼리티가초현실적인자태를드러내는순간을체험하게해준다.

캐릭터라는측면에서형사라는직업의특성상가려지지만, 박두만등의형사는그가사랑해마지않는비루함을어느정도내포하고있다(박

두만이애인의다리를베고귀파는장면을생각해보라). 결국 <살인의추억> 또한이질적요소들의충돌, 장르 화에대한이중적태도, 마이

너리티캐릭터에대한천착이라는봉준호 화의구성요소를모두갖추고있는셈이다.

하지만 <살인의추억>은관객을두형사의절박한분노와슬픔의감정속으로끌어들인다는점에서다소냉소적인느낌의<플란다스의개>

와는다른맥락에선다. 그분노와슬픔의본질은다름아닌뼈아픈패배감이다. 이어마어마한연쇄살인사건을감당하지못하는전근대적인

형사들의모습은코믹하지만, 후반부로갈수록그들을바라보는것은괴로워진다. 군화발로용의자를짓밟으며 80년대라는시대를직접적으

로드러내는조용구형사는결국다리가잘리고, “딱보면안다”고말하던박두만은결정적용의자박현규의얼굴을보면서“나도모르겠다”

라고고백하며, “서류는거짓말안한다”고말하던서태윤은결국 FBI의서류에배신당한다. 화가후반부로치달으면서형사들의패배는예

감되기시작하며, 이는관객에게슬픔과아픔이라는감정으로다가온다. “이 화는간단히말하면실패를다루는 화다. 형사를비롯한우

리모두가왜범인을못잡았을까라는질문을스스로던지는 화다. 오랫동안시나리오를쓰면서‘그시대자체가범인을잡을능력이없었

다’는결론에도달했기때문이다.”(봉준호)

| 23 |

However, with <Memories of Murder> BONG was more interested in capturing the essence of Korea’s social atmosphere in the 1980’s

than simply creating an entertaining genre movie. The film shows glimpses of a military dictatorship that continues to exist in the hands of

other authorities for 20 years under the PARK Chung-hee regime. Surely what BONG is trying to capture here is more than political. He

manages to escape from the constraints of a genre movie by presenting the ignorant mood of the day, a mood that allowed such heinous acts to

occur. BONG’s message becomes stronger in the last half of the movie, when the authorities instruct the villagers to stay indoors with their

lights off after dark. BONG says, “The most important part of this movie is the ‘blackout’ motif. When someone asks me how I remember the

80’s, I tell them it was like a blackout during war, when all the lights had to be out to prevent an attack from the enemy at night. It was like

creating an artificial darkness”.

BONG’s intention to compare and contrast two components-mundane tranquillity of the farm village and serial murder case-is shown

well from the very first scene. <Memories of Murder> opens with a wide shot of a long sprawling rice paddy glittering in the sunlight. The

shot then moves to a dead body lying in a wretched drainage ditch. The fusion of contrasting elements in the film elicits a certain humor while

presenting a social portrait of the time. BONG adeptly captures this strange juxtaposition in the police station basement scene when a boiler

technician casually enters the room to fix something while a team of detectives works over a suspect. Another scene shows a factory being

built in the midst of a rice paddy, revealing the fate of a community in decline. These scenes help to form a transition in which a familiar

reality turns to a surreal landscape. <Memories of Murder> has a variety of characters that illustrate BONG’s cinematic taste. The characters

depict BONG’s fondness for clashes of the unfamiliar, his obsession with minor characters, and his mixed attitude to genre movies.

In a sense that, however, the film positions the audience in the emotional viewpoint of the two detectives, pulling viewers into their

desperate state of anger and sadness, the film stands in a different light than <Barking Dogs>. The essence of anger and sadness in

<Memories of Murder> stems from the desolate failure of our history. At the start of the film, the settings that surround the two detectives are

rather humorous, but as the film progresses, they encounter more serious and permanent problems. JO Yong-gu, who stepped on the suspect

with his combat boots, poignantly displays the mood of the 80’s when he later amputates his leg. PARK Doo-man who brags that “he can read

a killer’s face” confesses that he is clueless after staring at the face of PARK Hyun-gyu, the lead suspect in the murder. SEO Tae-yoon, who so

often says “documents never lie”, is at a loss when the FBI’s DNA tests exonerate his lead suspect. As it moves on, the film foreshadows the

detectives’ failure and poses frustration for the audience. “In short, the film is about failure”, BONG says. “It’s a film that asks everyone,

‘Why was the killer not caught?’ As I was writing the script, I came to the conclusion that the social atmosphere of the time, the incompetence

of the time, stood in the way of finding the killer”.

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＿장르와 현실의 기묘한 동거

현재촬 중인봉준호감독의세번째 화 <괴물> 또한앞서만든두편의 화와비슷한궤적위에놓일 화가될것임에틀림없다. <괴

물>은서울시민들의산책장소이자마음의휴식처인한강에서정체모를괴물이튀어나와무자비한살육극을벌이고, 한가족이이에맞선다

는내용이다. 100억원이넘는제작비가들어가고미국의‘오퍼니지’와뉴질랜드의‘웨타워크숍’이시각효과를담당하는대형프로젝트임

에도지극히일상적인공간에서괴물이나온다는설정이나, 괴물에맞서는인물들이과학자나군경이아니라한강둔치에서매점을운 하는,

허름한차림의가족이라는점은너무나도봉준호감독답다. 매우할리우드적인장르인괴수 화에속할것같으면서도, 그공간과캐릭터를

치환함으로써대단히한국적인리얼리티를보여줄것에틀림없기때문이다. 이 화는기본적으로가족에대한사랑을보여줄것이지만, 그

과정에서계급, 민족같은민감한사안또한선명하게건드려줄것이다. “이 화또한 <플란다스의개>와 <살인의추억>에서그랬듯, 일상과

판타지의충돌, 장르적인것과한국적인것의충돌을보여줄것이다. 그게결국내가추구하는 화의성격인것같다.”(봉준호)

| 25 |

＿A Bizarre Union of Genres and Reality

BONG’s third feature film <The Host> is based on elements from his two previous feature films. <The Host> tells the story of a family

who fights against a monster that has appeared in the Han River and has slaughtered of people ruthlessly. Over 10 billion Korean won (US$10

million) has been put into the production budget with special effects arranged by the United States’ The Orphanage and New Zealand’s Weta

Workshops. But despite the grand scale of the project, the fact that the monster appears in an everyday space within a city, fighting against an

ordinary family-not a scientist or an army-is undoubtedly BONG Joon-ho. While a film that features a monster may have the trappings of a

major Hollywood release, the nature of the space and characters of the film strive to show a Korean reality. The film examines the love of

family, but it also tackles sensitive issues like the class and ethnicity of its people. “The film illustrates the clash between life and fantasy,

elements of Korean reality versus traits of a genre movie like my two other films”, BONG said. “In the end, I think these are the fundamental

characters I pursue in my work.”

| 26 |

| 27 |

이질적인것들의충돌이내 화적충동

＿ 단 편 ‘ 지 리 멸 렬 ’에 서 촬 중 인 < 괴 물 > 까 지

My Creative Impulse isBased on Encounterswith the Unknown_ Interview with Director BONG Joon-ho:

From the short “Incoherence” to <The Host>

인터뷰 Interview

| 28 |

‘지리멸렬’같은 단편 화를 만들던 때와 상업 화를 만들고 있는 지금, 화를 바라보는 시각에 변화가 있나.

그때나지금이나나의단순심플한원칙은‘내가보고싶은 화를찍는다’이다. 화 팬이었고마니아 기때문에‘이

런 화를보고싶은데아무도찍어주지않으니까내가찍어서내가봐야지’, 그런 기본적인충동이있다. <플란다스의

개>나 <살인의추억>, 지금 <괴물>도다그런충동에따라움직이는거다. 그런데상업 화의경우, 투자를받아야하고,

캐스팅도해야하고, 마케팅도해야하고, 이런현실적인벽에부딪치니까기본적인충동만으로 화를만들수가없다.

“나는괴물장르를이렇게해석하고관객에게는이런즐거움이있을거다”, 이런식으로나름대로포장하는게필요하다.

하지만그근본적인충동은똑같다. 내가보고싶은 화를찍는거다.

화광이었다고 했는데, 어떤 화에 그렇게 깊이 빠졌었나? 지금까지 좋아했던 화의 궤적이 궁금하다.

화광이 화를많이본다는걸뜻한다면, 나는 화광이아니다. 다만좋아하는 화들을반복해서보는편이다. 초등

학교시절에는 TV에서해준앙리조르주클루조의 <공포의보수>를아주재미있게봤다. 많이삭제된채봤던샘페킨파

의<와일드번치>, <철십자훈장>, 스티브맥퀸이출연한<대탈주>나 <빠삐용> 같은 화도기억에남는다. 대학에들어가

서는 화공부를한다는마음에서, 그리고한국에도이런 화들이있었으면좋겠다는생각에서허우샤오시엔같은대

만감독, 이마무라쇼헤이, 구로자와기요시같은일본감독들의 화를즐겨봤다.

<플란다스의 개>에 대해서는‘만화적’이라는 평가가 많았고, 감독 스스로 그런 이야기를 하기도 했다. 그런 만화적 상상력은 어디에

서 기인하는가? 더불어 화를 많이 보았다는 것 이외에 화를 만드는 데 향을 준 것들은 무엇인지.

만화는일상적으로많이보는데, 우라자와나오키같은만화가를좋아한다. 실제로만화를많이그리기도하고, 지금도

화콘티를직접그리면서작업하는스타일이다. 소설은거의읽지않는편인데, 반면에사진은즐겨본다. 옛날에는많

이찍기도했다. 관심가는사진이생기면계속보게되고, 그사진을가지고다니게되고, 굉장히집착하게된다. 거기서

화와관련된이미지에대한힌트를얻기도한다.

일상은 나의 도구이자 출발점

<플란다스의 개>의 이야기는 어디에서 착안했나?

<플란다스의개>는나의일상에서출발한 화, 나의소소하고개인적인것에서쏟아져나온 화다. 이 화를찍은아

파트도내가신혼초 3년동안살던곳이다. 거기나오는여러자잘한에피소드들도물론이다. 여주인공현남의캐릭터에

는아내의결혼전모습이많이녹아있다.

<플란다스의 개>는 이상한 코미디이다. 지금까진 진지한 코미디라 하더라도 슬픈 느낌이 남았는데 <플란다스의 개>는 뒷맛이 쓸하

다. 의도한 것인지?

웃기다가슬프다든가, 무섭고웃기다같은컨셉에따라 화를만든건아니다. 처음부터내개성에따라하고싶은걸한

거고, 그러니까내정서가표현된거다. <인생은아름다워>처럼슬픈느낌의코미디가아닌건맞는것같다. 나는관객이

강아지소동만보고웃고나와도큰불만이없다. 다만시원하게웃기만하라고만든 화는아니다. 어둡고비참한면을

| 29 |

Has your perception of filmmaking changed from the time you

shot the short “Incoherence” to your shooting commercial

films like <Memories of Murder>?

The principle I stick to both then and now is to make films I want to

see. I have a basic impulse to shoot films that I want to see, because

nobody else shot them for me when I wanted to see them as a

cinephile. Whether in <Barking Dogs Never Bite>, <Memories of

Murder> or <The Host>, which I am shooting now, my motivation

is always the same. In the case of a commercial film, though, I have

realistic contstraints such as the interests of the investors, the

casting, marketing and so forth. My impulse alone is not enough to

make the film. So I need to package it in the manner of a statement,

for example, say I interpret the genre of <The Host> in such and

such a way, but for the audience, I need to spell out the kind of

pleasures my films will give. But the bottom line is the same. I make

films I want to see.

You call yourself a cinephile. What kind of films were you

drawn to? Tell us about the history of your favorite movies.

If a cinephile means watching a lot of films, I wouldn’t be qualified

as one. I tend to watch the same films I like over and over again.

When I was in elementary school, I greatly enjoyed watching <The

Wages of Fear> by Henri Georges Clouzot, which played on TV

here. I also enjoyed <The Wild Bunch> and <Cross of Iron> by

Sam Peckinpah, <The Great Escape> and <Papillon> starring

Steve McQueen. After I went to college, I watched films by Asian

directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien, Shohei Imamura and Kiyoshi

Kurosawa with an attitude of studying films, thinking it would be

nice to have such films in Korea too.

In <Barking Dogs Never Bite> there were criticisms that the film

was like a manga. In fact you too described your film in such a

way. Where did your comic imagination come from? What are

the sources of influences for your films other than the films

you’ve watched?

I read manga a lot. I like people like Urazawa Naoki. I like drawing

manga, and I draw my own storyboards for films. I hardly read any

novels, but I enjoy looking at photographs. I used to enjoy taking

photographs too. If an image interests me, I keep it in my pocket,

and become obsessive about it. Often I get a hint for my films

through such images.

| 30 |

감추고싶지않았다. 농담을하면서도그사이에뼈있는이야기를넣으려했다. 일

상의웃기는대목, 우울하고처참한대목, 어느 한곳에치우치지않고자유롭게넘

나들고싶었다.

일상에 대한 관찰이나 세부 묘사가 뛰어나다.

아파트와숲이한프레임안에들어가는걸좋아하는것처럼이질적인스타일이나

느낌들이충돌하는걸좋아한다. 아주 사소하고일상적인것에서출발하지만점점

기괴하고만화적인게뒤섞이면서그둘이충돌하는긴장감같은것말이다. 나에게

일상은수단이나도구, 출발점이었다. 일상을재료로장르 화보다더재미있고아

기자기한 화를만들고싶었다. 일상의 힘겨움이나슬픔을파헤치겠다는게아니

라, 일상을소재로한오락 화를만들고싶었다는거다. 일상속에숨겨진비일상

성, 슬픔뒤에숨겨진기쁨, 우리삶속에존재하는이중성이뒤로갈수록가파르게

드러나는 화말이다.

화는 숲 장면에서 시작해서 숲 장면으로 끝난다. 그만큼 숲은 중요한 의미를 담고 있는 것

같다. 그런데 흥미로운 것은 결말을 빼고는 등장인물들이 숲을 바라보기만 하지, 가지는 않는

다는 점이다.

가족, 순수함등에대한바람이나소망이있는데현실은갇혀있다는이야기를하려

했다. 아파트와 숲의 대조는 바로 그걸 보여준다. 미리 아파트라는 공간을 설정한

게아니라아파트라는공간에서소재가나왔다. 이런기억이있다. 시골에서올라온

할아버지가건너편아파트복도를끝에서끝으로유령처럼왔다갔다하는거다. 저

할아버지는왜저럴까. 이런것들이누적되어서<플란다스의개>를만든것같다.

일상의 이면을 드러내고는 있지만 이전에 만든 단편‘지리멸렬’보다 덜 냉소적으로 다가온다.

‘지리멸렬’의등장인물은신문사편집장, 검사등풍자와조롱의대상이었지만 <플

란다스의 개>에서는 내가 애정을 가진 사람들을 그렸다. 밝음의 표상 같은 현남은

물론이고, 막 타락의입구에서갈등하는윤주도그렇다. 세상에는순수한사람, 갈

등하는사람, 그러다좌절한사람들이서로뒤엉키고엇갈린다.

<플란다스의 개>는 장편이긴 하지만 왠지 단편 화 같은 느낌이 든다. 등장인물이나 설정이

간략하다는 점에서 그렇고, 우리가 살아가는 현실을 총체적으로 그리기보다는 한 단면을 통해

보여준다는 점에서 그렇다. 하지만 간단한 이야기이기 때문에, 장편으로 연출하기가 오히려

어려웠을 것 같다. 연출에서 특별히 염두에 두었던 원칙 같은 게 있었다면.

처음부터주변에서는소재나사건, 이야기덩어리가작아스포트라이트를받을만

한게아니라며많이말렸다. “너그런거하며무시당한다”라는얘기도많이들었

고, 제작사에서도처음엔피식피식웃었다. (웃음) 그런데그럴수록오기가생겼고,

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D a i l y L i f e i s M y P o i n t o f D e p a r t u r e a n d M y I n s t r u m e n t

Where did you get an idea for your film <Barking Dogs Never Bite>?

It began from a series of small incidents in my life. The apartment the film was shot in is also a place I lived for three

years after I got married. Many of the episodes in the film actually took place in that apartment. Some aspects of the

character in Hyun-nam resembles my wife before we got married.

<Barking Dogs> is a bizarre comedy. There had been many dark comedies before. But in your film, there is a

bitter aftertaste. Was this intentional?

I don’t set concepts before I make a film, such as planning to set the theme into a sad funny movie or a scary funny

movie. In every film, I do whatever suits my taste. So my sentiments are expressed in them. It’s true that <Barking

Dogs> is not a sad comedy like <Life is Beautiful>. I wouldn’t be offended even if out of the entire film the audience

had only laughed at the dog chasing scene before leaving the theater. But I didn’t make the film to give the audience a

good laugh. I didn’t want to hide the film’s dark, miserable side. I made an attempt to make a story with a hard core, even

if they were jokes. I wanted to go back and forth freely between scenes that are funny and tragic, without being biased

towards one side over the other.

Your observations of everyday life in the film have a keen sense for details.

I like it when unfamiliar styles or feelings collide, like an image of an apartment and forest squeezed into one frame. I

like the tension when subtle details from trivial moments in life mix with elements that are comic and bizarre, clashing

with each other. For me, daily life has always been a tool, a point of departure for my films. Using daily life as an

ingredient, I figured I could make a film more interesting than a genre movie. I wasn’t so much interested in exploring

the hardships or agonies of everyday life. Instead, I wanted to make a film where dualities of life reveal our sense of

happiness buried within sadness or the art of the surreal through the mundane activities of our everyday life.

The film begins with a scene in a forest, and ends in a forest as well. Yet despite the repeated references of

the forest, characters of the film keep staring at the woods instead of stepping in, except in the end.

I wanted to talk about how our visions of family or pure hopes in life are confined to realistic hurdles. The contrast

between an apartment and a forest is an example. I didn’t choose an apartment as a formal setting. An apartment led to

the film’s subject. I had an old neighbor from the countryside who paced from one end of the hallway in our apartment

building to the other all day like a ghost. I wondered why. I put all such incidents in <Barking Dogs>.

The film reveals our life behind the curtain. Yet it’s not as cold as “Incoherence”.

The characters from “Incoherence”, a newspaper editor or a prosecutor, were meant to be the subject of satire. Characters

in <Barking Dogs> were modeled on people I feel very close to in my heart, whether it be Hyun-nam, an ultimate

symbol of optimism, or Yoon-ju, who had just stepped over the threshold of corruption. The world is made up of these

people. Some are pure. Others are discouraged, struggling to retain their purity.

<Barking Dogs> is your debut feature. Yet the film seems like a short in many ways. The setting and

characters have been simplified. It also tells a story of our lives from a section of our reality instead of posing

a general picture. But because it’s such a simple story, it might have been harder to make as a feature. Were

| 32 |

‘좀더미시적으로, 좀더현미경처럼’ 화를찍겠다는게일종의연출원칙이됐다. 큰이야기들을억지로외부에서끌어

오기보다는어차피작은세계를들여다보는거니까인물도공간도할수있는한세분화시켰다. 거기서다양한스펙트럼

을만들려했고, 이것을가지고도장편 화를만들수있다는걸보여주고싶었다. 상당수의사람들은세분화된일상세

계를무관심하고심드 하게바라보지만, 그사연에빠져들다보면오히려그게더변화무쌍하고역동적으로느껴지지않

는가. 그런것들을<플란다스의개>에서그려내고싶었다.

아파트 관리사무소 말단 여사무원인 여주인공 현남의 캐릭터가 묘하다. 모자라고 실수투성이고 주책스럽다. 그런데도 제일 긍정적이

다. 이런 인물을 좋아하나.

현남에대해선무한한애정이있다. 현실에서도이런인물을만나고싶다. 그런면에서보면이 화는내판타지다. 난

한군데오래머물러있는직종에관심이많다. 복권파는부스에갇혀서하루종일있는복권아줌마, 문방구점원, 식당

점원등등. 이런맹숭맹숭한인물들은사람들이나 화가관심을가져주지않는다. 어떤방식으로도주목받지못하고잘

기억되지않는사람들. 이런인물들이이상한사건에말려들었을때콘트라스트효과도클거다. 난이런인물들을감싸

주고싶었다.

화의 리듬이 특이하다. 후반부는 아주 가파르게 가다가도 현남이 문에 받혀 쓰러지는 장면은 아주 느리게 잡았다. 처음부터 리듬

을 잡고 시작한 건가.

콘티단계에서생각한거다. 만화의경우엔, 독자가이야기의속도를조절한다. 재미있는장면은오래보고있는식이다.

<플란다스의개>는전체적으로느리게가다가가팔라지고결말에선다시속도가뚝떨어진다. 이흐름이위주긴하지만,

난내시나리오가만화라면어떤리듬으로볼까생각해봤다. 그래서어떤장면은실제상황에얽매이지않고느낌만으로

리듬을잡았다.

< 살인의 추억> , ‘농촌 스릴러’로 불러달라

두 번째 장편 <살인의 추억>은 주제나 소재 면에서 <플란다스의 개>에서 크게 비약했다는 느낌이다. 어떻게 <살인의 추억>을 선택하

게 됐나.

<플란다스의개>와완전히다른 화를찍어야겠다는생각을한적은없다. 오히려나는두 화가연속적인선상에있다

고본다. 어렸을때부터범죄소설을즐겨봤고, <플란다스의개>도하찮아서그렇지나는범죄 화라고생각한다. 개도죽

고, 지하실에서의분위기는범죄느낌이나고, 쫓기고쫓는분위기아닌가. (웃음) <플란다스의개>를찍은후다음작품

으로는 본격적인 범죄 화를 만들어야겠다고 생각하고 있었는데, 할리우드식 장르 화는 싫었고 한국적인 리얼리티가

있는범죄 화를찍고싶었다. 먼저그런 화적방향이있었고, 거기에화성연쇄살인이소재로눈에들어온것이다.

두 화 사이의 간격이나 변화를 드러내는 것 중 하나가 등장인물들의 표정인 듯하다. <플란다스의 개>에서는 인물들의 표정 변화가 없

다. 반면 <살인의 추억>은 내면의 감정이 표정을 통해 강렬하게 드러난다. 화가 다른 만큼, 배우들에게 연기를 끌어내는 방식이 바뀐

것인가.

<플란다스의개>는마치만화의네모난칸안에인물이스톱모션상태로묘사되면서“썰 ”, “띵”같은한마디가쓰여있

| 33 |

there some principles you bore in mind while shooting the film?

I’ve been told many times that the scale of the incidents in the film was too small to

draw people’s attention. The producer, too, laughed at the screenplay at first. I was

told that I would be neglected by the industry for making such a film. [Laughs] But

the more I heard such comments, the more I felt the urge to do it better. I set as a

guiding principle that I would make a film as if I were seeing the world through a

microscope. Instead of pulling in big stories from the outside, I figured it would

make better sense to divide the space and characters into smaller sections, because I

was looking into a small world anyway. From there, I wanted to create various

spectrums, expanding them into a feature narrative. People often look at their life

indifferently. But if you look deeper into these small events, there are various

dynamics. I wanted to capture them in shooting <Barking Dogs>.

Hyun-nam, the clerk at the apartment maintenance office, is a peculiar

character. She is sloppy and immature. Yet she’s one of the most optimistic

figures in the film. Do you like such characters?

I have an immense affection for Hyun-nam. I want to meet characters like her in

real life. In that sense, the film is like my fantasy. I am interested in jobs where you

have to work in a small space for a long time, like ladies selling lottery tickets,

cashiers at stationary stores or restaurant waitresses, etc. Films never paid attention

to characters with such boring jobs. They are never remembered by anyone. I

figured there would be a dynamic effect when these people get entangled in strange

incidents. I wanted to embrace these characters.

The film has an unusual rhythm. The second half of the film moves very

quickly. But the scene in which Hyun-nam slides down onto the floor after

being hit by the door moves very slowly.

I came up with the idea while doing the storyboard. In a cartoon, readers adjust the

speed of the story. They hold onto scenes that interest them. Overall, <Barking

Dogs> flows very slowly. Then it gets faster in the middle. Near the end, the speed

drops steeply. That was the principle. But I wondered how my screenplay could be

read in the rhythm of a cartoon. So in certain scenes, I tried to add those rhythms

without being constrained by the actual situation.

< M e m o r i e s o f M u r d e r > , C a l l i t a “ a f a r m v i l l a g e t h r i l l e r ”

There seems to be a great leap from <Barking Dogs> to <Memories of

Murder>. How did you come up with the theme of <Memories of Murder>

after <Barking Dogs>?

| 34 |

는것같은, 그런리듬을많이따라간다. 그래서 화에서도썰 한표정이나상황

이반복된다. 반면에 <살인의추억>은처음부터감정적으로 고나가려했다. 물론

그전에는하드보일드같은, 사건에냉정하게접근하는 화를만들려했지만, 화성

연쇄살인사건을접하면서엄청난분노를느꼈다. 연쇄살인범을잡는다는건범인이

잡히기전까지희생당할이들을보호하는것이기도하다. 그런데 화성연쇄살인사

건에서는그걸못했다. 거기에대한분노와슬픔을 화에강렬하게투사하고싶었

고, 내가느꼈던분노가배우들을통해대리표출되었을거다.

<살인의 추억>은 연쇄살인이라는 소재에서 시대를 끌어내고 있다. 이런 연출 방향을 택한 계

기가 있다면.

처음이소재를 화로만들겠다고덤볐을때는그시대에포커스를맞추겠다는의

도가 없었는데, 시나리오를 쓰기 위해 6개월간 자료조사를 하면서 생각이 달라졌

다. 사건이실렸던신문을찾아한면전체를복사해서보면항상한쪽에화성살인

사건소식이있고다른한쪽엔‘아시안게임드디어개막!’이나‘문귀동고문사건’

처럼당시에벌어진다른소식들이같이있었다. 그러다보니자연스럽게그사건을

시대적인 맥락 속에서 읽게 되더라. 결정적인 계기는, <플란다스의 개> 때문에 런

던에갔을때의경험이었다. 잭 더 리퍼라고, 1890년대 국에실존했던연쇄살인

범있잖은가. 런던의대형서점에갔더니한코너가아예그사건에대한보고서, 논

문, 소설, 만화 등으로꽉차있었다. 구 미제사건이그런상상력과해결욕구를

불러일으킨 거 다. 그중 <프롬 헬>이라는 만화를 보게 됐는데 전화번호부처럼두

꺼운그책을덮고나서가장강렬하게든느낌은, 런던사람들이그때이렇게살았

구나, 하는 거 다. 그런데 <살인의 추억> 자료조사를 하면서 유사한 느낌이 들었

다. 그리고 자문했다. 왜 범인을 못잡았을까. 화를 만들려면그에대한내대답

이있어야한다고생각했다. 담당 형사가무능해서? 범인이엄청천재적이고카리

스마적이어서? 미국장르 화들이보여주는것처럼? 그런건아닌것같았다. 1980

년대라는시대자체가가진무능함과조악함이있었던거고그때문에그시대를조

금, 많이도아니고아주조금앞서갔을뿐인연쇄살인범에대응할수없었던거라고

결론지었다. 그런관점에서시대를파고들었는데화성사건과도따로놀지않더라.

과거를 낭만적으로 향수하는 것도 아니면서, 동시에 그 시대의 정치적인 핵심 이슈를 직접 제

기하지도 않는 독특한 방식으로 화를 끌고 간다. 그리고 그 방식은 장르 화에 안에 포섭됐

다는 느낌도 든다.

화의초반부에는노스탤직한무드가있다. 하지만후반부로가면서이것을완전

히 벗어났다고 생각한다. 노스탤직한 장면으로 시작했고 관객을 그렇게 유도했지

만, 내진심을폭발시키는과정에서그노스탤지어와완전히분리됐다고생각한다.

가장중요한건등화관제모티브다. 누가나에게“80년대를어떻게기억하세요?”라

| 35 |

I never consciously thought of shooting a film that was different from <Barking Dogs>. In fact, I think the two films are

connected in some ways. I always enjoyed reading crime novels. Though a bit petty, I think of <Barking Dogs> as a

crime novel in some ways. In the movie, the dog dies, and the basement scene has a crime movie aura to it. Overall, it’s

all about a chase. [Laughs] After <Barking Dogs> I thought of shooting a full-fledged crime movie, but not in the style

of a Hollywood genre movie. I wanted a crime movie set within the reality of Korea. I set that as a guiding principle, then

came to the idea of the serial murder in Hwaseong.

One of the notable changes between the two films is the characters’ expressions. In <Barking Dogs> there is

no fluctuation in the characters’ expressions. In <Memories of Murder>, the emotional depictions are

poignantly reflected through their expressions. Do you tend to ask for different approaches of acting

depending on which film you shoot?

The sense of rhythm in <Barking Dogs> takes the format similar to that of a manga, in which the characters are captured

in stop motion to fit into square boxes. That’s why you see a lot of dull faces and repeated situations in the movie. In

contrast, I deliberately pushed to shoot <Memories of Murder> with heavy emotions. Of course, I had thought of making

a hard boiled film that takes a serene approach to the incident. But as I started looking into the actual murder case, I felt

an immense anger. To catch a serial murderer is a serious business. It means the potential victims should be placed under

proper protection until the perpetrators are caught. In the case of Hwaseong serial murder case, the police weren’t able to

do that. I wanted to project that anger and sorrow into the movie. I assume this anger had been appropriately expressed

through the actors.

In <Memories of Murder>, you use the idea of a serial murder to talk about the time period. Why did you

decide to do this?

Originally when I planned to do the story, I had no intention of focusing on the aspect of that era at all. But during the six

months of my research before writing the script, I changed my mind. When I photocopied the national pages of the

newspaper from that era, there was always news about the serial murder case in Hwaseong on one side. On the other side,

there was news about the historic opening of the Asian Games or the scandal of a local investigator performing sexual

torture on an arrested labor activist. This naturally allowed me to view the murder case within a historical context. Most

importantly, I had an interesting experience at a bookstore in London during a trip. There, I found an entire shelf filled

with police reports, academic papers, novels and comic books related to Jack the Ripper, a notorious English serial

murderer in 1890. The permanent mystery of the case triggered their impulse for solution and imagination. Among the

books, I happened to read a comic called <From Hell>, which was as thick as a phone book. After I finished reading the

book, I was most impressed by how people in London lived at the time of the murder. I had a similar feeling while I was

going through the documents about the Hwaseong murder case. Then I asked myself a question. Why couldn’t they have

caught the man? To put the story into a film, I needed to have my own answer. Was it because the police investigators

were too incompetent? Or did the murderer possess some genius charisma, in the way that many American genre movies

portray serial killers? I didn’t think so. I ended up with the conclusion that in Korea there was an incompetence and

crudeness in the very ideals of the 1980’s. Because of that, they weren’t able to deal with the murderer, who was only one

step ahead of everyone else, not a whole lot. From that perspective, the murder case and the era merged together

smoothly.

You manage to avoid making direct statements about the specific political issues of the time, without

| 36 |

고묻는다면“등화관제의시대요”라고말할거다. 그건인위적인어둠을만드는행

위다. 그런상황에서살인이벌어진다고생각하니까걷잡을수없는감정이들더라.

장르의 컨벤션에 의지하면서 그걸 목표로 화를 만들진 않았다. 나는 이 화를

‘농촌 스릴러’라고 부른다. 스릴러 장르의 컨벤션은 있지만 장르적인 기반에 의존

했다고는생각안한다. 그러기엔사건자체가다르다. 그런이질적인느낌을끝까

지 어붙 다고생각한다.

게임의 법칙에 의해 굴러가는 화들과 작가 세계에 의해 굴러가는 화들이 있다면, <살인의

추억>은 묘하게도 그 접점에 있는 것 같다. 장르적 요소를 바탕에 깔고 있지만, 이 화에는

시대의 아주 특정한 부분을 공격하면서 그걸 다시 우리에게 되돌아오게 만드는 힘이 있는 것

같다.

이시나리오를예전에임상수감독에게보여드렸을때“우리가이런꼬라지로살았

었구나. 우리삶이그때이랬구나. 그리옛날도아닌데, 참 슬프다”그러시더라. 제

일 좋았고 기쁜 반응이었다. 이 화에서 최종적으로 전달하고 싶었던 게 그거다.

화성살인사건과그것에얽힌여러가지모습들, 추억이자악몽인 쓸한기억.

이 화의 배경인 화성이라는 공간을 좀더 모순적이고 다층적인 공간으로 구성할 수는 없었

을까.

장소는이소재를 화화하기로결정하면서부터가장고민한부분이다. 시대적분위

기를전달하는데포커스를두겠다는건일정시간이흐른뒤에결정됐고, 처음엔화

성이라는공간자체가지닌개별성을화두로접근했다. 하지만더생각해보면, 농촌

이라는공동체사회에도시인구가유입되고공장이들어서고하는점들은당시한

국의 모든 농촌에서 동시다발적으로 일어났던 보편적인 현상이었지 화성만의 특징

은아니었다. 화성사람들은어쩌다그불운한사건에휘말린거고시대적공기가그

사건을 확장시킨 거라고 생각한다. 결국 헌팅에 신경을 썼더라도 공간은 다소 하위

로 렸을거라고생각한다.

재미있는 것 중 하나가, 인물들이 등장하는 방식이었다. 화성 토박이 형사 박두만은 경운기를

타고 등장하고, 구희봉 반장은 논두 에서 구르면서 등장한다. (웃음) 발령받고 서울에서 내려

온 젊은 형사 서태윤은 안개 속에 멋있게 등장하다가 무척 많이 얻어맞고. (모두 웃음) 마치

그건, 이 화의 인물들이 모두 어떻게 잘못 굴러떨어져 그런 상황에 도착했다는 느낌을 준다.

형사들을 인터뷰하면서 가장 인상에 남았던 말이“그때 우린 모두 불구 다. 절름

발이형사 다. 쪽팔린다. 우리도불구 고, 조직도불구 다”라는거다. 인물이굴

러떨어지는설정도여기에서 감을얻었다.

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romanticizing the subject. This is an unusual experiment within the framework of a genre movie.

There is a nostalgic mood during the first part of the film. But as it moves on, I think I managed to get out of that. I began

with a nostalgic opening. That’s how I drew my audience. But as I elaborated my feelings about the subject, I think the

nostalgia disintegrated. The most important thing in the movie is the “blackout” motif. When someone asks me how I

remember the 80’s, I tell them it was like a period of a blackout during the war when lights had to be out to prevent the

enemy from attacking at night. It was like an act of making an artificial darkness. It seemed out of control to think that

there were murders taking place in those situations. I didn’t make a film relying on genre conventions. That wasn’t my

point. I prefer calling the film “a farm village thriller”. It contains conventions of a thriller genre, but it doesn’t rely on

foundations of a genre movie. The nature of the incident in Hwaseong was different. I think I pushed those feelings of the

unknown to the extreme.

If some movies are based on rules of the game, and others are based on auteurist vision, I see <Memories of

Murder> situated somewhere in between. It’s based on elements of a genre movie, but it tackles a very

specific part of our history.

When I showed the script to director IM Sang-soo while ago, he said to me, “We lived such a pathetic life. That’s how

our lives were at that time. It’s not that long ago either. It’s very sad.” And that was the most satisfying response I got.

That was the final impression of the film I wanted to deliver, the bitter memories related to the murder in Hwaseong,

whether it be a memory or a nightmare.

Couldn’t you have set up Hwaseong, the background of this film, with more layers and contradictions?

Since deciding to make this film, I worried most about the sense of place. I figured much later that I would focus mainly

on presenting the general atmosphere of the time. At first, I approached the film, focusing on Hwaseong as a city of its

own characters. But things were happening in Hwaseong at that time, like the influx of the urban population and new

factories being built, it wasn’t an isolated incident in the city. Indeed it was a general trend that took place in most rural

communities on the outskirts of Seoul across the country. People in Hwaseong just happened to be caught up in an

unlucky situation, fueled by the social atmosphere of the time. As a result, even if we had spent extra time on hunting a

different location, the actual space would have been a secondary concern.

One of the interesting aspects of the film was how the characters made their first appearance. PARK Doo-

man, an investigator raised in Hwaseong, appears in the movie riding on a cultivator. The Sergeant GU Hee-

bong, the leader of the task force, appears rolling down a rice paddy. [Smile] SEO Tae-yun, a young

investigator dispatched from Seoul, impressively walks out of fog, then gets beaten. [Smile] It gives an

impression that the characters have somehow ended up at where they were by mistake.

One of the memorable statements from an interview with the investigators was “We were all handicapped at that time.

We were badly crippled. It’s embarrasing. We were handicapped, the organization was handcapped”. From there we were

inspired to portray the characters being misplaced at where they were.

Did you take other films as a reference? Or were any films that you were consciously trying to differentiate

<Memories of Murder> from?

Not particularly. But I could compare it to <Fargo>, mainly because the film keeps alive the regional characters of

Minnesota while in <Memories of Murder> we don’t necessarily maintain the natural features of Hwaseong. To point to

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다른 화를 참조했거나 반대로 의식적으로 차별화하려했던 레퍼런스는 없었나.

특별한건없다. 다만 <파고>와비교할수있겠다. 그 화는미국노스다코타주에있는파고라는지역의특성을잘살리

고있지만, <살인의추억>은화성이라는지역의풍토를살리지는않았다. <파고>와비슷하다면, 실제사건이라는점과인

물들의생생한캐릭터가 화를이끌어간다는점을들수있다. 하지만그 화는쿨한반면우리 화는다혈질적이고

감정적이다. <파고>는강한아이러니와어처구니없는상황에빠진인물들에대한냉철한시선이강하다. 반면내 화는

관객이나감독이나다형사들의시점에서버리니까죄다감정적이되고그감정은나중에폭발한다.

<살인의 추억>에는 인간의 힘이 미치지 못하는 절대악의 문제를 환기하는 부분이 있다. 악마와 싸우는 인간, 존재와 심연, 동굴, 이런

단어가 연상된다. 화의 미장센도 좁은 배수구에서 시작해서 거기에서 끝나고 용의자는 악마처럼 잡힐 듯 잡히지 않는다.

화의 잔 요소들을 모두 빼고 나면 그것만 남을 수도 있겠다. 시나리오에 없던 마지막 기찻길 장면은 사실 오프닝의

배수구신을확장한다는의미 다. 작은터널과큰터널. 그 장면을떠올리면서유력한살인용의자 다증거불충분으

로 풀려난 박현규의 퇴장과 관련한 클라이맥스의 실마리까지 풀렸다. 그가 어둠 속으로 묻혀간다는 이미지가 마음에

들었다.

다시 현실과 장르의 충돌이

유릭와이, 이시이 소고와 함께‘디지털 3인 3색 프로젝트’에 참여해 만든 옴니버스 단편‘인플루엔자’는 이전과는 또다른 새로운 시

도 을 텐데.

두편의장편을연출하는동안정교한계획을세우고세세한부분까지통제했으나이번에는모든가능성을열어두었다. 처

음에는페이크(가짜) 다큐멘터리로꾸미려했으나촬 이진행되면서폭력드라마에가까워졌다. 그래서창호지에먹물이

스며드는것처럼폭력에점점익숙해지고그것이다른사람에게까지전염된다는의미에서제목을‘인플루엔자’로정했다.

CCTV 화면으로 화를 만들겠다고 구상한 계기는 무엇인가.

아들이다니는유치원에, 학부모들이집에서수업장면을볼수있도록 CCTV가설치된것을보고묘한기분을느꼈다.

가장 사랑하는 아이를 차갑고 비정한 시선으로 감시하는 듯한 상황을 보고 화를 구상하게 됐다. 원래 시나리오에는

“길을걸어가던평범한사람들이갑자기생지옥처럼폭력을행사하다가다시평온을찾는다”라고써있는데, 이것이너

무직설적으로느껴졌다. 그래서누군가그런폭력을당하고있는데, 사람들은아무렇지도않게지나친다는것으로바꿨

다. CCTV를끌어들인것은, 실제라는전제를강하게전달하는매체를이용해‘표면적인사실감’을극대화하기위해서

다. 개인적으로는이작업이, 황당한재앙을표피적으로는사실적으로표현해야하는다음장편 <괴물>과‘사실성’에

대한실험이라는의미에서연결된다.

차기작 <괴물>은 <플란다스의 개>에 가까운가, 아니면 <살인의 추억>에 가까운가.

더장르적일것같다. 괴물 화이기때문에장르자체의개성이강하고특수하기때문이다. 그래도그걸한국현실로끌

어내리는건마찬가지다. 분열증이더심해질것같다. 그래서그걸관객들이어떻게받아들일지가미지수다. 장면의구

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similarities, both films are based on a real incident and the stories are being

carried out by equally lively characters. On the other hand, <Fargo> is cool. Our

film is very emotional, full-blooded. <Fargo> maintains a distant view toward

characters who are led to totally absurd, ironic situations. In <Memories of

Murder>, we all stand from the point of the investigators, both the audience or

the director, so we all become very emotional, which eventually explodes.

In <Memories of Murder>, there are references to absolute evil beyond the

limits of human nature. It reminds me of tropes like the individual fighting

against the evil, existence vs. the abyss, and so on. The film’s mise-en-

scene begins in a rural drainage ditch, and ends there. The suspect never

reveals his face - as if evil itself.

If you take out all the small incidents in the film, we’re probably left with those

words. The last scene on the railroad, which wasn’t in the original script, was

mainly added to expand the meaning of the drainage ditch in the opening and to

parallel a small tunnel with a large tunnel. Through the scene, we were able to

resolve the climax as well as finding a way for the exit of PARK Hyun-gyu, who

was a strong suspect in the film. I liked the idea of PARK being immersed in the

darkness.

C o l l i s i o n B e t w e e n G e n r e a n d R e a l i t y O n c e A g a i n

Your omnibus short, “Influenza” which you’ve done with Ishii Sogo and Yu

Lik Wai as part of Digital Short Films by Three Filmmakers Projects might

have been a new challenge.

I set up detailed plans and tried controlling every part I could while I made two

features. But this time, I made every possibility open. I originally thought of

making a fake documentary. But as the shooting went on, it became close to a

violent drama. So I titled it “Influenza” to show how we get used to violence like

ink slowly bleeding into rice paper, and how contagious violence could be.

What was your motivation behind shooting the film with CCTV?

I had mixed emotions after seeing CCTV installed in my son’s kindergarten. It

was for parents at home to watch their kids studying at school. I thought of

making it into a movie, seeing the parents watching their precious kids through

the most cold, distant view, as if they are surveiling their children. In the original

script, it says the story is about ordinary people who regain peace after

committing gruesome violence. But it felt too forthright. So I worked around the

plot to a story about a person who gets beaten on the street and the people who

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성은굉장히다이내믹하고오락적이지만전체분위기를놓고봤을때는관객들이생소하게느낄것이다.

<플란다스의 개>나 <살인의 추억>은 이질적인 요소들의 충돌이 나타난다는 점에서 공통적이다. <괴물>은 어떤가.

<플란다스의개>에서자질구레한일상과만화적판타지가충돌했다면, <살인의추억>은 <플란다스의개>처럼평온한일

상을비튼건아니었지만어떤리얼리즘내지는사실적인것과장르간의충돌이있다. 경운기가범인의발자국을지우

는아수라장의 80년대한국농촌과스릴러라는아주미국적인장르가충돌한거다. <괴물>에서는서울을가로지는한강

이라는무척일상적인공간에서괴생물체가나타나한강둔치가피바다가된다는점에서또다른충돌이발생한다. 괴물

장르라는것이일본의 <고질라> 시리즈를제외하면상당히미국적인것이다. 그 장르의쾌감이나컨벤션을따른듯하지

만, 외국 화에는도저히나오지않을신이등장한다. 예를들면합동분향소에죽은사람들의 정들이좍있고, 사람들

이뒤엉켜우는신같은거다.

시나리오를 보니 아주 무시무시한 상황과 코믹한 상황이 계속 중첩된다.

하다보니그렇게되더라. 본능적으로그렇게되는건지……. 재난이라는게무섭고비극적이긴하지만, 반대로희극적인

상황도수반된다. 삼풍백화점이무너졌을때나역시충격을받고슬펐는데, 그때를하루하루돌이켜보면무너진백화점

으로들어가사람들이골프채를가지고나오거나수입매장을뒤진다든가, 시내도둑들이다모인다든가하는상황은우

스웠다. 극한의재앙이닥쳤을때희극과비극은항상같이나타나는것같다. 특히대책없는가족이주인공이니포복절

도할일이안생기려야안생길수없다. 화는전체적으로괴물과사투를벌이는가족의이야기지만그들이멋있게레

이저총같은것으로싸우는게아니니웃길수밖에. 물론대놓고코미디를의식한건아니다. 한국에서재앙이란그런느

낌같다. 마치부조리극같지않나.

어 제목‘The Host’는 좀 다른 느낌을 주는 것 같다.

문제목도아직확정된것은아니다. 아무튼‘host’란단어가중의적으로해석됐으면좋겠다. 기생당하는동식물을말

하는‘숙주’라는뜻은뭔가생물학적이고괴물 화적인느낌을준다. 또하나, 이단어의‘주인’이라는의미는정치·사

회적함의를내포하고있다.

이번 화도 <플란다스의 개>나 <살인의 추억>처럼 코믹한 요소가 많은가?

그건나의본능인것같다. 유머나이상하게웃기는건저절로나오는거라서. <살인의추억>도코믹요소를배치한다는

계산으로그런게아니고저절로그렇게된거다. 유머가없는 화는평생못찍을것같다. 공포 화를만든다해도하

다보면웃길거같다.

중심인물들이 대부분 하층민에 가깝다. <살인의 추억>의 형사들도 멋진 형사와 전혀 거리가 멀고 <괴물>에서도 괴물과 맞서 싸우는

인물들이 매점 주인 일가족이다. 이러한 인물 선택에 특별한 이유가 있는지.

그냥끌린다. (웃음) 잘나가는사람들은재수없다. 잘나가고있는데거기서무슨드라마가나오겠는가.

한강이라는 공간을 선택한 이유가 특별히 있나.

내취향이반 된게아닐까싶다. 한강둔치는서울시민이라면누구나밥먹고왔다갔다하는지극히일상적인공간

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walk by him, as if nothing is happening. The idea of CCTV was to expand the

realism of the surface. Personally the film has a connection to my next feature

film <The Host> in depicting a delusional catastrophe to look like a real event.

Is your next film <The Host>(the Korean title translates as “The Creature”)

closer to <Barking Dogs Never Bite> or <Memories of Murder>?

I think it will be even closer to a genre film than the two films I’ve shot. It’s a

film about a monster, which on its own has a strong character of a genre movie.

But the story will also be situated within a specifically Korean context. The

schizophrenia will become stronger. It’s an open question how the audience will

react to this. The structure of the scenes is very dynamic and entertaining, but the

audience might respond more to the overall eerie atmosphere.

<Barking Dogs> and <Memories of Murder> are similar in that there are

unfamiliar aspects colliding each other. How about <The Host>?

If <Barking Dogs> was focused on the collision between mundane life and

manga-like fantasy, <Memories of Murder> has a collision between a genre and

the film’s realism. It was like a clash between an American genre of a thriller and

the pandamonium of the Korean countryside in 1980’s, in which cultivators were

erasing all the suspect’s footsteps on the site of the crimes. In <The Host>, there

is a clash when a monster appears in the middle of Seoul’s Han River, turning the

area into a sea of blood. The monster genre, excluding <Godzilla> series from

Japan, is in itself quite American. <The Host> might look as if it follows the

conventions and excitement of the previous genre films, but it has scenes that

we’ve never seen in western movies before, like corpses lying around the group

memorial where families are hugging each other, crying.

In the script, there is a constant mix of extreme situations that are really

frightening and comical.

It turned out that way. Maybe it had been in my instinct. A catastrophe is

frightening and tragic, but at the same time, it accompanies some comical

conditions. I was very shocked and sad when I heard that Sampoong Department

Store collapsed. But it was funny how thieves in town flocked into the store after

the accident, stealing golf clubs and luxury goods out of their import section.

When an extreme catastrophe like that takes place, tragedy and comedy always

come together. It’s inevitable, because people are out of control. Overall, the film

is a story about family fighting against a monster. But it’s funny, because they

are not fighting with some cool laser guns. Of course, it wasn’t aimed at eliciting

easy laughs. In Korea, a catastrophe is like that. It’s like a piece of drama.

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이다. 게다가 서민적인 공간이기도 하다. 거기서 매점을 운 하는

주인공가족이나에어컨이없어서여름밤을둔치에서지새우는사

람들 모두 서민들이다. 이 일상적이고 서민적인 공간이 괴물의 출

현으로가장드라마틱하고낯선공간으로변한다. <플란다스의개>

와 <살인의추억>에서그랬듯, 일상과판타지의충돌, 장르적인것

과 한국적인 것의 충돌, 그게 결국 내가 추구하는 화의 성격인

것같다.

참고한 화가 있는지.

<싸인> 외에는 스필버그의 <죠스> 같은 화도 관련이 있다. 이

화에대해처음이야기를꺼낼때사람들은괴물의크기에혼란스러

워하더라. 대개 <고질라> 같은 거대한 괴물을 연상하는데, 그게 아

니라 <에이리언>에나오는괴물정도인데말이다. <죠스>도넓게보

면괴물 화이고, 우리 화에나오는괴물도돌연변이된생물체이

니까. 어쨌든결국비슷한텍스트는없는것같다.

만화적인 느낌이 강한 화를 연상해도 되나.

SF나만화적인느낌은없을것이다. 아까말한재앙의핵심이초자

연적인것이긴하지만시간적배경이현재이고장소도한강이며인

물도사실적인서민이나오고. 대재난이일어난다는딱하나의전제

만생경하고다른건일상적인 화다. M. 나이트샤말란의 <싸인>

이예가될수있다. 가족들이미국시골옥수수밭마을의아주일상

적인 역을벗어나지않는데그곳에외계인이나온다. 아주사실적

으로그렸다. 그런느낌이다.

| 43 |

The English title of the film <The Host> gives a different feel to the movie.

It hasn’t been finalized yet. But I hope it gives a double meaning. On one hand, it has a biological connotation. On the

other hand, it has a socio-political reference to the “host”.

Are there comical elements in your next film like your other films in <Barking Dogs> and <Memories of

Murder>?

I think humor or elicting strong laughs is in my instinct. It comes out naturally. In <Memories of Murder>, for example, I

didn’t have to look for right places to fit the humors in the film. It wasn’t calculated at all. I don’t think I would be able to

shoot a film without humors, ever. Even if I were to shoot a horror film, I would find humor in it.

In <Memories of Murder>, the police were far from being articulate. The main characters in <The Host> are

mostly from the working class. People who fight against the monster in the film are a family that owns a

convenient store near Han River. Do you deliberately choose these low-class people as main characters?

I am just drawn to these people. [Laughs] Hot shots stink. What drama could we get out of people who lead a smooth life?

Was there any particular reason you chose the Han River as the film’s background?

It probably reflects my own taste. It’s a space anyone living in Seoul passes by every day. It’s also a place for the

working class, whether it’s a family running a store there or people who spend the night there every summer because they

don’t have an air conditioner at home. But as the monster appears in the river, the place suddenly turns into a dramatic,

unfamiliar space. Like in <Barking Dogs> and <Memories of Murder>, I think my films deal with the clashes between

life and fantasy, genre aspects and Korean subjects.

Is there any film you had in mind for <The Host>?

Only <Signs> by Night Shyamalan, but it might also be related to Steven Spielberg’s <Jaws> in a way. When I first

brought up the story of this film, people seemed confused about the scale of the monster. Many thought of giant monsters

like <Godzilla>, when in fact it’s the size of <Alien>. From a bigger perspective, <Jaws> is also a monster film. The

monster in <The Host> is also a biological mutation. At any rate, I don’t think there are any similar texts.

Can we expect a film with a strong comic element?

There won’t be any feel of comic-science fiction. The nature of the catastrophe is supernatural, but the setting is present

on the Han River. The characters are from the working class. Except for the huge catastrophe, everything else is ordinary.

Shyamalan’s <Signs> is an example. The film takes place within the territory of a cornfield in the countyside, but that is

also where an alien appears. It makes the incident look very real. That’s what <The Host> feels like.

| 44 |

BONG Joon-ho | 봉준호

괴물 | 2006 (제작중)

인플루엔자 | 2004 (단편, <디지털 3인 3색> 수록)

싱크 앤드라이즈 | 2004 (단편)

살인의추억 | 2003

플란다스의개 | 2000

지리멸렬 | 1995 (단편)

프레임속의기억 | 1994 (단편)

백색인 | 1994 (단편)

The Host | 2006 (in Production)

Influenza | 2004 (short, Digital Shorts by Three Filmmakers)

Sink and Rise | 2004 (short)

Memories of Murder | 2003

Barking Dogs Never Bite | 2000

Incoherence | 1995 (short)

Memories in My Frame | 1994 (short)

White Man | 1994 (short)

필모그래피 Filmography

| 45 |

| 46 |

봉준호는장르속에현실을, 역으로현실속에장르를녹여내는데탁월한재능을가진감독으로평가되고있다. 그는특정장르를파고들

기보다는다양한장르의어법을구사하면서그속에서현실에천착한다. 장르와현실의결합처럼, 그는이질적인것들을매끄럽게결합시키는

진귀한재능을지녔으며, 그덕에단두편의장편 화만으로한국에서가장주목받는감독중한사람이되었다.

봉준호는이미단편 화를찍던시절, 코믹터치로지식인의위선을풍자한단편‘지리멸렬’(1995)로주목을끌기시작했다. 대학에서사

회학을전공한봉준호는졸업후, 1990년대이후한국 화르네상스의주역들을대거배출한한국 화아카데미에진학해본격적인 화수업

을받으며단편 화들을만들었다. 이후충무로에들어가시나리오를쓰고연출부로일하다가 2000년장편데뷔작 <플란다스의개>(2000)를

내놓는다. 개의실종사건을둘러싸고벌어진소동을그린이 화는‘만화적상상력’이두드러진다는등의이유에서‘새로운감수성의출현’

으로받아들여졌지만, 흥행에는실패했다. 그러나국내반응과는대조적으로슬램댄스, 로카르노등세계곳곳의 화제에초청돼높은평가

를받았다.

봉준호가 감독으로써확고한입지를굳힌 화는차기작인 <살인의 추억>(2003)이다. 작은 이야기를아기자기하게풀어간 <플란다스의

개>와는분위기가완연히다른이범죄스릴러 화는실제벌어졌던화성연쇄살인사건을소재로한다. 그러나 <살인의추억>은장르의틀을

넘어서화성연쇄살인사건을시대적알레고리로확장, 한국현대사의환부를들추어내는데성공한다. 원작인연극 <날보러와요>를직접시

나리오로각색하면서봉준호는원작에는없던 1980년대라는시대적맥락을끌어들 다. 그시대를‘제대로’규명하기위한그의노력은끈덕

졌다. 조사자료가방대해따로요약자료집까지만들정도 고, 그러느라첫시나리오가나오는데 1년이걸렸다. 그는캐스팅에도큰공을들

다. 조연인시골바보백광호역을찾기위해연출부가총동원돼연극배우들을죄다만나고다닐정도 다. 이렇게만들어진 화는거의

만장일치에가까운지지를끌어냈으며, 흥행에도성공해한국 화역대흥행 7위에올랐고, 화성연쇄살인사건자체를재조명하게만드는등

사회적으로도적잖은반향을불러일으켰다.

<살인의추억>의성공이후봉준호는한템포쉬어가려는듯뮤직비디오를찍고, 이시이소고, 유릭와이감독과함께‘전주국제 화제디

지털 3인 3색프로젝트’에참여해단편‘인플루엔자’를만들었다. 평범한시민이점차폭력적으로변해가는과정을지하철플랫폼, 은행창구

등의폐쇄회로 TV에찍힌화면으로구성한 화다.

봉준호의세번째장편 화는 <괴물>. “ 화감독이되면한강변에나타난괴물과사람들이맞서싸운다는내용의 화를만들겠다”던고교

시절의막연한공상을 18년만에실현하는프로젝트다. 전작 <살인의추억>과비교하면느닷없어보이는괴수 화 <괴물>에서봉준호는다시

한번장르와현실의충돌을시도, SF 장르안에서한국사회의모순을추적할계획이다.

바이오그래피 Biography

| 47 |

BONG Joon-ho is known for his outstanding ability to convey reality in the framework of genre, and vice versa. Instead of exploring one

particular genre, he investigates reality by exercising different modes of expression in various genres. He possesses a rare skill to combine

unfamiliar notions, just like the way he combines genre and reality. Perhaps due to this unique talent, BONG is considered one of Korea’s

most revered names in film after having shot just two feature films.

But BONG started attracting critics’ attention from long ago, when he shot “Incoherence”(1994), a short film that parodies hypocritical

intellectuals with a comic touch. BONG, who majored in sociology in college, enrolled in the Korea Academy of Film Arts, a school that

produced a number of Korean film directors who led a renaissance in film during the 1990’s. There, he began studying film in earnest. Shortly

after graduating from the academy, he joined a production crew and wrote his own script. In 2000, he shot his debut feature <Barking Dogs

Never Bite>(2000), a story based on incidents surrounding a missing dog that was positively received for bringing in a refreshing sensibility

and comic-like imagination. The film, however, turned out to be a commercial failure. In contrast, it received favorable reviews in notable film

festivals around the world including Slamdance and Locarno.

BONG was able to position himself in the industry after shooting <Memories of Murder>(2003). The film, which completely differs from

the style of <Barking Dogs>-an amusing story based on a series of small episodes-is a crime thriller that adapted a real-life serial murder

case in Hwaseong into a historical allegory. The film went beyond the limits of genre filmmaking, revealing the social conditions of

contemporary Korean history. The film, which is based on a play <Come to See Me>, introduced a historical context regarding the country’s

mood in the 1980’s that was missing from the original script. Indeed BONG made tenacious efforts to “accurately” portray the history. To

narrow down the expansive amount of research material available, BONG created a summary report of the archives. It took BONG a year to

complete his screenplay. He put an equal amount of attention into the casting. To find a suitable role for BAEK Gwang-ho, a mentally

challenged man, BONG sent out his entire production crew to meet hundreds of theatre actors. The completed film brought about a unanimous

reception. The film became the seventh highest-grossing box office hit in Korean film history, while it also helped to shed new light on the

murder case itself, which had been covered in a veil for the past decade.

After the film’s success, BONG seemed to make conscious efforts to take a step back from his position. He shot a music video and

“Influenza”, one of the three films in the Jeonju International Film Festival-commissioned “Digital Short Films by Three Filmmakers”,

together with Sogo Ishii(Japan) and Yu Lik Wai(China). The film explores the process of an ordinary citizen slowly turning violent, made up

mostly of images he shot with surveillance cameras from subway platform and banks.

The name of BONG’s third feature is <The Host>, a project which he says finally brings his high school dreams into reality, after

imagining about it in his head for 18 years. “I swore to myself that if I became a filmmaker, I would shoot a film about a monster that appears

from the Han River fighting against people”, he says. The genre might seem an unexpected departure from his last film. But the film aims to

explore the contradictions of Korean society within the genre of science fiction.

| 48 |

작품 정보 Film Information

| 49 |

The Host | 괴물2006, 35mm, 1.85:1, Color

Main Cast | SONG Gang-ho(Gang-du), BYUN Hee-bong(Hee-bong), PARK Hae-il(Nam-il), BAE Doo-na(Nam-ju), GOH Ah-sung(Hyeon-seo) | Producer | CHOI Yong-bae |Co-Producer | JOH Neung-yeon | Screenplay | BONG Joon-ho, HAH Jun-won, BAEK Chul-hyun | Cinematography | KIM Hyung-ku | Lighting | LEE Gang-san, JUNGYoung-min | Production Design | RYU Sung-hee | Costumes | CHO Sang-kyoung | Make-up | SONG Jong-hee | Recording | LEE Seung-chul | Editing | KIM Sun-min |Music | LEE Byung-woo | Visual Effects Supervisor | Kevin Rafferty(The Orphanage) | Production Budget | US$ 10 million

Production | Chungeorahm Film | 2Fl., Cheil Bldg., 20-17, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea | Tel+82-2-548-2954 | Fax+82-2-548-2946 | lewis@cerfilm.com |www.cerfilm.com

International Sales | Cineclick Asia | 3Fl., Incline Bldg., 891-37, Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea | Tel +82-2-538-0211 | Fax +82-2-538-0479 |cineinfo@cineclickasia.com, yjsuh@cineclickasia.com | www.cineclickasia.com

시놉시스

2006년 서울의 한강, 그곳에는 한 가족이 살고 있다. 매점을 운 하는 아버지 희봉(변희봉), 철없고 단순한 첫째 강두(송강호), 백수 같은 날건달 둘째 남일(박해일), 전국체전 양궁선수 셋째 남주(배두나), 그리고강두의딸현서(고아성). 이렇게다섯명의가족이작은매점안에서변함없는일상을보내고있다. 평화롭고 한적한 어느 날, 한강에서 정체모를 괴물이 나타나 수많은 사람들을 공격하기 시작한다. 갑작스러운 괴물의 출현으로 아름답던 한강은 순식간에 대재앙의 무대로 돌변하고, 강두의 딸 현서도 괴물에게당하고만다. 소중한모든것을잃게된강두가족. 그들은괴물과의처절한사투를벌인다.

Synopsis

Seoul’s Han River in 2006. A family lives near the river. Hee-bong(BYUN Hee-bong), the father, runs a store near the river. The family includes Gang-du(SONG Gang-ho), the

eldest son, who is immature and straight forward; Nam-il(PARK Hae-il), a jobless slacker; Nam-ju(BAE Doo-na), an archer for Korea’s national archery team; and Hyeon-seo(GOH

Ah-sung), Gang-du’s daughter. The five people spend an uneventful life operating a snack shop near the river.

On a quiet and peaceful day, an unidentified monster appears in the Han River, leaving hundreds of citizens dead. With the monster’s sudden appearance, the river becomes a

catastrophic scene. Hyeon-seo, Gang-du’s daughter has been attacked by the monster and Hee-bong’s family, which is on the verge of losing everything it holds dear, inevitably

begins to do battle against the monster.

Note

Special effects team led by The Orphanage(U.S.A.), Weta Workshops(New Zealand), and John Cocks.

International Film Festivals

2004 | Pusan International Film Festival, PPP MBC Movie Award

| 50 |

| 51 |

Memories of Murder |

살인의추억2003, 127min, 35mm, 1.85:1, Color

Main Cast | SONG Kang-ho(PARK Doo-man), KIM Sang-kyung(SEO Tae-yoon) | Executive Producer | LEE Kang-bok, TCHA Sung-jai, CHOI Jae-won | Producer | TCHASung-jai | Screenplay | BONG Joon-ho, SHIM Sung-bo | Original Story | KIM Gwang-rim | Cinematography | KIM Hyung-gu | Editing | KIM Sun-min | Lighting | LEE Kang-san | Music | Taro Iwashiro | Recording | LEE Byung-ha | Art | RYU Sung-hee | Costumes | KIM Yu-sun | Make-up | HWANG Hyun-gyu | Release Date | April 2003 |Production Budget | US$ 2.8 million

Production | Sidus FNH Corporation | 2-6F, 82-1, Pil-dong 2ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea | Tel+82-2-3393-8627 | Fax+82-2-3393-8585 | cool@sidus.net | www.sidus.net

International Sales | CJ Entertainment Inc. | 26Fl., Star Tower, 737, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea | Tel +82-2-2112-5907 | Fax +82-2-2112-6599 |eyefake@cj.net | www.cjent.co.kr/english

시놉시스

1980년대중반. 개발이한창인경기도화성에서젊은여인의사체가발견된다. 얼마뒤또한여성이살해되면서경찰서는분주해진다. ‘무당눈깔’이란별명의토박이형사박두만(송강호)은 직감에의지해마을의남성들을탐문수사하고, 서울에서 내려온 서태윤(김상경)은‘서류는 거짓말안 한다’는신조 아래논리적인 추리를 벌인다. 몇몇 용의자를 잡아들이지만 모두범인과 관계없는 인물로밝혀지고, 이 과정에서 서로다른 노선의 두 형사는 사사건건 충돌한다. 경찰들의 대대적인 공개수사가 벌어지는 동안에도 범인은 거듭 살인을 벌인다. 정신이 반쯤 나간 백광호가 사건의 유일한 목격자이지만 그는 진실을 말하기 직전 돌발적인 기차사고로목숨을 잃는다. 수사진은 살인이 일어나던 날 밤마다똑같은 노래가라디오 방송에서 흘러나왔다는 사실에 착안해, 방송국에 노래를 신청한 젊은 노동자 박현규를 살인용의자로 지목한다. 수사진은박현규가범인이라는심증을굳히고그의범죄를추궁하지만, 문제는증거가없다는것. 과연 형사들은박현규의죄를입증할수있을까?

Synopsis

In the mid 80’s, a young female is found murdered in Hwaseong, a small city located on the outskirts of Seoul still under development. That murder is then followed by another

similar murder of a young female. Detective PARK Doo-man, nicknamed “shaman’s eyes” is leading the case, relying on his instincts to search for the killer among the villagers.

SEO Tae-yoon joins as his partner from Seoul, relying on modern forensics and the belief that “documents never lie”. The opposing personalities of the two detectives clash

along the way. The pair uncovers a few suspects but none of them pan out. The investigation continues, but so too do the murders. BAEK Gwang-ho, the only witness to the

crime, is mentally disturbed and is killed in a train accident before he can recount his story to PARK and SEO. Eventually the detectives start to identify a pattern and notice that

the same song was on the radio on each night of the murders. The police capture a suspect, PARK Hyun-gyu, a young worker who has been requesting the song at the local

radio station. The two detectives become increasingly convinced that PARK is the killer, but DNA tests from the FBI prove negative. Can the police prove PARK’s crimes?

Note

The film is based on the true story of a serial murder case that gripped the country with fear from 1986 to 1991. The original script was adapted from KIM Gwang-rim’s play,

<Come to See Me>, also based on the murder case. As of December 2005, <Memories of Murder> has recorded the seventh highest box office take in the history of Korean

film, drawing 5.2 million viewers nationwide. The film was chosen second in the year’s 10 best movies in <Kinema Junpo>, a Japanese movie magazine, in 2004.

International Film Festivals

2003 | Hong Kong International Film Festival, FIPRESCI Award | Munich International Film Festival, “High Hopes” New Director Award | San Sebastian Film Festival, Silver Shell

for Best Director, Altadis New Directors Award, FIPRESCI Award | Torino Film Festival, Audience’s Award | Tokyo Film Festival, Asian Film Award | Thessaloniki

International Film Festival, Non-competition in Official Program | Slamdance Festival, Award for Editing | Rotterdam Film Festival, in Competition | Vancouver International

Film Festival, in Competition | Melbourne International Film Festival, Regional Focus | Vancouver International Film Festival, Dragons and Tigers | Pusan International Film

Festival, Korean Panorama | Stockholm International Film Festival, Asian Images

| 52 |

| 53 |

Barking Dogs Never Bite |

플란다스의개2000, 106min, 35mm, 1.85:1, Color

Main Cast | LEE Sung-jae(Yoon-ju), BAE Doo-na(Hyun-nam) | Executive Producer | TCHA Sung-jai | Producer | CHO Min-hwan | Screenwriter | BONG Joon-ho |Cinematography | CHO Yong-gyu | Editor | LEE Eun-soo | Lighting | PARK Jong-hwan | Music | CHO Sung-woo | Sound | LEE Seung-chul | Art | KBS Artvision | ReleaseDate | Feb. 2000 | Production Budget | US$ 1.3 million

Production | Sidus FNH Corporation | 2-6F, 82-1, Pil-dong 2ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea | Tel+82-2-3393-8627 | Fax+82-2-3393-8585 | cool@sidus.net | www.sidus.net

International Sales | Mirovision | 1-151, Shinmunro-2ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea | Tel+82-2-737-1185 | Fax+82-2-737-1184 | sales@mirovision.com | www.mirovision.com

시놉시스

중산층아파트에사는시간강사윤주(이성재)는 어느 집에선가 들려오는강아지짖는소리를참다못해강아지를아파트지하에감금한다. 윤주는 전단을통해이강아지가성대를제거해울지못한다는사실을알고 강아지를 풀어주러 간다. 하지만 강아지는 어디론가 사라져버렸다. 윤주는 어느 할머니가 안고 있는 강아지가 진짜 시끄러운 소음의 진원지 다는 것을 알고 이 강아지를 몰래 훔쳐 아파트 옥상에서 떨어뜨려죽인다. 아파트관리사무소말단여직원현남(배두나)는 유일한가족이었던강아지를잃고망연자실해하는할머니를위해실종된강아지를찾아나선다. 그러나문제는해결되지않고이번엔윤주아내가사온강아지‘순자’가실종된다. 윤주는현남과합심해순자를찾아나선다. 그리고아파트안에서이상한추적극이벌어진다.

Synopsis

Yoon-ju(LEE Sung-jae), a university lecturer, is driven berserk by the noise of a barking dog in his apartment. One day, he sees a dog and confines her in the basement of the

apartment. But later, he learns in a leaflet distributed by the dog's owner that the confined dog had had her vocal cords removed. When he goes back to release her, she's

already gone missing. Later, Yoon-ju manages to find the real dog that had been barking. One day he takes her from an old lady, and kills her by dropping her off the apartment

rooftop. Meanwhile Hyun-nam(BAE Doo-na), the apartment building's custodial staff member, embarks on a search for the missing dog, after learning that the old lady who lost

her dog had gone into a state of shock. She fails, and the mystery continues, as the dog owned by Yoon-ju's wife Sun-ja now goes missing. Now, both Yoon-ju and Hyun-nam

are in search of the wife's dog. A chase drama begins in the quiet apartment.

International Film Festivals

2000 | San Sebastian International Film Festival, in Competition, Official Selection, New Director’s Prize | Jeonju International Film Festival, Korean Cinema | Puchon International

Fantastic Film Festival, Made in Korea

2001 | Munich International Film Festival, High Hopes Award | Hong Kong International Film Festival, FIPRESCI Award | Rotterdam International Film Festival | Buenos Aires

International Independent Film Festival, Music Award(CHO Sung-woo)

| 54 |

살인의추억

Memories of Murder

의심스러운마음

봉준호의 뛰어난 화는 화면에 담긴 실패한 수사사건의 자잘함을 넘어서 (시민)사회의 균열의 자화

상을 그려내고 있다. 게으른 지방 형사 박두만과 도시에서 온 그의 깡마른 라이벌 서태윤이 충돌하

고 점차 서로의 대조적인 수사 원칙을 버리는 동안 봉준호 감독은 부패와 엄 함이 모두 실패한 절

망스러운이야기를하며한국사회를관통하는비관주의를암시하고있다. (……)

처음부터 화의 분위기는 부조리한 코미디로 특징지어진다. 시체 부검자가 언덕에서 넘어지고, 구경

꾼들이중요한증거를망치자범죄현장은혼란스러워진다. 카메라는이런우스꽝스러운장면을훑어

내려가 시체에 도달한다. 여기에는 잃어가는 시간에 대한 끔찍함이 묻어 있다. 시체에서 경찰 회식의

지 거리는 붉은 고기로 넘어가는 장면은 소름끼치게 도발적이다. 희비극적인 실수들은 화가 진행

됨에 따라 단순히 웃기지만은 않은 현실로 다가온다. 서 형사를 쓰레기 더미 속에 남겨놓은 채 라디

오 방송국에서의 수사는 지연되고, 목격자는 살인자의 신원 확인을 앞두고 열차 레일에 가짜 나이키

운동화만남겨놓고무의미한열차사고로죽는다. 봉준호의코미디는슬픈힘을얻는다.

카메라는 메스꺼울 정도로 잔인한 행위에 가깝게 놓여진다. 처음에 우리는 시체를 보고, 그 다음에

희생자의 시점을 공유한다. 이미 그녀가 가사 일 하는 것을 본 우리는 이제 그녀의 손전등을 따라

검은 벌판을 의미 없이 따라간다. 마침내 우리는 범인이 앞에 등장한 어린 여학생을 다음 희생양으

로 고를 때 범인의 시점을 공유한다. 범임 검거의 가능성은 희미해지지만, 범죄 행위는 더욱 개인적

인것이된다.

봉준호는 훌륭한 모순을 시치미 떼고 만들어낸다. 단순한 송강호는 사건 조사를 위해 돌아다니다가

도 밥을 먹고 폭력적인 경찰이 등장하는 TV 프로그램을 본다. 박 형사가 무당에게 범인의 얼굴을

알 수 있게 해준다는 부적을 받는 장면은 사실에 바탕을 둔 별난 디테일을 보여준다. 부적이 통하진

않지만 박 형사와 서 형사는 살인 현장에서 손전등을 입에 물고 울고 있는 남자를 발견한다. 이어지

는 추격은 수사관들을 맥 빠지게 한다. 사운드트랙의 둔탁한 드럼 소리는 변태를 잡기 위해 질주하

는 형사들의 모습 뒤에 깔린다. 이러한 장면들은 점점 이상하게 바쁜 한밤의 추적으로 발전된다. 분

위기와기대의혼란이하나가된다. (……)

<살인의 추억>의 분위기는 안개처럼 내려앉는다. 습한 지방의 가을, 회색과 베이지색은 푸른 쌀과

배추 밭의 초록색을 습격하고, 범인의 붉은 옷은 화의 모호한 색감에서 생명력 없이 짙어진다. 오

직 마지막 현재 장면으로 가서야 푸른 하늘과 금잔디가 등장한다. 박 형사는 이제 그의 아들 숙제를

알아내기위해서만예전수사테크닉을사용한다. 우리는 해결되지않은사건에시달리며그를떠난

다. 화는 혼란스럽게늙어가는그가카메라를응시하면서끝난다.

화 속의 살인들은 한국의 총체적인 환각과 편집증에 접근한다. 우리는 민방위훈련과 반대자들에

대한 단속(경찰들은 중요한 작전에 참가할 수 없다. 왜냐하면 시위를 진압하러 가버렸기 때문이다),

그리고 맹목적으로 집행된 정전을 본다. 가게의 셔터는 내려가고, 불빛은 마지막 살인 장면에서 사

라진다. 형사들의 절망적인 무능력을 강조하면서 말이다. 균열과 두려움을 드러내는 사회의 자화상

을, 즉 그 사회의 체제 자체에 대한 소모적인 의혹을 그려가면서, 봉준호의 예측할 수 없는 코미디

는점차실패의어둡고법의학적인부검이된다.

_데이비드제이스 (<사이트앤사운드>, 2004년 9월)

Suspicious Minds

BONG Joon-Ho’s remarkable film goes beyond telescoped details of the failed

investigation to construct a desolate portrait of the rents in civil society. As two

combative detectives-lazy local detective PARK and his lean city rival SEO-clash,

then gradually discard their contrasting professional principles, BONG tells a

devastating story about the failures of both corruption and rigour and suggests a

pessimism leeching through Korean society. (……)

From the first, the tone is marked by incongruous comedy: Crime scenes mill into

chaos as the forensics man tumbles down a slope and bystanders trample vital

evidence. The camera pans over these antics until it reachs the corpes: there is a

terrible sense of time being lost. Even more challenging is a gruesome cut from a

corpse to the bloody meat sizzling in one of the cop’s communal meals, and the

tragi-farcical blunders seem increasingly less amusing. A radio station thwarts the

investigation, leaving SEO standing in a slag heap of trash; as a witness seems close

to identifying the murderer, he dies in a pointless train accident, leaving only his fake

Nike sneaker on the line. BONG’s comedy gathers dispiriting force.

The camera brings up queasily closer to atrocity. At first we see the bodies, then

share a victim’s point of view. We’ve already seen her doing domestic chores; now

her torch trails uselessly through the dark fields. Finally, we share the killer’s

viewpoint as he considers potential victims, selecting a schoolgirl who has appeared

in previous scenes. The crimes becomes more personal even as the prospect of

arrest recedes.

BONG acheives a wonderful poker-faced absurdity. Simple-minded Gang-ho,

haunted in for questioning, eats and watches a TV cop show with the policeman

between beatings. Other bizarre details have a factual basis, including PARK’s visit to

a shaman who gives him a charm to reveal the killer’s face. It doesn’t work, but

PARK and SEO do spot a man wanking at the murder spot, torch bobbing from his

mouth. The ensuing chase releases the investigator’s frustrated energy; a

percussive rumble on the soundtrack accompanies the cops pelting after the perv.

They eventually erupt into a weirdly busy nocturnal quarry, just one of the

dislocations in mood and expectation. (……)

The atmosphere of <Memories of Murder> settles like a mist. In this dank, provincial

autumn, greys and beiges infect the green of the rice and cabbage fields, and a

victim’s red cloths seem to darken lifelessly in the film’s muddy palate. Only the

present-day coda introduces blue skies and golden fields. PARK now only uses his

old techniques to quiz his son about homework. We leave him, haunted by the

unsolved case: the film ends with him staring, perplexed and greying, into the

camera.

These murders tapped into South Korea’s collective fantasies and paranoia. We see

civil defence drills, crackdowns on dissent(cops are unavailable for an important

operation because they’re off suppressing a demonstration) and zealously enforced

blackouts: shop shutters descend, lights disappear during the last murder, stressing

the detectives’ despairing impotence. Building into a portrait of a society displaying

its fractures and fears, a corrosive suspicion of its own institution, BONG’s

unpredictable comedy becomes a sombre, forensic examination of failure.

_David Jays (<Sight and Sound>, September, 2004)

리뷰 Review

| 55 |

한국에서온매우독창적인작품

한국 화 <살인의 추억>은 멀리서 봤을 때는 매우 미국적으로 보인다. 연쇄살인범, 익살스러운 형사

들, 섹스 살인사건, 한밤의 추격, 그리고티격태격하는파트너가등장한다는점에서그렇다.

하지만 실제로 첫 시퀀스부터 <살인의 추억>은 독창성과 감독 봉준호의 절제된 시선을 쌓기 시작한

다. 한 자그마한 소년은 무슨 일이 벌어지고 있다는 것을 알고는 보리밭에서 웅크리고 있다. 트랙터

는거대한황금빛평야를가로지르고, 나중에 경찰로판명되는벌거벗겨진광대와같은남자를떨어

트린다. 소년은 그 남자를 따라서 콘크리트 하수구 속으로 들어가고 그들은 여자 시체의 묶여진 다

리를본다. (……)

화 전반에 걸쳐 봉준호 감독은 살인 수사의 한가운데에서도 발생할 수 있는 가장 지루한 삶의 부

조리와 완전한 어지러움을 요약해주는 요소들을 통해 화를 구성해내고 있다. 같은 살인 장면에서

사람들은 계속 제방을 미끄러져 내려가고, 어린아이가 현장을 어지럽히면서 법의학적 무결성을 망

쳐버리고 수사 단서를 지워버린다. 경찰은 주요 용의자를 모으고, 평소대로 (주먹과 발길질을 해대

며) 그들을 심문한다. 문제가 되는 것은 그들이 자백을 받아내지 못하는 것이 아니라 모두가 자백을

한다는점이다. (……)

뿐만 아니라 <살인의 추억>에서 각 캐릭터들은 훌륭히 묘사된다. 별 수 없이 뒤떨어지게 되는 감독

자(그는 여러번토한다), 그리고명민함과결단력을보이는여러명의젊은여자들모두가그렇다.

화가 결말에치달으면서, 관객들은 감독이쉬운해피엔딩이나말끔한결말혹은진부한답을주지

않으려 한다는 걸 느낄 수 있을 것이다. 봉준호 감독은 살인 수사의 위기를 통해 드러나는 시대의

흐름속에놓인사회를잡아내는데더욱관심이있다. 결과로나타나는것은매우훌륭하다.

_스테판헌터 (<워싱턴포스트>, 2005년 7월 29일)

From Korea, a True Original

The Korean film <Memories of Murder> seems so American from afar. It’s got serial

killers and comic detectives and sex crimes and night chases and squabbling

partners.

But literally in the first sequence it establishes its uniqueness and the understated

eye of its director, BONG Joon-ho. A small boy crouches in a wheat field, aware that

something is going on. A tractor pulls across the vast yellow plain and drops off a

buffoon of a man who seems more like a defrocked clown than the police officer he

turns out to be. The boy follows the man into a concrete culvert and there they see

the bound legs of a woman’s body. (……)

Throughout the film, BONG fills his compositions with elements that sum up the

incongruity, the sheer messiness, of life at its most banal, even in the middle of a

murder investigation. At that same murder scene, people keep slipping down an

embankment; children pull apart the scene, destroying any forensic integrity,

obliterating clues. The cops round up the usual suspects and interrogate them the

usual way: punches followed by kicks followed by more punches. It’s not that they

get no confessions, it’s that everyone confesses. (……)

In <Memories of Murder>, moreover, each character is brilliantly realized, including a

hopelessly outclassed supervisor (he throws up a lot) and a number of young

women who prove their shrewdness and pluck.

Yet even as the movie presses toward resolution, one can feel the director’s

reluctance to provide easy epiphanies, smug outcomes, tame answers. He’s more

interested in capturing a society in flux as illuminated by the crisis of the murder

investigation. What emerges is quite extraordinary.

_Stephen Hunter (<Washington Post>, July 29, 2005)

역사를비추는어두운거울

제목에서 말해주듯 <살인의 추억>은 사건 당시의 자료들이 픽션을 통해서 어떻게 다시 세상에 나

오는지를 보여준다. 화 속에 나오는 사건의 장소들은 망각의 장소들이며, 이곳은 화를 시작하

게 하고 고고학적인 의미를 지닌 채 결론을 맺게 한다. 이러한 장소들에서 시작된 화의 도입부

에는 어떠한 용이함도 보이지 않는다. 봉준호는 이 장소들을 복잡한 이야기와 범죄 수사물 화의

액션, 그리고 역사를 가시적인 것으로 만들려는 끈질긴 작업에 유기적으로 연계하려는 과감함을

보여준다.

<살인의 추억>에는 연쇄살인범을 다룬 할리우드 장르 화에서 볼 수 있는 두 가지가 빠져 있다. 첫

째, 노력의 결실, 즉 해피엔딩으로 끝나는 수사의 결말이 없다. 둘째, 규칙적인 데쿠파주, 즉 수사의

노하우나현란한테크놀로지를보여주지않는다.

봉준호의 미장센은 한편으로는 힘과 폭력, 그리고 다른 한편으로는 우스꽝스럽게 반복되는 실수의

코믹함을끌어낼줄안다. 범죄 수사물 화의복잡한장치는요란하게시작됐다가썰 하게끝나는

고풍스런코믹연극무대가된다. (……)

<살인의 추억>은 서로 만나지 않는 극들로 이루어진 화이다. 그리고 그것은 당시 한국의 정치 상

황에대한올바른시각을방해하는일련의냉혹한현실을암시해준다. 간간이 들려오는민방위훈련

경보 소리, 텔레비전 뉴스 화면 등이 당시의 상황을 드러내주는 다큐멘터리적 요소들로 드러난다.

결코 모습을 드러내지 않는 가면 속에 감추어진 역사는 따로 있지 않고 수사가 진행되는 방향을 따

라나란히전개되며, 이것은 <살인의추억>을 성공의길로이끈다.

전체주의 시대. 자본주의와 민주주의가 획일화 정책을 위해 망각을 유도하는 시기에 이러한 기억은

드문것이다. 그리고 봉준호와같은시네아스트가장르 화와역사한편에숨겨진기억사이에교차

하는긴장관계위에하나의정치를구성하려고노력하는것은결코헛된일이아니다.

_앙트완티리용 (<카이에뒤시네마>, 2004년 6월)

A Dark Mirror Reflecting History

As alluded to in the title, <Memories of Murder> shows how the historical archives

of the past are represented through fiction. The film begins at the scene of a horrific

crime, a place that has been forgotten by many Koreans and that remains as an

archeological symbol. The film’s opening refuses to allow the audience to feel at

ease. BONG demonstrates his intrepid skill for constructing a natural connection

between history and reality, filling in the rest with a complex story based on a

murder investigation.

There are two elements missing in <Memories of Murder> that are commonly

found in Hollywood genre movies dealing with serial killers. First, the fruits of the

investigators’ labors are lacking as is a settled ending that resolves the investigation.

Second, the film does not offer the systematic “decoupage” or elaborate technology

and investigative know-how of other crime movies.

BONG’s mise-en-scene repeatedly pulls out the comic side of errors while in the

middle of dealing with heavy issues like power and violence. The complex set-up of

the film’s investigation begins showily and ends quietly like a classic theater stage

performance. (……)

| 56 |

<Memories of Murder> is made up of dramas that have not met each other. The

film’s approach forces its audience to endure cold reality, challenging the accuracy of

their memory of Korea’s political situation of the time. The sounds of sirens and clips

of TV news images of the time serve the film’s documentary aspects. After all,

history does not exist elsewhere. Instead, it leads the way into the investigation and

leads <Memories of Murder> down the road to success.

In an age of totalitarianism, when capitalism and democracy encourage its public to

forget part of its history to settle their uniformed policy, such memories are rare. So

it is a worthwhile effort for cine-artists like BONG to construct another layer of

politics atop the dilemmas that exist between a genre movie and the memory of a

history that is soon to be forgotten.

_Antoine Thirion (<Cahiers du Cinema>, June, 2004)

역사의망령을껴안고현재와공명하다

현재 한국의 대중소비사회는 경제적 번 등이 언제 끝날지 알 수 없는 불확실한 환 에 지나지 않

는다는고통스런인식을많은사람들이공유하는장이기도하다. 무성에서 토키로극적인전환에성

공한 30년대 미국 화가 이른바‘고전적 화’의 골격을 확립하면서 경제 불황의 직격탄을 맞아 가

난에 시달리던 노동자와 농민의 모습을 효과적인 소재로 삼은 것처럼, 현재의 한국 화는 경제성장

을향해돌진해온사회의번 뿐아니라그와해의광경도피사체로삼고있다. (……)

이 화는 서울올림픽 직전의 한가한 농촌의 풍경, 북한과의 군사적 긴장관계, 학생들의 반체제 데

모 등을 시대배경으로 효과적으로 짜 넣어가면서도 단순한 연쇄살인물로 즐길 수 있을 만한 긴장을

마지막까지 유지한다. 하지만 여기서 강조할 것은 <살인의 추억>이 역사를 교묘하게 리사이클하는

태도를지금의한국오락 화와공유하면서도그주류로부터의연하게선을긋고있다는점이다. 여

기서 다뤄진어둡고참담한연쇄살인사건은미해결로끝났다. 따라서 단순한과거에의회귀또는역

사=이야기화를 결코 허락하지 않는다는 관점이 봉준호의 명쾌하며 중후한 연출로 우리에게 제시된

다. 앞의 구도로 돌아가면 공동체는 자신을 덮친 재앙의 원인을 과거에서 구하고 그것을 없애 질서

를 회복하려고 한다. 하지만 <살인의 추억>에서 전개되는 사건은 그러한 악마 쫓기 같은 작업을 허

락하지않는다. 화가 히트하며 사건의재조사요구가한국에서높아졌다지만, 미해결의 사건=재앙

은 결코 질서의 회복이나 상처의 치료를 주지 않고, 사라지지 않는 흔적=망령으로서 공동체에 계속

들러붙어있다. 이것이야말로우리가살아나가야할‘역사’가아닐까. (……)

역사의 리사이클=소비에분주하는현재한국 화의주류는꺼려지는과거의악마쫓기(근절)를 목표

로 해, 과거에 구속돼 있으면서도 건전한 미래 지향을 표방하는 건망증 환자 같은 증후를 보이고 있

다. 하지만 한편에선 망령=흔적으로서 과거와 함께 톱니바퀴가 어긋난 이 세계를 살아가는 것이야

말로역사라는인식또한 <살인의추억>과 같은뛰어난 화가던지고있다.

_기타고지다카시 (< 화예술>, 2004년 봄)

Embracing the Apparitions of History to Sympathize with the Present

In the society of mass consumption in Korea today, many of its publics painfully

acknowledge that the current economic prosperity is but an apparition that could

vanish at any moment. Similar to American films that explored the stories of poor

farmers and laborers during the great depression that struck shortly after

establishing a movie industry in that country, Korean films also use the landscape of

their modern economic development as the impetus for their films. (……)

Set in a rural landscape on the outskirts of Seoul just before the Seoul Olympics,

<Memories of Murder> is something more than just a film about a serial murder

case. The story effectively combines the country’s historical setting while also

dealing with issues of anti-government demonstrations by students and military

tensions with North Korea. But to stress a point, <Memories of Murder> draws a

clear line from mainstream Korean movies while it subtly “recycles” history like

many Korean blockbusters. The film’s serial murder case, which reflects a desperate

part of modern Korean history, was never solved. BONG poses a profound view of

the incident, as the nature of the story refuses to simply look back on history as a

memoir. If the film had followed a classic formula, BONG would have tried retaining

a sense of order after putting all the blame for the catastrophe on the past. But the

story in <Memories of Murder> refuses to chase evil. The film was a hit and there

have been increasing demands to reinvestigate the case. But the catastrophe of the

unresolved case restores neither our lost sense of order nor treats our wounds.

Instead it remains an apparition that never disappears. Perhaps this may be the

history we need to live through. (……)

The mainstream Korean movies of today, which are repeatedly based on themes of

modern consumption and recycling of history, continue to chase the evils of the

past. It is as if society has suffered a collective loss of memory, as its conscious

seems captured in the past while it aims for a bright future. The film presents a

startling vision that history is also part of living with the trace of an apparition of the

past, which is at odds with the present.

_Gitagoji Takashi, (<Film Arts>, Spring, 2004)

섬뜩한이야기속빛나는‘유머’

도시에서 파견 나온 서 형사(김상경)와 시골 형사인 박 형사(송강호)가 짝을 이루는 이 화의 기본

틀은 얼핏 두 명이 팀을 이뤄 극을 이끌어가는 버디무비 수사극의 전형에 해당하는 것 같다. 그러나

이미데뷔작 <플란다스의개>에서 서로이질적인요소를맞세워삶의아이러니를빚는데뛰어난재

능이 있음을 증명했던 감독은 이 화에서도 장르의 규제를 가볍게 넘어선다. 대도시와 어울릴 것

같은 연쇄살인사건은 한적한 농촌에서 펼쳐지고, 소위‘과학수사’와‘육감수사’로 대변되는 듯했던

두 형사의 스타일은 희생자가 늘어갈수록 차이가 없어진다. 수사가 교착상태에 빠지면서 형사들은

부적을 사오기도 하고, 범인이 무모증이라고 믿고 남탕을 뒤지는 촌극을 벌인다. 섬뜩한 이야기임에

도 시종 반짝반짝 빛나는 이 화의 일급 유머는 등장인물의 심각하고 진지한 행동과 이를 지켜보

며 웃음을 터뜨리는 관객 사이의 거리에서 솟아오른다. 서정이 엽기와 어깨를 나란히 하고 폭소 끝

에 분노가 튕겨 나오는 이 화의 기이한 풍경에 웃고 울다보면“생각하는 자에겐 모든 것이 희극

이고느끼는자에게는모든것이비극”이라고한시인로르카의말이저절로떠오른다. (……)

발놀림은 경쾌하고 툭툭 던지는 잽은 날카롭지만, 이야기를 응시하는 감독의 눈빛은 진지하기 이를

데 없다. <살인의 추억>은 아직도 잡히지 않은 냉혹한 살인범을 향한 분노의 화이고 자신을 지켜

주지 못한 사회에서 최후를 맞아야 했던 희생자들에 대한 슬픔의 화지만, 동시에 삶의 무기력과

시간의 무의지에 대한 화이기도 하다. 나름의 각오로 세월을 헤쳐왔지만 돌아보면 촌스럽고 우스

꽝스러웠던과거에대한안쓰럽고쓸쓸한감정말이다.

_이동진 (<조선일보>, 2003년 4월 18일)

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Humor Shines Through in the Horrific Story

To the casual observer, the basic framework of <Memories of Murder>, which deals

with a pair of detectives on the hunt for a serial killer-PARK, a rural cop filled with

instincts(SONG Gang-ho) and SEO(KIM Sang-kyung), an analytical type from Seoul-

might fall into the category of a typical cop buddy movie. But the director, who has

proven his talents in his previous film <Barking Dogs Never Bite>, portraying the

irony of life, manages to move beyond the rules of a genre movie. A serial murder

case, which might seem more suitably set in a big city, takes place in a rural

countryside. As the body counts rises, the differing styles of the two detectives, one

relying on “instinct” the other on “science”, both turn out to be equally inefficient in

uncovering suspects. The task force attempts to get clues from fortunetellers and

searches for suspects in the village bathhouses, having assumed the killer has no

hair. Humor shines through in the film in the midst of a horrifying plot, keeping the

audience on edge between laughter and fear. As they laugh and cry from the film’s

mix of lyricism and bizarre landscape, anger gives rise to joy. The film evokes a line

by the poet Federico Garcia Lorca that reads “everything is a comedy for those who

think, while for those who feel, everything is a tragedy”. (……)

The film is quick and sharp. The director’s gaze at its subject matter however could

not be more serious. <Memories of Murder> is a story of anger toward a killer who

remains a mystery even to this day. It is a story of sadness for the victims who lost

their lives in a society that could not protect its own people. Yet it is also about the

incompetence of life and involuntary time. The film delves into the feelings of

unease that come from looking back on our past, which we had lived with a sense of

determination, but nevertheless, are filled with memories of tragedy and comedy.

_LEE Dong-jin (<Chosun Ilbo>, April 18, 2003)

플란다스의개

Barking Dogs Never Bite

납치하는시간강사, 찾아다니는여직원, 만화 같은모험극에담긴타락과순수의이야기

두 주인공이 처음 맞대면하는 건 화가 시작된 지 1시간 30분 가까이 지나서. 화의 기존 구성방

식을완전히벗어난 화는일상의구석구석을넘겨보고훔쳐보며독특한주행을계속한다. 지하 보

일러실을 비 요리를 위한 아지트로 독점하려는 경비원이나, 거기 불법 기숙하는 부랑자, 현남의

든든한 원군인 친구 뚱녀 등 등장인물들이 일상의 평범함을 매개삼아 군데군데 빚어내는 만화적 공

간에엉뚱하게갇혀보는것도 <플란다스의개>를 보는재미다.

개소동의 진범 윤주는 후반부에 아내가 사온 애완견 순자를 잃어버리며 피해자로 바뀐다. 그 작은

역설과‘진실’의 이중성이 코미디 <플란다스의 개>의 표면을 구성한다면, 그 외피 아래에는 타락과

순수에관한또다른이야기가흐르고있다. 신인 봉준호감독은윤주가대학사회로입성하는과정을

상당히 꼼꼼하게 들여다본다. 전임이 되려면 1500만원의‘촌지’를 실세 학장에게 건네야 한다는 선

배의충고를윤주는거절하지않는다. (……)

타락한 현실과타협하는지식인을바라보는감독의시선은뜻밖에차갑지가않다. 나는 재단하지않

을 테니, 고민은 당신이 하라. 그렇게 말하는 듯한데, 윤주가 보여주는 최고의 양심은 어렵게 들어간

대학 강단에서 짓고 있는 최고로 불행한 표정이다. 그는‘개를 죽인 것은 바로 나’라는 고백조차 완

수해내지못한다.

_안정숙 (<한겨레>, 2000년 2월 11일)

A Kidnapping Lecturer, a Seeking Woman; Stories of Innocence and Corruption

in a Comic Adventure

It's an hour and a half past the film's opening that the two main characters of the

film finally meet each other. The film, which has demolished common narrative

structure, sets off on a unique journey as it looks thoroughly into various sides of our

reality. The pleasure of watching <Barking Dogs> is to enjoy the film's bizarre

humor. Whether it is through a security guard smacking his lips in his appetite for

dog meat, a homeless man living in the basement of the apartment or the

overweight friend of Hyun-nam who works at a convenient store, the film's

characters spring from a comic-like imagination based on the trivial incidents of

mundane life.

Yoon-ju, who is the criminal in the missing dog incident, turns into a victim as his

wife loses her own dog. If this small irony and truth make up the surface of this

double-sided comedy, underneath it is another narrative layer centering on

innocence and corruption. The debut director BONG Joon-ho carefully observes the

process by which Yoon-ju enters into university society. Indeed, Yoon-ju doesn't

ignore his friend's advice that every lecturer is expected to bribe the department

head to become a full time professor. (……)

Surprisingly, BONG embraces the choice of an intellectual who decides to

compromise with his corrupt reality. It almost seems as if the film is simply

presenting reality, leaving judgment up to its audience. Yet the consciousness of a

corrupt intellectual inevitably shows through as Yoon-ju stands on the platform of his

university lecture room wearing his most unfortunate expression. After all, he

couldn't bring himself to confess that the killer of the missing dog was him.

_AN Cheong-sook (<Hangyeoreh >, February 11, 2000)

안아줄게, 너의 속물성을, 너의 이중성을

<플란다스의 개>는 자신이 서 있는‘지금 이곳’에 천착하는 구세대와는 달리, 지금 이곳을 이탈하려

는사람들의욕망과상상력에기울어져있다. 범인을 잡으려는현남의시선혹은상상력에서요동치

는가공의관중이내지르는환호성은, 새로운세대의이상향이다.

‘가끔은 주목받는 생’이 아니라 자신의 삶에서만은 주인공이, 스타가 되고 싶다는 욕망. <플란다스

의 개>는 그 욕망이 이끄는 대로, 인물들을 몰고 간다. (……) 교수가 되고 싶어하는 남자가 있다. 뭔

가 세상에뜻있는일을하고싶어하는소녀가있다. 그들은‘개’를매개로만난다. 그 지점이어딘가

묘하다. 윤주는 개 짖는 소리가 싫어서 졸지에 개 납치범이 된다. 현남은 불쌍한 아이를 위해 개를

찾아주려 한다. 두 사람은 적이다. 그러나 두 사람은 동지가 되고, 구원받는다. 그건 그들이 선하고

순진하기 때문은 아니다. 그들의 반대편에 서 있는 사람들도 악한 것은 아니다. 아파트 경비원은 그

저 한여름의 별미가 필요했고, 아파트 지하실에 숨어든 부랑자는 일용할 식량이 필요했을 뿐이다.

| 58 |

누구도 선하거나 악하지 않다. 누구나 자신의 욕망이 이끄는 대로, 상황에 맞추어 자신을 굽히며 대

처했을뿐이다. 그렇게사람들은비루한삶을살아간다. (……)

<플란다스의 개>는 그런 세태에대한신선한고발이아니라, 우정 어린 대화다. 자신 역시 그렇게살

아간다는. <플란다스의 개>에는 상반되는 요소들이 아무런 충돌 없이, 아무런 갈등 없이 공존한다.

윤주의 아내는 그를 비웃으면서도, 사랑받기를 원한다. 윤주는 아카데미의 속물성을 비판하면서도,

그 일원이 되고 싶어한다. 봉준호는 그 속물성과 이중성을 비웃으면서도, 포근하게 안아준다. 그건

요즘의 만화들에서 흔히 드러나는 모습이다. 일본만화만이 아니라 <키드갱>처럼 아이가 등장하는 한

국만화에서도, 상반된 감정과 태도는 아무런 연결고리 없이 자연스럽게 나열된다. 그건 지금 막 세

상을 만난 새로운 세대의 익숙한 리듬이고, 숨쉬는 방식이다. 바라보되 빠지지 않고, 파고들되 진지

해지지않는것. 결정적인순간에숨을고르고한발물러나는것.

갈등 없는 모순. 과연 그런 게 가능할까? <플란다스의 개>는 그렇다고 말한다. 그건 포기가 아니라, 어

쩔 수 없는 긍정이다. 마지막 장면에서 현남은 산으로 올라가며 거울에 반사된 햇빛으로, 관객의 시선

을괴롭힌다. <플란다스의개>가 화 속에반사된남루하고위선적인현실을직면하게함으로써, 자신

의 모습을보는관객을기묘한괴로움에빠트리는것처럼. 그건 체념인동시에, 적극적인대결이다.

_김봉석 (<씨네21>, 2001년 4월 27일)

Let me Embrace Your Snobbery, Your Duality

The film <Barking Dogs Never Bite> relies on the desires and worlds of imagination

of people who want to escape from society. Both Hyun-nam's view while chasing

the killer of a missing dog and the jolting cheers of an imaginary audience are the

ideals of a new generation.

The film reflects our common desire to become stars of our own lives. <Barking

Dogs> drives its characters to where that desire leads. (……) There is a man who

wants to become a professor. Then there is a girl who wants to do something

meaningful in life. The two meet through a dog, an odd cinematic point of contact.

Yoon-ju becomes a dog kidnapper, only because he couldn't bear the noise of a

barking dog. Hyun-nam searches for the missing dog, only because she feels sorry

for a poor girl who has lost her little puppy. The two are enemies. But eventually,

they become companions. They are saved, not because they are good or innocent.

Yet that doesn't mean the people who stand opposite them are evil. All that was

needed for a security guard who had an appetite for dog meat was a delicate meal to

brighten his summer afternoon. A homeless man hiding in the apartment basement

was only desperate for a daily meal. Indeed, nobody is good or evil in <Barking

Dogs>. Everyone is simply pursuing the roles they have been given, acting as their

desire leads. They all live a life that's lowly and vulgar. (……)

Yet the film is not a protest about social phenomena. Instead it's a friendly dialogue

about our lives. Indeed in <Barking Dogs> elements that contradict each other

peacefully merge within the same space without leading into dilemmas. Yoon-ju's

wife jeers at her husband's incompetence, but she also wants his love. Yoon-ju

criticizes the snobbery of academics, but he also wants to be part of it. BONG Joon-

ho jeers at their duality, but he also warmly embraces their position. Such traits are a

common trend in Korean comics. Even in children's comics like <Kid Gang>, feelings

and attitudes that mutually contradict each other find their way through the story

with a natural transition. Perhaps that is the familiar rhythm and breathing method of

a new generation who has just stepped into the world.

But is it possible that such a contradiction could exist without dilemmas? Is it

possible to observe without being absorbed, penetrate without becoming serious or

to take a long breath and move one step backward at a moment of climax? <Barking

Dogs> says it could, not in the manner of giving up, but as an inevitable acceptance.

In the film's closing scene, the film irritates the audience's vision through the

reflection of bright sunlight as Hyun-nam climbs up a mountain. Like the way the film

leads its audience to a state of odd anxiety by forcing us to confront a reality filled

with misery and contradiction, the answer to a conflict without dilemmas is an act of

resignation, an active confrontation.

_KIM Bong-seok (<Cine21>, April 27, 2001)

소시민들의비루한욕구

<플란다스의 개>는 강아지 실종이라는 작은 사건을 아파트라는 소시민의 생활공간에 던져놓고, 멀쩡

하던 사람들이 얼마나 예기치 못할 소동에 빠져드는지를 관찰하는 짓궂은 농담이다. 봉준호 감독은

자신의이름난단편‘지리멸렬’에서처럼, 생활공간에서일어난일상적사건을통해사람들의비루한

욕구를유머러스하게극화하고있다. (……)

중심인물은시간강사윤주와아파트관리사무소직원현남이다. 국문학 박사인윤주는돈버는아내

한테 사람 대접 못 받고 교수 자리는 아득한데, 강아지는 짖어대니 미칠 노릇이다. 강아지는 그의

적이다. 없애야 한다. 첫 번째 강아지는 납치 및 감금에서 끝났지만 두 번째 강아지는 잔인하게도

추락사시킨다. 무서운 눈빛의 경비 아저씨와 부랑자에게 윤주는 결과적으로 두 차례 음식을 헌납한

다. 그들의 반대편에 정의감은 있지만 주변머리 없고 약간 모자라는 20대 초반 여성 현남이 있다.

그는 실종된 강아지를 찾아 웅이 되고 싶어한다. 강아지를 못 찾으면 학교에도 안 가겠다는 아이

와, 강아지가유일한가족인할머니를위해헌신함으로써자기의존재이유를찾아야한다. (……)

이상하게도 사건이 진행될수록 등장인물들은 내면적으로 점점 멀어진다. 윤주는 뜻하지 않게 경비

실 아저씨와 부랑자에게 음식을 헌납해 임시 공조관계가 형성된 것 같지만, 윤주의 아내가 사온 강

아지가 실종되는 순간부터 양자는 적이 된다. 현남의 마음을 움직인 울먹이던 아이는 새 강아지를

구해즐거워함으로써현남을어이없게하고, 할머니는 자기생애의마지막조력자현남에게기껏무

말랭이를유산이란이름으로남겨허탈케한다. 가책을 느낀윤주가현남에게어정쩡한범행자백을

해도 멍청한 현남은 못 알아듣는다. 사건이 종결되자 모두들 아무 일 없었다는 듯 일상으로 돌아간

다. 불운하게도, 모두에게 선의를 갖고 뛰었던 현남만이 관리사무소에서 근무태만을 이유로 쫓겨난

다. 한바탕우스꽝스런소동이지나가고난뒤놀랍게도세상은조금더사악해진것이다.

<플란다스의 개>의 웃음은 이상하다. 난센스 코미디에다 만화적 기법까지 동원되는 유머의 퍼레이드

는 지루할 틈을 안 주지만, 유머의 단맛에 빠져 있다보면 어느새 냉소의 쓴맛이 스며들어 나중엔 무

슨 맛인지 분별하기 힘들다. 어떤 등장인물도, 매우 그럴듯하지만, 심금을 울리진 않는다. 보는 사람

을 겉돌게 하면서 그냥 얼마간 웃다가 가라고 권하는 것 같기도 하다. 그렇다고 실없는 농담은 아니

다. (……) 봉준호감독은웃기지만아리송한질문을남기는이상한코미디한편으로데뷔했다.

_허문 (<씨네21>, 2000년 2월 22일)

The Miserable Desires of the Lower Middle Class

The film <Barking Dogs Never Bite> is a nasty joke that observes the reactions of

ordinary people trapped by unexpected events as their lives are faced with dilemmas

through a missing dog, all taking place in a common apartment space for the lower

| 59 |

middle class. Similar to his well-known short "Incoherence" BONG dramatizes the

miserable desires of its people as they undergo trivial incidents in their everyday life.

(……)

The main characters of the film are Yoon-ju, a university lecturer and Hyun-nam, the

who works on the building's custodial staff. Yoon-ju has a doctoral degree in Korean

literature, but he maintains a living through his wife's income. He is far from

becoming a full-time professor. So when he hears a dog barking in his apartment, he

is slowly driven berserk. The dog is Yoon-ju's enemy, which he needs to get rid of.

One day he snatches a random dog near his home and confines her in the

apartment's basement. Then he finds and kills the real dog who had been making the

noise, dropping her off the roof of the apartment. As a result of Yoon-ju's mischief,

the dogs are eaten by a security guard and a homeless man hiding in the basement.

On the other side of the story, there is Hyun-nam, a lazy and slightly absurd girl in her

early 20's, who can't resist her burning desire for justice. Her goal is to become a

hero by finding a missing dog. She tries to view her existence through her sacrifices,

seeing a little girl who insists on staying at home until the family finds her missing

puppy, and a old lady gone desperate after her dog goes missing. (……)

As the film unfolds, the characters of the film become slowly detached from their

emotions. Yoon-ju looks as if he has built a mutual relationship with the homeless

man and the security guard after offering them two dogs out of his will. But as his

wife's new dog goes missing, the three become enemies. The child's loyalty to her

dog, that had so moved Hyun-nam, disappears as her parents buy her a new puppy,

putting Hyun-nam in an odd place. The old lady, who had become a good companion

to Hyun-nam after her dog had gone missing, leaves her a bag of dried radishes as an

inheritance. Feeling guilty, Yoon-ju tries to confess to Hyun-nam what he has done.

But she doesn't get what he is trying to say. As the incident settles, everyone returns

to their daily life as if nothing had happened. But unfortunately, only Hyun-nam, who

had good intentions for everyone, is fired from her job for avoiding work. The bizarre

incident passing, the world seems surprisingly evil, more than ever before.

The humor in <Barking Dogs> is rather strange. The film's parade of humor, which

combines a nonsensical comedy with comic-like imagination, never gives the

audience a chance to be bored. But as we are absorbed into the sweet taste of its

humor, a bitter cynicism seeps into our emotions, leaving an odd aftertaste that

makes it hard to decipher what the humor is really about. Each character of the film

poses a compelling story, but no one touches a string in the audience's heart. The

film deliberately refuses to engage with the audience, almost as if encouraging the

audience to leave the theater after a few good laughs. Yet, it isn't such a

meaningless joke either. (……) BONG made his debut with an odd comedy that

makes people laugh, leaving behind obscure questions.

_HEO Mun-young (<Cine21>, February 22, 2000)

개도웃을코미디같은세상

만화 세대가 어른이 됐다. <개그 콘서트>가 시청자들을 휘어잡는 이즈음, 만화적 개그 감각은 얼마

나 강력한 의사소통 무기인지. 단편 화로 이름을 꽤 알린 봉준호 감독의 장편 데뷔작 <플란다스의

개>는 상으로 옮겨놓은 개그이자 살아 움직이는 만화다. 철벽처럼 서로를 에워싸고 있는 아파트

숲, 그 안에 갇힌 인물들이 애완견을 둘러싸고 벌이는 소동은 어처구니없는 상황 전개와 개그처럼

튀는 대사, 천연덕스런 배우들의 연기 덕에 화 상 내내 폭소를 자아낸다. 폭소만 있는 것도 아

니다. 어이없어 나오는 웃음도 있고 웃어야 할지 말아야 할지 망설이다 비어져 나오는 웃음도 있다.

분명 코미디이지만, 아무 생각없이웃다가자리털고일어날수도없게만든다.

교수 취직에 목매는 인문학 전공 박사(들), 11년 근무한 직장에서 임신을 이유로 제일 먼저 명퇴 대

상에 오른 기혼 여성, 아파트 관리인을 하인 다루듯 닦달하는 부녀회, 죽어서도 자식들 연락조차 할

수 없던 외로운 할머니……. 이들이 저질러대는‘인간 희극’은 지금 우리, ‘인간의 조건’을 입맛 쓰

게되돌아보게한다. (……)

단편 화에서 힘을 기른 봉 감독은 화면 구성과 대사, 인물 묘사 등 여러 면에서 단편 화 감각을

살린다. 몰래 잡아온 개를 목매달려던 주인공이 불현듯 거울에 비친 자기 모습에서‘교수형 집행인’

을 읽어내는 장면이나 옥상에 널어놓은 무말랭이에 비가 떨어지는 디테일, 아파트 숲과 진짜 숲의

대비, 뚱녀와 현남이 전화로 십자말풀이를 하는 장면, 소독차가 내뿜은 연무가 구름처럼 화면을 가

득 채우는 장면 등은 경쾌하고 상징적인 단편 화 분위기가 물씬하다. 수십 명의 윤주가 박수를 보

내는 환상이나 화 <터미네이터2>를 패러디한 엘리베이터 문 다시 여는 장면에서도 상상력이 돋보

인다.

감독은 괴기담과 스릴러 장치를 통해 인물과 사건을 비튼다. 다음 장면에 무슨 일이 벌어질지 관객

들이계속궁금해하도록곳곳에급회전길목을만들어둔시나리오솜씨도그럴듯하다.

_박선이 (<조선일보>, 2000년 2월 11일)

A World of Comedy a Dog might Laugh at

The generation of comics became an adult. In an age where stand-up comedy

shows are top on the television viewing rate, the sense of comic imagination has

become a strong communication weapon. <Barking Dogs Never Bite> by BONG, a

director whose name was already known with his shorts, is a living comic and a gag

put on screen. The dialogues and natural performance of the actors surrounding an

episode of pets set in the forest of apartment buildings evoke laughs throughout the

film. There are more than laughs, some you naturally burst out, other that makes you

hesitate where you should laugh or not. Clearly, the film is a comedy, but at the end,

it doesn’t make you leave the theater after thoughtless laughs either.

It sets a model for numerous Koreans with Ph. D in liberal arts wanting to become

full-time professors, a married woman who is top on the watch-list after she got

pregnant in a company she had worked for 11 years, the residents’ committee who

treats the building security guards as their own servants and a lonely grandmother

abandoned by her children. The dramas by these characters force the audience to

look back on our bitter condition of being a human. (……)

BONG, who raised his strength in short films, adopts his sensibility for a short in

<Barking Dogs Never Bite> through dialogues, character descriptions and screen

composition. Whether through scenes in which the film parallels a man who is about

to hang a stolen dog with an image of a hangman, the rain falling onto a bed of dried

radish spread across the floor on an apartment rooftop, the contrast between an

apartment forest and a real forest, the word games played between Hyun-nam and

her overweight friend or the screen filled with a cloud made up of smoke coming

| 60 |

from a sterilizing truck, the film is full of airy details commonly used in shorts. The

film’s imaginative ideas shine throughout the film, including an elevator scene that

parodies <Terminator2>.

The director twist around the characters and events of the film through a thriller set

up and parody of horror stories. The scenario makes it convincing, as the audiences

have been frequently led to moments where they meet unexpected moments.

_PARK Seon-i (<Chosun Ilbo>, February 11, 2000)