Memento Mori (film)
Encyclopedia
Memento Mori is a 1999 South Korea
n K-Horror
film. It is considered to be a loose sequel to the previous year's Whispering Corridors
, as it is also set in an all-girls high school, but they are otherwise unrelated. The film was one of the first Korean commercial films to depict lesbian
characters. However, prevailing Korean attitudes constrained its potential to be widely viewed, even more so as the controversial themes targeted the teen demographic.
) and Min Hyo-Shin (Park Ye-jin
). As the two girls become romantically involved, their taboo friendship causes them to be marginalized by the other students. Unable to cope with the social pressures of having a lover of the same gender, Shi-Eun tries to distance herself from the increasingly dependent Hyo-Shin. Hyo-Shin reacts poorly to Shi-Eun's changed attitude, viewing it as both a betrayal and rejection. Hyo-Shin consequently commits suicide by jumping off of the school roof. It is also heavily implied that she was pregnant at the time of death, the father being literature teacher Mr. Goh.
The plot unfurls in a nonlinear
fashion, often from the perspective of fellow student Soh Min-Ah (Kim Min-sun
). Min-Ah grows increasingly invested in Shi-Eun and Hyo-Shin when she finds a diary kept between the two alienated girls. This diary allows her disturbing insights to the nature of the relationship and pulls her deeper into a strange chain of events around the school. After Hyo-Shin's death, supernatural occurrences start to terrorize all of the students that condemned the relationship. It is later revealed that Hyo-Shin's spirit is malevolently haunting the school through the remnants she left behind in the diary.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n K-Horror
K-Horror
Korean horror, sometimes referred to as K-Horror, is the term given to horror films made as part of the cinema of Korea. Korean horror features many of the same motifs, themes, and imagery as Japanese horror. Korean horror has been around since the early years of Korean cinema; however, it wasn't...
film. It is considered to be a loose sequel to the previous year's Whispering Corridors
Whispering Corridors
Whispering Corridors is a 1998 South Korean horror film about a girl's high school. It was part of the explosion in Korean cinema following the liberalization of censorship in the aftermath of the end of the country's military dictatorship, and makes a strong social commentary on authoritarianism...
, as it is also set in an all-girls high school, but they are otherwise unrelated. The film was one of the first Korean commercial films to depict lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
characters. However, prevailing Korean attitudes constrained its potential to be widely viewed, even more so as the controversial themes targeted the teen demographic.
Synopsis
The film revolves around the relationship between two high school students, Yoo Shi-Eun (Lee Young-jinLee Young-jin
Lee Young-jin is a South Korean actress.- Filmography :- External links :...
) and Min Hyo-Shin (Park Ye-jin
Park Ye-jin
Park Ye-jin is a South Korean actress. Park made her acting debut in the movie Memento Mori and was able to build her career as an intelligent and elegant actress. She had this fixed image of her until she became part of a variety show, Family Outing...
). As the two girls become romantically involved, their taboo friendship causes them to be marginalized by the other students. Unable to cope with the social pressures of having a lover of the same gender, Shi-Eun tries to distance herself from the increasingly dependent Hyo-Shin. Hyo-Shin reacts poorly to Shi-Eun's changed attitude, viewing it as both a betrayal and rejection. Hyo-Shin consequently commits suicide by jumping off of the school roof. It is also heavily implied that she was pregnant at the time of death, the father being literature teacher Mr. Goh.
The plot unfurls in a nonlinear
Nonlinear (arts)
Nonlinear narrative, disjointed narrative or disrupted narrative is a narrative technique, sometimes used in literature, film, hypertext websites and other narratives, wherein events are portrayed out of chronological order...
fashion, often from the perspective of fellow student Soh Min-Ah (Kim Min-sun
Kim Min-sun
Gyu-ri Kim, previously known as Kim Min-sun is a South Korean actress and singer. She starred in the film Portrait of a Beauty in 2008. She was involved in a controversy in 2008 when she made a statement against eating beef imported from the United States; this led to a lawsuit by a beef importer...
). Min-Ah grows increasingly invested in Shi-Eun and Hyo-Shin when she finds a diary kept between the two alienated girls. This diary allows her disturbing insights to the nature of the relationship and pulls her deeper into a strange chain of events around the school. After Hyo-Shin's death, supernatural occurrences start to terrorize all of the students that condemned the relationship. It is later revealed that Hyo-Shin's spirit is malevolently haunting the school through the remnants she left behind in the diary.
Cast
- Kim Min-sunKim Min-sunGyu-ri Kim, previously known as Kim Min-sun is a South Korean actress and singer. She starred in the film Portrait of a Beauty in 2008. She was involved in a controversy in 2008 when she made a statement against eating beef imported from the United States; this led to a lawsuit by a beef importer...
as Min-ah - Park Ye-jinPark Ye-jinPark Ye-jin is a South Korean actress. Park made her acting debut in the movie Memento Mori and was able to build her career as an intelligent and elegant actress. She had this fixed image of her until she became part of a variety show, Family Outing...
as Hyo-shin - Lee Young-jin as Shi-eun
- Baek Jong-hak as Mr. Goh
- Han Min
- Kim Jae-in As Yeon-an (as Min-hie Kim)
- Gong Hyo-jin as Ji-won
- Lee Hye-mi
- Lim Seong-Eon