korean biography movies

Korean biography movies

In the top there are new films of 2022, a plot description and trailers for films that have already been released.

An account of karate competitor Choi Yeung-Eui who went to Japan after World War II to become a fighter pilot but found a very different path instead. He changed his name to Masutatsu Oyama and went across the country, defeating martial artists one after another. This film concentrates on the period when he is still young, and developing his famous karate style, Kyokushin.

Adopted from South Korea, raised on different continents & connected through social media, Samantha & Anaïs believe that they are twin sisters separated at birth.

Under the oppressive Japanese colonial rule, Deok-hye, the last Princess of the declining Joseon Dynasty, is forced to move to Japan. She spends her days missing home, while struggling to maintain dignity as a princess. After a series of failed tries, Deok-hye makes her final attempt to return home with help of her childhood sweetheart, Jang-han.

May, 1980. Man-seob is a taxi driver in Seoul who lives from hand to mouth, raising his young daughter alone. One day, he hears that there is a foreigner who will pay big money for a drive down to Gwangju city. Not knowing that he’s a German journalist with a hidden agenda, Man-seob takes the job.

The struggles of an artist. Jang Seung-up (1843-1897), also called Owon, focusing on the years 1882 to 1897, when Korea was in political upheaval, caught between China and Japan, the conservative dynasty dying, and peasant revolt at hand. Jang, born poor, has genius; a merchant, Kim, becomes his patron, finding him a teacher. Jang must convince others that a commoner can have talent, then move beyond his ability to copy old masters and find his own style. He's bedeviled by a temper and alcohol, arguments with patrons as he seeks commissions, and relationships with kisaeng, particularly Mae-hyang, that start and stop. It's the life of a restless spirit producing great art.

Ancient Korea, July 4, 1762. The Crown Prince Hyojang, posthumously named Sado, son of King Yeongjo of Joseon, is accused of treason. Thus, the king asks him to commit suicide, but his closest vassals prevent it, so the king orders the prince to get inside a wooden rice chest, where he suffers deprivation of food and water.

20-years-old Cho-Won (Cho Seung-Woo) is young man with autism. He lives with his highly protective mother Kyung-Sook (Kim Mi-Sook) and younger brother (Baek Sung-Hyun), who sometimes resents the attention his older brother receives from his mother. Through special schooling and taking part in physical activities, Cho-Won has adjusted relatively well into society. Cho-Won also seems to have a knack for running. After placing third in a race, his mother decides to hire a proper coach to train her son. Cho-Won then decides to take part in a marathon. Cho-Won hopes to break the marathon's fastest record of three hours.

The film mainly follows the famous 1597 Battle of Myeongryang during the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-1598), where the iconic Joseon admiral Yi Sun-sin managed to destroy a total of 133 Japanese warships with only 13 ships remaining in his command. The battle, which took place in the Myeongryang Strait off the southwest coast of the Korean Peninsula, is considered one of the greatest victories of Yi.

The story of Joseon's tyrant king Yeonsan who exploits the populace for his own carnal pleasures, his seemingly loyal retainer who controls him and all court dealings, and a woman who seeks vengeance.

In the 1970s, Korea is under the absolute control of the President Park who controls the KCIA, the organization with an edge over any branch of government. The director of KCIA, KIM Gyu-pyeong, is the seemingly most prospective second-in-command. In the midst of reign of fear, a former KCIA director, PARK Yong-gak who knows all about the government’s obscure operations, exiles to the U.S. where the investigation of ‘Koreagate’ is underway. As the tension escalates, the stifling political maneuvering by the all second-in-command’s unfolds.

Busan, South Korea, 1970s. Lee Doo-sam is a small-time smuggler. After helping a drug gang to smuggle meth, he falls into the dark crime world. Quick-witted and full of ambition, he eventually takes over the drug underworld and starts to lead a double life: a good community leader during the day but an infamous drug lord during the night.

A unified team representing the two Koreas competed at the 1991 Chiba International Table Tennis Championships. It was the first such sport team since the division of the Korean peninsula. The unified team won the group competition event, beating the front runner, China. HA Ji-won plays the South Korean table tennis player, HYEON Jeong-hwa and her North Korean counterpart, LEE Bun-hee, is played by BAE Doona.

An exceptionally talented face reader becomes entangled in a bloody power struggle between a child king and his uncle who plans to usurp the throne.

On September 4, 1984, democracy movement leader Kim Jong Tae (Park Won Sang) is arrested and taken to an infamous interrogation facility in Namyeong-dong. For the next 22 days, he would be cruelly and continuously tortured in all manners by interrogators intent on forcing him to confess to communist collaboration.

Ancient Korea, 17th century. The powerful Khan of the Jurchen tribe of Manchuria, who fights the Ming dinasty to gain China, becomes the first ruler of the Qing dinasty and demands from King In-jo of Joseon to bow before him; but he refuses, being loyal to the Mings. On December 14th, 1636, the Qing horde invades Joseon, so King In-jo and his court shelter in the mountain fortress of Namhan and prepare to defend the kingdom.

In 1777, one year since he had taken reign, King Jeong-jo bears a perilous palace life with his dedicated court servant, Gap-soo, amidst opposition and threats from those around with political ambitions. Meanwhile, Eul-soo, a member of a secret assassin group, receives orders to kill Jeong-jo. Gap-soo, who had also been in the same secret assassin ring as Eul-soo, later confesses to Jeong-jo about his dark past and his motive for coming into the palace. To Gap-soo's surprise, Jeong-jo asks Gap-soo when he had given up being an assassin, then orders him to just leave the palace. However, Gap-soo finds out that there is another assassin besides him and frantically returns to the court, only to discover Eul-soo in combat with Jeong-jo. (c)

A taxi driver is found dead, and Hyun-woo, the only witness, charged with a murder and serves 10 years in prison. While offering pro bono services, a lawyer Junyoung meets Hyun-woo, and they begin their journey to prove his innocence.

Jumong  examines the life of Jumong Taewang, founder of the kingdom of Goguryeo. Few details have been found in the historical record about Jumong, so much of the series is fictionalized. The fantastic elements surrounding the original Jumong legend have been replaced with events more grounded in reality.

Based on the life and work of Korea’s renowned poet, Yun Dong Ju. Dong Ju, while studying literature in Japan, was charged and detained for having participated in the Korean Independence Movement. Known to have created hundreds of poems during his time in jail where he spent the last two years of his life, Dong Ju passed away at the young age of 27. Although it has not been proven, some believe he died due to medical experiments that were performed on his living body.

In 1950, amidst the ravages of the Korean War, Sergeant Süleyman stumbles upon a a half-frozen little girl, with no parents and no help in sight. Frantic, scared and on the verge of death, this little girl captures the heart of Süleyman, who risks his own life to save her, smuggling her into his Army base and out of harms way. Not knowing her name and unable to communicate with her, Süleyman names her Ayla, in reminiscence of the moon on the fateful night during which they met. The two form an instantaneous and inseparable bond, and Ayla, almost effortlessly, brings an uncanny joy to the Turkish brigade in the grip of war. As the war comes to a close however, Süleyman's brigade is told that they will be returning home. Süleyman cannot bear abandoning Ayla, and does everything within his power to take her with him. After repeated failure, he is forced to give Ayla to an orphanage, but doesn't give up on the hope of one day reuniting with her. Will the two ever get back together?

Born to a family of established court painters, a woman is forced to carry on her family name and take over her brother's life after he commits suicide.

In 1987 Korea, under an oppressive military regime, a college student gets killed during a police interrogation involving torture. Government of officials are quick to cover up the death and order the body to be cremated. A prosecutor who is supposed to sign the cremation release, raises questions about a 21-year-old kid dying of a heart attack, and he begins looking into the case for truth. Despite a systematic attempt to silence everyone involved in the case, the truth gets out, causing an eruption of public outrage.

Based on true events, renowned mountaineer UM Hong-gil sets out on a mission to Everest to retrieve his late junior climber's body and faces the greatest challenge of his life.

Based on the life of the Korean anarchist Park Yeol (Lee Je-hoon), the film shows his struggle to counter the massacre of Koreans by the government during the 1923 great Kanto earthquake, focusing on his activities as the leader of the anti-Japanese organization Bulryeongsa and his relationship with Japanese comrade Fumiko Kaneko (Choi Hee-seo).

The battle of Red Cliff continues and the alliance between Xu and East Wu is fracturing. With Cao Cao's massive forces on their doorstep, will the kingdoms of Xu and East Wu survive?

A young Army nurse, Lt Ruth McGara (June Allyson), newly assigned to the 66th MASH during the Korean War, attracts the sexual attention of the unit's commander Dr. (MAJ) Jed Webbe (Humphrey Bogart). Webbe, who has a drinking problem, at first wants a "no strings" relationship. McGara is warned by the other nurses of Webbe's womanizing ways. Despite these initial handicaps, their love flourishes against a background of war, enemy attacks, death and injury. The relationship deepens and uplifts both characters.

Los Angeles Police Department detective Russell Poole has spent years trying to solve his biggest case -- the murders of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur -- but after two decades, the investigation remains open. Jack Jackson, a reporter desperate to save his reputation and career, is determined to find out why. In search of the truth, the two team up and unravel a growing web of institutional corruption and lies.

The story of Jaco Pastorius, a self-taught, larger-than-life musician who single-handedly changed the course of modern music by redefining the sound and the role of the electric bass guitar. Never-before-seen 8mm film, photographs, and audio recordings unveil the true story behind the legend of Jaco’s life, his music, and his heartbreaking end.

Explore Ali’s challenges, confrontations, comebacks and triumphs through recordings of his own voice. The two-part documentary paints an intimate portrait of a man who was a beacon of hope for oppressed people around the world and, in his later years, was recognized as a global citizen and a symbol of humanity and understanding.

In occupied France, Maurice and Joseph, two young Jewish brothers left to their own devices demonstrate an incredible amount of cleverness, courage, and ingenuity to escape the enemy invasion and to try to reunite their family once again.

New Mexico Territory, 1880. Rio Cutler and his older sister Sara must abandon their home after an unfortunate event happens. In their desperate flee to Santa Fe, they cross paths with the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid and his gang, who are ruthlessly pursued by a posse led by Sheriff Pat Garret.

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Pug, a wisecracking 13 year old living on a dangerous Westside block, has one goal in mind: to join The Twelve O'Clock Boys; the notorious urban dirt-bike gang of Baltimore. Converging from all parts of the inner city, they invade the streets and clash with police, who are forbidden to chase the bikes for fear of endangering the public. When Pug's older brother dies suddenly, he looks to the pack for mentorship, spurred by their dangerous lifestyle. Pug's story is coupled with unprecedented, action-packed coverage of the riders in their element. The film presents the pivotal years of change in a boy's life growing up in one of the most dangerous and economically depressed cities in the US.

The true story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing biker who finds God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been kidnapped and pressed into duty as soldiers.

1980s. Brazilian television exploding in color and auditorium programs not so politically correct. In the middle of this fervor, Augusto Mendes, a young rising actor, seeks his place in the sun. From porn studios to soap operas, he finally finds success and fame when he becomes "Bingo", a TV host clown from one of the audience leader TV shows for children. It turns out that behind the rice powder and red nose, nobody knows who he is.

Biopic of Sarabjit Singh, a farmer residing at Bhikiwind, Punjab, near the Indo-Pak border, crossed the border after having a couple of drinks. However, he was mistaken to be an Indian spy and was sentenced to capital punishment. The movie is about the Journey of a woman (Aishwarya Rai) who fights for 23 years to clear her brother's name after he is posthumously accused of terrorism.

Darwin meets Hitchcock in this documentary. Directors Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine have created a parable about the search for paradise, set in the brutal yet alluring landscape of the Galapagos Islands, which interweaves an unsolved 1930s murder mystery with stories of present day Galapagos pioneers. A gripping tale of idealistic dreams gone awry, featuring voice-over performances by Cate Blanchett, Diane Kruger, and Gustaf Skarsgard.

I am Chris Farley tells his hilarious, touching and wildly entertaining story - from his early days in Madison, Wisconsin, to his time at Second City and Saturday Night Live, then finally his film career (which included hits like Tommy Boy and Black Sheep). The film showcases his most memorable characters and skits from film and television and also includes interviews and insights from his co-stars, family and friends - including the likes of Christina Applegate, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, Bob Odenkirk, Bob Saget and Adam Sandler.

3D printing is changing the world – from printing guns and human organs to dismantling the world’s industrial infrastructure by enabling home manufacturing. The 3D Printing revolution has begun. Who will make it?

Ahmad is an army commander who must confront the enemy at the gates of the Khorramshahr. But his fate is determined far from the Iranian border.

71 years in the making, this feature documentary experience reveals the extraordinary life journey of Hollywood's most unlikely hero, Danny Trejo.

When Steve Jobs died the world wept. But what accounted for the grief of millions of people who didn’t know him? This evocative film navigates Jobs' path from a small house in the suburbs, to zen temples in Japan, to the CEO's office of the world's richest company, exploring how Jobs’ life and work shaped our relationship with the computer. The Man in the Machine is a provocative and sometimes startling re-evaluation of the legacy of an icon.

A story based on real-life human-rights and criminal lawyer, Shahid Azmi, who was slain while defending the wrongly accused by the law in terrorist activities.

TLC's humble beginnings in Atlanta quickly led to an unprecedented rise to fame in the 1990's as one of the world's most talented, celebrated and highest-selling female groups of all time. Through very public and high profile success, turmoil and tragedy, TLC left an indelible stamp of female empowerment that changed the face of the music industry forever.

Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the Internet to track celebrities' whereabouts in order to rob their homes.

During the warring period of the three kingdoms, ancient China is in turmoil. To unify the country, general Cao Cao (Jiang Wen), the real power behind the Emperor, enlists the aid of the greatest warrior in the land, Guan Yu (Donnie Yen). However, Guan Yu is a loyal friend of Cao Cao's enemy Liu Bei (Alex Fong) so to persuade the peerless warrior to fight, Cao Cao takes his beloved Qi Lan (Sun Li) hostage. After leading Cao Cao's forces to victory Guan Yu sets out with Qi Lan to rejoin Liu Bei. But now Cao Cao has deemed him too great a threat to live, and on the journey he must face all the forces at the Emperor's command sent to destroy him.

Greater – The story of Brandon Burlsworth, possibly the greatest walk-on in the history of college football.

Based on the inspiring and powerful true story and journal entries of Rachel Joy Scott- the first student killed in the Columbine high school shooting in 1999.

The mid 90’s. Turkey’s political instability, inflation and hopelesness on people were increased. In those years when all hope was lost, people deeply bond with Bold Pilot and Halis Karataş who win every race coming from the last place. People see themselves at the point where this horse and jockey are: at the back. This duo make people to believe that everybody can win. The race ends at the finish line and the first to cross this line are Bold Pilot and Halis riding it.

Jacob Bernstein's extremely entertaining film is a tribute to his mother Nora Ephron: Hollywood-raised daughter of screenwriters who grew up to be an ace reporter turned piercingly funny essayist turned novelist/screenwriter/playwright/director. Ephron comes vibrantly alive onscreen via her words; the memories of her sisters, colleagues, former spouses, and many friends; scenes from her movies; and, above all, her own inimitable presence. Watch any given moment of Ephron being her sparkling but caustically witty self (for instance, this response to a scolding talk show host—"You have a soft spot for Julie Nixon, don't you. See, I don't...") and you find it hard to believe that she’s been gone from our midst for three years. Everything Is Copy (Ephron's motto, inherited from her mother) is a lovingly drawn but frank portrait and, incidentally, a vivid snapshot of an earlier, livelier, bitchier, and funnier moment in New York culture.

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The best Korean movies of all time

Love Squid Game and Parasite? Dig deeper into Hallyuwood’s awesome back catalogue

If you were lucky enough to grow up pre-Y2K, you would have likely known little about Korea beyond the conflict in the back pages of your school history book. But that all changed when, in the aftermath of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the country doubled down on funding exportable pop culture in an attempt to rebrand the country on the world stage. The gambit, part designed to attract big business and tourism, was a wild success – and now we have K-Pop, K-dramas and kimchi pouring out of our ears.

One of the biggest proponents of the ‘hallyu’ wave, though, has always been filmmaking – with Hollywood-style action blockbuster Shiri ; brutal revenge thriller Oldboy ; and Academy Awards triumph Parasite among the most resounding victories of a national cinema revitalised from the brink of anonymity. We simply can’t get enough of it today. And for good reason: South Korea is a goldmine of original ideas and storytelling talents who show no signs of taking their feet off the gas as the industry thrives. So why not huff on the metaphorical fumes? Our list of the best Korean movies of all time billows below. Recommended: 🇫🇷 The 100 best French movies of all-time 🇯🇵  The 50 best Japanese movies of all-time 🇭🇰 The 100 best Hong Kong movies of all-time 🇮🇹 The best Italian movies of all time : from Bicycle Thieves to The Great Beauty

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Best Korean movies

1.  The Housemaid (1960)

Director : Kim Ki-young

A favourite of Bong Joon ho, this crime flick is a strong shout for being Korea’s greatest ever film. Director Kim Ki-young’s own inspiration came from flicking through a newspaper and stumbling on the story of a family thrown into chaos by the arrival of a domestic helper. The housemaid, played with a mix of coolness and heat by Lee Eun-shim, is the agent of chaos in his take on the tale: an intoxicating watch that tackles class, sexual allure and family dynamics in a way that will be very familiar to Parasite fans. Im Sang-soo ( The President’s Last Bang ) made a more than decent fist of remaking it in 2010, but the original is where to start.

2.  The Wailing (2016)

Director: Na Hong-jin A masterpiece of atmospheric horror, The Wailing is long, intense and ambitious, but it never feels like a slog. It also borrows elements from across the landscape of horror - from zombies to demons to creepy kids - but never turns into a messy patchwork. The story, centering on a police officer racing to save a village from a mysterious virus before it can claim his daughter, unfolds gradually enough that it all seems natural, allowing the sense of dread to envelop you like a fog.

3.  Parasite (2019)

Director : Bong Joon-ho

A landmark in world cinema, Parasite is the highest-grossing Korean movie in several countries, the first non-English production to win a Best Picture Oscar and universally regarded as one of the best films of the 21st century. All those things are well and good, but Bong Joon-ho’s true achievement was bringing the film’s biting capitalist critique to a global audience. The message isn’t exactly subtle: a destitute family living in the slums of Seoul attaches itself to a wealthy one, to the point of clandestinely living in their house, until the social order inevitably corrects itself. But within that is a thrilling, funny, often disturbing piece of entertainment that left Hollywood’s oblivious elites with no choice but to stand up and cheer. Knowledgeable film fans already awaited every Joon-ho project with breathless anticipation. Now, the world waits with them. 

4.  A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

Director : Kim Jee-woon

This atmospheric horror fable, adapted from a folk story and released on what was a watershed year for Korean cinema (Bong Joon-ho’s Memories of Murder and Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy were released just a few months either side of A Tale of Two Sisters ), echoes The Shining in both its intricate setting (a gothic mansion full of looming corridors and William Morris wallpaper) and its chilling atmosphere. But it’s elevated even further by Kim Jee-woon’s expert direction and Lee Byung-woo’s Hitchcockian score; the end result is a masterwork of psychological horror from one of Korea’s finest filmmakers.

5.  Memories of Murder (2003)

There are many contenders for the best movie in the Bong Joon-ho filmography, but until Parasite dropped, this thriller was the consensus high watermark. Even now, there are many fans – Quentin Tarantino among them – who’d argue it’s still his finest moment. Revolving around a series of real-life murders that shocked a small town in the ’80s, Memories of Murder twists the police procedural into a potent indictment of a society unequipped to deal with such violence and death. As is his signature, Bong injects healthy amounts of black humour into the proceedings, as a pair of ill-prepared rural cops team with a big city investigator (Kim Sang-kyung) to bring the killer to justice. But as the body count continues to rise and the trail of clues grows maddeningly indistinct, the cloud of melancholy that hangs over the film becomes increasingly dark and intense. Every twist is delivered with a master’s touch that it’d take the broader world a few more years to recognise.     

6.  Peppermint Candy (2000)

Director: Lee Chang-dong

Screenwriter Lee Chang-dong’s directorial debut begins with a dishevelled man throwing himself in front of a train. Working backward through his life, the movie shows what led him to that point, in the process tracing 20 years of Korean political history, from Asian financial crisis of the late ‘90s to the 1980 clash between citizens and police known as the Gwangju Massacre. It’s a powerful melodrama with an elegiac tone and a heartbreaking endnote.

7.  Save The Green Planet (2003)

Director : Jang Joon-hwan

In this zany, genre-bending comedy-fantasy a paranoid beekeeper (Shin Ha-kyun from  Sympathy for Mr Vengeance ) has kidnapped the CEO of a pharmaceuticals company (Baek Yoon-sik, The President’s Last Bang ), convinced that he’s an alien from the planet Andromeda. Inspired in part by Rob Reiner’s Misery (1990), this offbeat cult classic also recalls the sci-fi tinged works of Terry Gilliam  in its visuals. A US remake was announced back in 2020. Can it possibly be this delirious and giddy?

8.  Whispering Corridors (1998)

Director: Park Ki-hyung South Korean films were subject to heavy censorship during the ’70s, thanks to the country’s authoritarian regime. When the regime fell, it was game on for filmmakers like Park Ki-hyung who’d been forced to sit on their edgier ideas and could ride a new wave of creativity that supercharged Korean cinema. This K-horror, the first in a very loosely connected five-part Whispering Corridors series, is exactly the kind of a movie that would have previously been banned: a chewy indictment on the country’s education system that executes seriously gnarly payback on abusive teachers via a supernatural force.

9.  Joint Security Area (2000)

Director : Park Chan-wook

Park Chan-wook’s breakthrough doesn’t have the kinetic energy nor the bloodlust of his later films, but this mashed-up murder mystery-cum-police procedural-cum-political thriller is equally stunning and just as gut-wrenching. After a shooting within the heavily militarised DMZ between North and South Korean leaves a North Korean soldier dead, an army major (Lee Young-ae, later the star of Chan-wook’s Lady Vengeance ) is brought in to investigate, and discovers that just about everyone involved is lying, though not for reasons that are immediately obvious. Seizing upon the omnipresent tension between North and South Korea to convey the toll the conflict takes on citizens of both nations, Joint Security Area was, for a time, the highest-grossing film in the country’s history.     

10.  The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil (2019)

Director: Won-Tae Lee A violent cop and a criminal kingpin – the latter played by Eternals ’s Ma Dong-seok – join forces to catch a serial killer on the loose in Seoul. As with the best Korean genre pictures, Won-Tae Lee takes a cookie cutter story and ups the style to such dazzling heights that the clichés warp into something unrecognisable. Full of insane car chases, brutal fistfights and a lot of awesome suits, Sylvester Stallone bought the rights to a potential American remake, which gives you some indication of the class it’s in.

11.  Burning (2018)

A master craftsman adept whose filmmaking is underpinned by a total command of mood, Lee Chang-dong is at his formidable best in a slow-burn thriller based on a Haruki Murakami short story, which features a Murakami-esque blend of missing women, lovelorn men, hungry cats and jazz. The alchemy between Lee and the Japanese author’s work seems obvious in retrospect – both love to bend their stories in unpredictable, ambiguous directions. But Lee adds very specific Korean concerns around class divisions, as well as the north-south divide, as a farm boy-turned-wannabe writer falls in with a mysterious playboy with some sinister hobbies.

12.  New World (2013)

Director : Park Hoon-jung

I Saw The Devil screenwriter Park Hoon-jung’s violent gangster epic feels like a familiar blend of The Godfather and Infernal Affairs. But what it lacks in narrative originality it makes up for in flawless execution. The intricate story of a power struggle within a crime syndicate is brought to life by magnetic performances from Squid Game ’s Lee Jung-jae, Oldboy ’s Choi Min-sik, and Hwang Jung-min of The Wailing . Its rich visual signature, meanwhile, is provided by cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon, who recently shot Last Night in Soho and Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series. 

13.  Silenced (2011)

Director : Hwang Dong-hyuk

After Squid Game ’s massive global success, Netflix added a bunch of director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s films to its platform. This powerful courtroom drama starring Gong Yoo ( Train to Busan ) is the highlight. It’s based on shocking true events that took place at the Gwangju Inhwa School for the hearing-impaired, in which deaf students were systematically abused by staff members. Despite its heavy subject matter, over four million South Koreans flocked to see it at the cinema. A criminal investigation was also re-opened in the aftermath, leading to law changes aimed at protecting minors.

14.  Oldboy (2003)

Director: Park Chan-wook

In Korean cinema, there is Before Oldboy and After Oldboy . It’s the movie that drew international attention to the revolution happening in the country’s film industry, and with good reason, and the middle instalment of Park Chan-wook’s vengeance trilogy is an experience completely of its own genre. When the movie starts, the protagonist (Choi Min-sik) is being kept in a small room against his will by unseen captors for reasons that have never been explained. His situation only worsens after he is released 15 years later. Framed for wife’s murder, he sets out to find who stole the last decade of his life from him – and get revenge. The actual plot machinations are admittedly convoluted, but the intensity of the filmmaking explodes all shreds of disbelief. 

15.  Right Now, Wrong Then (2013)

Director: Hong Sang-soo

A prolific auteur who specialises in funny, self-reflexive films about movie directors learning awkward life lessons,  Hong Sang-soo may sound like a Korean Woody Allen on paper but has a much more formally playful streak. It’s showcased in this entertaining and radically structured story about a male movie director who falls for a painter he meets while passing the time at a film festival in Suwon. We see their day together once; then we see it all over again, only with slight differences. This cinematic spot-the-difference device not only commands your undivided attention, but gets you thinking about the butterfly effect of tiny details on major moments in life.

16.  Io Island (1977)

Not as well know internationally as The Housemaid , Kim Ki-young’s later murder-mystery has champions including Bong Joon ho and well worth seeking out. There’s something Antonioni-esque about its languid set-up: a rocky outcrop inhabited almost entirely by women divers, where the men are absent. A journalist goes missing, possibly via foul means, and a travel promoter finds himself needing to clear his name. Quickly, the plot leads into folk horror terrain to take in shamanism and the supernatural to offer a penetrating look at Korean male insecurity and a satisfyingly murky viewing experience.

17.  The Chaser (2008)

Director : Na Hong-jin

Who you got: the disgraced cop turned pimp or the prostitute-murdering serial killer? Na Hong-jin’s debut feature is a morally ambiguous procedural with no true heroes, but it’s taut and engrossing in a way few American thrillers of the period ever achieved. While clearly indebted to the Park Chan-wook films that invigorated Korean cinema at the start of the decade, the violence is less stylised, resulting in a gritty, realistic actioner which, attitudinally, throws back to the crime dramas of the 1970s.

18.  The Handmaiden (2016)

Director: Park Chan-wook Park Chan-wook turns Sarah Waters’ crime novel ‘Fingersmith’ into a byzantine and extremely thirsty mystery-thriller that will tie the unfocused in knots. The setting switches from the Victorian London of the book to Japanese-occupied Korea, a change that requires a whole new cargo of cultural specificity that Park delivers in three elegant, sensual parts. It’s a deeply heady tale of conmen, picketpockets, sex, revenge, double and triples crosses – and it may just be Park’s masterpiece. 

19.  Aimless Bullet (1960)

Director: Yu Hyun-mok

A pioneering breakthrough for Korean cinema, this downbeat drama about a veteran searching for meaning (and a living wage) in postwar Seoul shook authorities enough that it was banned upon release in 1960. In the years since, the film has come to be seen as a neo-realist triumph. Shot on a meagre budget, amid the rubble of a city still digging itself out from conflict, it tells the story of a depressed soldier trying to make ends meet on an administrative salary so paltry it prohibits him from going to see a dentist about a nagging toothache. It paints a bleak picture of life in post-armistice Korea – abetted by the grimy black-and-white cinematography – while offering just enough hope to keep you from sinking into total despair. 

20.  Train to Busan (2016)

Director: Yeon Sang-ho

Everyone has felt a bit zombiefied during their morning commute at one time or another, but Korea’s contribution to the undead canon takes that idea to its literal extreme. Writer-director Yeon Sang-ho’s splatterfest doesn’t necessarily reinvent the genre, and its ‘braineaters on a train’ conceit is stunningly simple. But the charismatic cast – led by Squid Game ’s Gong Yoo – and high-energy direction have earned justified comparisons to 28 Days Later , and not just because of the fast-moving zombies. 

21.  Escape from Mogadishu (2021)

Director :   Ryoo Seung-wan Its Somali characters are paper thin – if that – but this ever-more amped-up action-thriller delivers in nearly every other area as it recounts the true-ish story of North and South Korean diplomats teaming up to escape Mogadishu as it falls into violent revolution in 1991. Director Ryoo Seung-wan lays bare just how hard it for these kinda-compatriots to span that ideological chasm, even with gangs of AK-47-wielding guerillas on their tails, but he really pins his ears back with a climactic car chase packed with ludicrous camera moves.

22.  Midnight (2021)

Director : Kwon Oh-seung

Kwon Oh-seung’s debut could be Korea’s finest serial killer thriller since The Chaser and I Saw The Devil . This urban and energetic stalker drama is no rehash, though – it’s a clever spin on a classic formula. The would-be victim of Midnight is deaf, which means her navigation of the neon-soaked surroundings depends on an entirely different set of skills to her able-bodied pursuer (portrayed menacingly by Squid Game actor Wi Ha-jun).

23.  The Isle (2000) 

Director: Kim Ki-duk In an isolated fishing village, a mute part-time prostitute takes a liking to a mysterious visitor with a troubled past. If that sounds like the setup for a staid emotional drama, well, that’s before the fish hooks get involved. The Isle caused fainting and walkouts when it premiered on the festival circuit, but Kim Ki-Duk’s aim isn’t empty provocation. Gorgeously shot, it’s poetic as it is painful, and if you make it all the way through, its meditation on jealousy and obsession will leave a mark.

24.  Shiri (1999)

Director : Kang Je-gyu

Effectively the first major blockbuster of the New Korean Cinema era, this high-octane thriller follows a team of North Korean terrorists (led by Oldboy ’s Choi Min-sik) bent on Seoul’s destruction, and the Southern intelligence agents ( Parasite ’s Song Kang-ho and Tell Me Something ’s Han Suk-kyu) attempting to foil them. It’s full of dizzying camerawork, sidewalk shootouts, ticking time-bombs and massive explosions, and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with ’90s classics like Mission: Impossible and The Rock .

25.  Mother (2009)

Director: Bong Joon-ho

A precursor, in some ways, to the genre-blurring style he’d later employ in Parasite , Bong Joon-ho’s fourth film is perhaps his strangest, a mash-up of psychological drama, black comedy and murder mystery, with an elderly matriarch at its centre. Kim Hye-ja plays the titular unnamed single mother who attempts to clear her mentally disabled son’s name after he’s accused of killing a young girl. It sounds relatively straightforward, but the odd tone and plot twists mark it as an utterly individual work from a director incapable of doing anything boilerplate.

26.  Bad Movie (1997)

Director : Jang Sun-woo  This extroverted, transgressive pseudo-doc – depicting the violent and hedonistic lives of Seoul’s delinquent youths during the mid-’90s economic crisis – feels like the missing link between Japanese new wave classic Funeral Parade of Roses and ’90s NYC cult controversy Kids . As piles of trash burn and neon signs glimmer in the streets, homeless drunks and teens drag race on motorbikes, perform fellatio in public toilets, and shoplift at convenience stores over a series of uncompromising vignettes. It’s relentlessly avant-garde, from its shaky, sped-up 16mm footage to the kaleidoscopic end credits, and was clearly too ahead of its time for the Korean Ethics Committee, who chopped 20 minutes of ‘objectionable material’ out for its local release in 1997.

27.  The President’s Last Bang (2005)

Director : Im Sang-soo

Filmmaker Im Sang-soo is often described as Korea’s controversy magnet, with erotically-charged tales of sexual deviance among the aristocracy (see: The Housemaid and The Taste of Money ) the source of his reputation. The President’s Last Bang was no less provocative; this satirical take on the real-life assassination of Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1979 landed its director in court and resulted in four minutes of the film being excised. Nonetheless, this entertaining interpretation remains superior to Woo Min-ho’s much straighter 2021 version of events, The Man Standing Next . 

28.  A Bittersweet Life (2005) 

• Action and adventure

Director: Kim Jee-Woon

After breaking through with the gripping psychological horror story A Tale of Two Sisters, Kim Jee-woon turned his eye for balletic violence toward the action-thriller genre with this John Woo homage. A hitman (Lee Byung-hun) is ordered to keep an eye on his boss’s mistress and execute her if it turns out she’s cheating on him. When he refuses to do the job, the crime lord turns his aggression toward him. A simple setup, but the ensuing shootouts are expertly orchestrated, but Byung-hun’s portrayal of a killer with a conscience is remarkably soulful.

29.  I Saw the Devil (2010)

Director: Kim Jee-woon

The futility of revenge is a common theme in South Korean cinema, but it’s never been rendered more kinetically – or violently – than in Kim Jee-woon’s nightmarish thriller. (And if you’ve seen any of Park Chan-wook’s Vengeance Trilogy, you know that’s saying something.) An intelligence agent, devastated by the brutal murder of his pregnant wife, goes rogue in the search for the killer, ensuring he doesn’t get off with something so easy as prison. To call it ‘gruesome’ is an understatement, but it’s beautiful, too: a ballet of blood to rival anything in the Nicolas Winding Refn playbook. 

30.  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... And Spring (2003)

Director: Kim Ki-duk

A gloriously framed rumination on life and the passing of time, an American version of Kim Ki-duk’s gentle parable would almost certainly be directed by Terrence Malick. A Buddhist monk grows up in a floating temple on a remote lake. Each phase of life is backdropped by a different season – we get two goes at spring, because who doesn’t love spring? – but despite its contemplative nature, Kim’s masterpiece still finds a way to confront its tougher, seemier side too. It was filmed at Jusanji Pond in Juwangsan National Park, where trees emerge from the surface of the man-made lake and serenity is guaranteed. The temple itself, alas, was built for the film. 

31.  Tell Me Something (1999)

Director : Chang Yoon-hyun

A depraved serial killer is on the loose in Seoul in this brilliantly gloomy, blood-drenched Korean neo-noir. The kicker? The dismembered limbs found at each crime scene don’t all belong to the same victim. Influenced by David Fincher’s Seven , Tell Me Something was a major hit in Korea when it came out and it still stands up. The film’s soundtrack, meanwhile, helped the film build a rep overseas – with moody cuts from Enya, Nick Cave and Placebo providing a solid ’90s nostalgia hit

32.  The Quiet Family (1998)

Kim Jee-woon’s ( A Tale of Two Sisters ) debut follows an eccentric family who run a sleepy hotel in the countryside. But things get out of hand at the Misty Inn after a lonely drifter stabs himself to death with his room key – and successive guests are soon ending up dead. Japanese provocateur Takashi Miike added zombies and musical showpieces in his 2003 remake, The Happiness of the Katakuris . But Kim’s darkly comic original remains a singular joy, not least for an outstanding cast that boasts Oldboy ’s Choi Min-sik and Parasite ’s Song Kang-ho.

33.  Christmas in August (1998)

Director : Hur Jin-ho

This touching romantic drama, about a terminally ill bachelor who rides a red scooter ( Shiri ’ s Han Suk-kyu) and the parking attendant who frequents his Seoul photo studio (Shim Eun-ha), cemented itself in Korean pop culture after smash box-office success in 1998. It deserves more appreciation overseas. Because whereas broader Korean cinema is too often (for Western tastes) guilty of heavy melodrama, Christmas in August excels thanks to its resistance to sentimental tricks. Partly inspired by the gentle dramas of Japanese master Yasujirō Ozu, its power lies in simple, meaningful storytelling, gentle pacing, bright colours, and one of the all-time nicest blokes as the main character. The ending is no less devastating for it.

34.  Oasis (2002)

Director : Lee Chang-dong

A man with learning difficulties is released from prison after serving a sentence for involuntary manslaughter. His victim’s daughter, who suffers from cerebral palsy, lives alone in a tiny apartment. As the two outcasts become involved, their respective families do their best to wash their hands of them in this uncompromising drama, built around two staggering performances from Sol Kyung-gu and Moon So-ri. An indisputably powerful viewing experience, Oasis won a quartet of prizes at Venice 2002 — including the Silver Lion for Best Director for the superlative Lee Chang-dong.

35.  My Sassy Girl (2001)

Director : Kwak Jae-yong

This quirky romcom – about a dopey student who dreams of meeting a girl ‘like the ones in the romantic comic books’, and the confrontational drunkard he saves from teetering off a train platform – has no right being as good as it is. Based on a true story shared via a series of online blog posts, My Sassy Girl was a blockbuster hit all over Asia, and a key instigator of the original ‘Korean wave’ overseas, prompting unnecessary remakes in Japan, India, and the US.

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30 Certified Fresh South Korean Movies To Watch Now

With Parasite ‘s historic Best Picture win at the 2020 Oscars, South Korea has now become an intractable contender in the argument for which countries are producing the best movies today. Whether Parasite is your gateway into an international film scene or you’re a seasoned viewer looking to tick off every last classic, we present 30 Certified Fresh South Korean movies to watch now!

Parasite is a great introduction to the South Korean aesthetic, as director Bong Joon-ho has been playing with tone since the early 2000s. His spectacular crime thrillers Mother and Memories of Murder and his acclaimed monster movie The Host helped establish him as one of the country’s most promising filmmakers. Parasite ‘s Song Kang-ho, one of Korea’s most versatile and prolific leading men, also starred in the latter two films and serves as the connective tissue between Bong and many of his celebrated colleagues. He’s worked with Oldboy director Park Chan-wook ( Thirst , Sympathy for Lady Vengeance ), Kim Jee-woon ( The Age of Shadows , The Good, the Bad, the Weird ), and Poetry and Burning director Lee Chang-dong multiple times.

Once you’ve devoured all of those films, there’s also the quiet, subdued work of Hong Sang-soo ( Hotel by the River , On the Beach at Night Alone , Right Now, Wrong Then ), whose frequent leading lady Kim Min-hee also starred in Park Chan-wook’s endlessly talked-about 2016 romantic mystery The Handmaiden . And if you’re looking for genre thrills, recent hits Train to Busan and The Wailing , as well as Kim Jee-woon’s A Tale of Two Sisters and I Saw the Devil , will help scratch that horror itch.

Since the turn of the century, South Korea has been a rising force in critic-applauded and genre-friendly moviemaking, with no signs of slowing down after Parasite ‘s big wins. Take a look back with 30 Certified Fresh South Korean movies to watch now! — Alex Vo

The Housemaid (2010) 69%

Pieta (2012) 73%

The Way Home (2002) 75%

Lady Vengeance (2005) 76%

I Saw the Devil (2010) 81%

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004) 80%

Thirst (2009) 81%

Oldboy (2003) 83%

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) 81%

The Villainess (2017) 85%

Drunk on women and poetry (2002) 83%.

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) 86%

Chunhyang (2000) 86%

3-Iron (2004) 87%

Treeless Mountain (2008) 86%

Memories of Murder (2003) 95%

Save the Green Planet! (2003) 90%

Right Now, Wrong Then (2015) 92%

On the Beach at Night Alone (2017) 92%

Train to Busan (2016) 95%

The Host (2006) 93%

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring (2003) 94%

The Handmaiden (2016) 96%

Burning (2018) 95%

Hotel by the River (2018) 96%

Mother (2009) 96%

The Wailing (2016) 99%

Parasite (2019) 99%

The Age of Shadows (2016) 100%

Poetry (2010) 100%

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The 40 Best Korean Movies of the 21st Century

South Korean cinema is best known for its grotesque, no-holds-barred, onscreen violence that can easily find some space in the list of the most unsettling movies . The biggest name in Korean cinema continues to be Park Chan-wook. His work not only gained international acclaim but also set the stage for a new wave of filmmakers who specialize in genre films that captivate audiences at both domestic and prominent international festivals, contributing to the rich tapestry of best Korean movies.

Bong Joon-ho and Kim Jee-Woon, contemporaries of the influential Park Chan-wook, have contributed significantly to the rise of Korean cult cinema, a movement that Park spearheaded. Together, these filmmakers have propelled South Korean cinema to international acclaim. Meanwhile, directors like Lee Chang-dong , Kim Ki-Duk, Hong Sang-soo, and Im Kwon-Taek have earned recognition for their artistry in film festivals, creating a unique space for themselves. Balancing mainstream appeal and artistic depth, South Korean cinema has evolved, offering a diverse array of films that have reshaped the industry. This list presents the best South Korean movies of the 21st century, showcasing this transformation.

40. Hope | Lee Joon-Ik | 2013

“Hope,” a film inspired by the harrowing Nayoung Case of 2008 , delves into the story of a seemingly perfect family shattered by a horrific tragedy. Their world turns upside down when their 8-year-old daughter, So-won, is subjected to a brutal attack. Miraculously surviving the act of cruelty, So-won is left with deep psychological and emotional wounds, as is her family.

While “Hope” diverges significantly from the real events of the infamous Nayoung Case, its portrayal of So-won’s journey towards healing and resilience is deeply moving. Despite the film not delving extensively into So-won’s psychological struggles, her path to recovery offers a message of hope. The film uses melodrama to navigate the disturbing nature of the events, effectively conveying the emotional and psychological impacts on So-won and her family. This approach, though heavy on emotion, is a poignant way to address such a distressing and sensitive subject matter.

39. Pietà | Kim Ki-Duk | 2012

Can we ever truly escape the shadows of our past? This question echoes at the heart of Ki-Duk Kim’s “Pieta” ( 피에타 ), a film that delves deep into the complexities of human nature and morality. Known for his contemplative work in “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring,” Kim continues his exploration of the human psyche in “Pieta.” This movie, an intense and dark portrayal, revolves around a ruthless loan shark, whose lack of compassion makes him a feared figure. His method of dealing with debtors is not just harsh but torturously cruel, leaving them crippled and in agony.

The protagonist’s life, marked by isolation and depression, takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of a mysterious woman who insists on staying by his side. As he begins to accept her presence, he dares to hope for redemption. “Pieta” is a profound examination of the human condition, showcasing how love can be both a genesis and a curse, leading to joy, pain, and revenge. It’s a film that doesn’t shy away from discomfort, gripping viewers with its intense narrative and leaving a lasting impact. Despite a shocking revelation towards the end, “Pieta” holds its audience in a hypnotic grasp, ending on a note that is as emotionally heavy as it is thought-provoking, making it one of the most impactful Korean movies.

38. Thirst | Park Chan-Wook | 2009

Park Chan-Wook reimagines the classic vampire archetype, moving away from the stereotypical high-cheekboned, blood-sucking figures of popular culture. His take in “ Thirst ” is a fresh, evolved vampire narrative that feels surprisingly relatable, despite the fantastical nature of its subject.

In “Thirst,” Park Chan-Wook’s creativity shines through with a flurry of inventive ideas and deep character development. His style, often veering into the realms of the unsettling and creepy, is on full display here. The film explores dark and cynical themes that might leave viewers unsettled. The characters in “Thirst” are complex, and Park skillfully infuses them with emotional depth, setting the stage for a gripping moral conflict between two profoundly different beings bound by their alienation. This cinematic approach not only challenges the norms but also adds a unique, thought-provoking dimension to the Korean film landscape.

37. The Host | Bong Joon-ho | 2006

Bong Joon-ho’s monster drama, ‘The Host’, is less of a horror film about a slimy tentacle monster unleashing terror across the Han River shoreline and more of a subtle but scathing criticism of mass hysteria, health-care bureaucracy, consumerism, and pollution.

The drama surrounding the dysfunctional family acts as a connecting tissue to address the said issues in the garb of a monster movie without weighing down the screenplay. One of the greatest achievements of Bong Joon-ho is to pull off a moment of hilarity during the saddest scene, and he does it with panache in ‘The Host’. Try not to laugh when the family is mourning the death of their lovable teenage girl.

The Host is Part of Our List “The 15 Best Korean Movies Streaming on Netflix”

36. on the occasion of remembering the turning gate | hong sangsoo | 2002.

In ‘On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate,’ one of Hong Sang-soo’s earlier films, we’re treated to a narrative rich in complex emotions. This movie, which stands out in the Korean cinematic landscape, follows Gyung-soo, a young professional actor. He finds himself entangled with two women during a visit to a friend, each romantic encounter weaving seamlessly with the film’s unfolding events, yet distinct in their outcomes.

Without revealing too much and spoiling the experience, it’s evident that Hong Sang-soo masterfully plays with emotions. He employs nuanced techniques, utilizing standard tropes that have become a hallmark of his filmmaking style. This film is a testament to the diverse stories that make Korean movies some of the most engaging and thought-provoking in cinema.

35. Il Mare |   Lee Hyun-Seung | 2000

Lee Hyun-Seung delicately blends old-school romance with a powerful yet minimalistic visual style. He paints every frame with stunning, idyllic, soft-focus shots without indulging in heavy-handed dialogues, letting the visible curiosity and well-guarded personal space of characters bring the narrative alive.

Two troubled individuals, separated by a temporal time warp, connect through letters found in the letterbox at Il Mare, the name of a Lake House. The idea sounds preposterous but the way characters navigate through their personal space and heal each other, without succumbing to the genre tropes, via the fantastical exchange of letters has more to do with impulse and the emotion of love than the plot itself. Hollywood could not resist the charm and remade the film in 2006 titled ‘ The Lake House ‘, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.

34. New World | Park Hoon-jung | 2013

Park Hoon-Jung’s stylish gangster drama ‘New World’ is an experiential character study of the Korean Crime syndicate’s inner functioning, which starts to fall apart after the death of the Chairman in a staged road accident. A helpless Ja-sung (Lee Jung-Jae), an impassive undercover cop who infiltrated the syndicate eight years ago, has his loyalty questioned when he doesn’t find a way out. Navigating through the crumbling empire, the drama unfolds on a Shakespearean landscape made up of betrayal and shifting loyalties.

‘New World’ could have closely resembled ‘Infernal Affair’ in its setting but Park Hoon-Jung takes a humanistic approach in fleshing out the characters, including those gangsters who feel vulnerable and threatened. This does not mean ‘New World’ is devoid of gut-churning action sequences and bone-chilling thrilling moments.

33. Hill of Freedom | Hong Sang-soo | 2014

Hong Sang-soo is a prolific filmmaker who often finds emotional depth in his pocket-size dramas amidst mundane and awkward circumstances, often resulting from fundamental misunderstandings and misinterpretations among the characters.

A look at his filmography will show how he recalibrates and rehashes dramas around different renditions of the same characters in most of his films, and “Hill of Freedom” is no different. It’s a bittersweet romantic comedy that showcases the director’s masterful storytelling.

The film follows Kwon, a woman who reads a bundle of letters out of sequence, providing a perfect excuse to present the narrative in a non-linear manner, putting us in Kwon’s shoes. The letters are written by Mori, a Japanese man who tells the everyday story of his stay in a small village, which includes his relationship with Young-sun, a café waitress whose dog he saved.

The letters mention a series of oddball adventures and comical episodes with new acquaintances. Despite its modest scope for the dramatic expansion of the narrative, Hong manages to create a heartfelt and, more importantly, sincere film that will stay with the viewer long after it’s over.

32. The Dark Figure of Crime | Kim Tae-Kyun, Kim Tae-Gyun | 2019

‘Dark Figure of Crime’ is a gritty,  visceral crime-drama that works both as a fine character study, exploring the inimical side of human nature, and a drama about hope in a bleak and dejected world. It is everything that Kim Hyeong-jun’s murder mystery ‘No Mercy’ wanted to achieve but fell short of due to his overindulgence in smartness. Hyong-min’s life is turned into a visceral chase when a cold-blood serial killer Tae-oh casually confesses to an unreported past crime.

Kim Yoon-Seok’s understated and committed performance layers the character. It dismantles all the “detective” stereotypes. Hwang Ki-suk’s muted cinematography renders a somber feel to the already desolate drama, reminiscent of the way Kim Hyung-Koo achieved the murkiness in ‘Memories of Murder.’ Yoon-Seok contrasts the city in the night, glistening with color, against the darkness of the crime committed. The created paranoia pulls us deep into the ambiguous state of Tae-oh’s narration.

31. The Bow | Kim Ki-Duk | 2005

Kim Ki-Duk’s ‘The Bow’ is an elusive and ambiguous character study of a 16-year-old girl who has spent a decade on a boat. The girl is living under the guardianship of an old man with a multipurpose bow, who plans to marry her when she turns 17. She has been away from civilization for a decade, and that has serious psychological implications evident in the behavior of the character.

The peaceful, routine life and bond of trust show a crack when a young college student boards their tugboat. The crack widens when the girl internalizes the freedom of choice. Kim Ki-Duk never explains the motive or tries to resolve the conflicts. Instead, he immaculately uses silence and soothing music to reflect upon the emotional quandary of the characters.

30. A Taxi Driver | Jang Hoon | 2017

Jang Hoon adds a dramatic twist to the portrayal of the tragic events of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. He places at the story’s center a taxi driver, Kim Man-seob—an innocent, widowed spirit, and a cynical man who initially believes soldiers can do no wrong. Impeccably played by Song Kang-ho, Kim Man-seob becomes our ears and eyes, witnessing the unfolding horrors of the Gwangju Uprisings, which ultimately claimed the lives of 2,000 innocent civilians. His entire perception of the world is challenged as he travels to Gwangju as a passenger carrying a German reporter, Jürgen Hinzpeter. Through this journey, he confronts the harsh realities of the world. To the filmmaker’s credit, he skillfully avoids melodrama and contrivances. The restrained filmmaking ensures that the drama does not overshadow the event itself. The current geopolitical tensions make this movie even more relevant and a must-watch.

29. The World of Us | Yoon Ga-Eun | 2016

Yoon Ga-Eun examines the intrinsic and extrinsic pressures that children in modern Korea face without a hint of melodrama or manipulation of the events. When an outcast, Sun (Choi Soo-in), constantly bullied in school, meets the newcomer,  Jia (Seol Hye-in), during a summer holiday, she believes she has finally found a friend.

The friendship, built on the need, turns sour when social and financial status interferes. The strain becomes so damaging that the consequences are felt outside the school campus as well.  Leisurely paced, aesthetically minimalist, and absorbing throughout, “The World of Us” takes the audiences on a ride they might have experienced themselves or seen during their childhood. The performance of both child actors is effortless and exudes naturalism.

28. A Bittersweet Life | Kim Jee-Woon | 2005

“A Bittersweet Life” is often acknowledged for two things: its razor-sharp action scenes, stitched together, one after another, and the taut narrative that doesn’t let you catch your breath until the end credits. The affecting character drama of its protagonist is rarely brought up for discussion. But I strongly believe that what makes those action scenes worthy is the invigorating drama surrounding Lee Byung-hun’s Sun-woo.

A man who has never been in love before suddenly finds himself at the mercy of the romantic feelings that he fails to comprehend. What brings sweetness to Sun-woo’s bitter life is his boss’s mistress, Hee-soo (Shin Min-ah), playing songs at a music recital and reflecting on how empty and shallow his life is. The realization of emptiness propels him to go against his boss, which results in a violent feud.

27. Scattered Night | Sol Kim and Jihyoung Lee | 2019

Kim Sol and Lee Jihyoung’s directorial Korean film ‘Scattered Night’, grounds the plot in this unfortunate event while giving an intimate and internal perspective from the children’s point of view, especially from the youngest daughter Sumin, with no melodrama and glossy arc to feel their state or with no resolution in hindsight.

We featured Scattered Night in the Best Movies of 2019

Scattered Night is an intimate and intricate portrayal of a collapsing family seen through the eyes of the smart but naive Sumin. It does not succumb to providing straightforward answers to an emotional quandary.

26. Oasis | Lee Chang-dong | 2002

It is serendipity that two of my most loved, transgressive romantic films of the century were released in the same year: Punch Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson) and Oasis. The lead characters in their films are atypical men who do not succumb to their limitations to garner sympathy. Neither of these filmmakers ever tries to appease their audiences by making the character likable or heroic. They never judge their character for what they are, and that is where lies the strengths of these films.

“Oasis” opens with Hong Jong-du (Sol Kyung-gu) released from prison after serving three years for a hit-and-run case. His immediate family has moved to a new place without providing the forwarding address. They do not want him. They do not even care if he is dead or alive. His mother is indifferent to his presence.

Hong Jong-du is socially awkward. His gleaming eyes and the perpetual smile on his face could be deceiving. You feel for him, but you would probably run away if you saw him in person. He lacks social and familial skills. Even after the cold reception and explicitly telling him how life was good in his absence, he doesn’t budge and sticks with the family, as if he doesn’t understand that his family does not want him.

His life turns interesting when he meets disabled Gong-ju Han (So-ri Moon) on his visit to the family of the man he killed in an accident. She is suffering from cerebral palsy. Gong-ju Han’s brother and sister-in-law shifted her to a new apartment meant for a disabled person, locking her in a shabby small room. Abandoned by their families, they are ignored and abused for self-gain. Lee Chang-dong does not manufacture sympathy for them neither does he judge them. “Oasis” is a story of what constitutes love and desire between two physically disabled people in society.

25. I Saw the Devil | Kim Jee-Woon | 2010

If Oldboy’s violence made your stomach churn, Kim Jee-Woon’s ‘I Saw The Devil’ will make you squirm in your seat. It borders on torture porn but never feels like one as the film utilizes a bloody violence ballad as a vessel to serve the narrative and feed characters with a sense of purpose rather than merely an exercise in shocking the audience.

‘I Saw The Devil’ is driven by powerful performances, grotesque on-screen violence, bolstered by fitting dark cinematography and a haunting score — Korean director Jee-Woon Kim’s 2010 horror/thriller is perhaps one of the scariest films of the 21st century.

24. Oki’s Movie | Hong Sang-soo | 2010

Hong Sang-soo put a frustratingly unstructured but exhilarating narrative spin on the love triangle. It is a self-referential metadrama adorned with sly wit and awkward droll. Ambiguities, ironies, and the rift between men’s and women’s experiences open in the fractured narrative that reflects the uneasy and painful chaos of love. It chronicles the upsetting but amorous entanglement of a neurotic, insecure young director Jingu, a mature but questionable professor Song, and a fellow student Oki.

23. Oldboy | Park Chan-wook | 2003

Oldboy brought international attention to Korean is now considered a pioneering movie in the genre. The second chapter in Park Chan-wook’s  ‘Vengeance Trilogy’ is a hyper-violent, bloodcurdling revenge symphony, an exotic revenge drama harboring the Oedipus complex, incest, and flickering hope of empathy and humanity. It is mixed with skin-crawling off-screen violence that would leave you in disgust, fear, and horror. What starts as a surreal dream spirals down into a perdition nightmare having Kafkaesque aesthetics.

A drunken, arrogant man is held captive for fourteen years and one day, he is suddenly released without any explanation and given a cell phone, money, and expensive clothes. He navigates a meaningless life to find a purpose, which eventually translates into finding the man – Lee Woo-jin- who did it to him and seeking revenge. Park Chan-wook paints both characters with a strong stroke of grey and a tinge of empathy, but he never takes any moral high ground in the end. Though revenge is at the forefront of the film, the equally intriguing subplot trails the genesis of Lee Woo-jin’s idea of revenge born out of humiliation and cathartic emotions as a way for repentance.

22. Broker | Hirokazu Kore-eda | 2022

Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for examining the dynamics of makeshift families, follows up his star-studded French movie “Truth” with “Broker.” South Korea’s baby boxes are a heartbreaking reality that many people are unaware of. Kore-eda takes you on a journey through this world, shedding light on this cruel situation. He seamlessly weaves the tales of two brokers who discreetly place abandoned babies with hopeful families, a regretful mother longing for a second chance, and relentless investigators on their trail.

While the characters may seem self-centered at a cursory glance, Kore-eda’s adept narrative reveals their profound motivations and vulnerabilities. He approaches these characters with immense love and empathy, masterfully sidestepping melodrama. The ensemble cast features the formidable Song Kang-ho, who secured a Best Actor award at Cannes and includes talents like Bae Doona, with whom Kore-eda worked in “Airdoll”, Gang Dong-Won, and the versatile Lee Ji-Eun. “Broker” offers a riveting look into the intricacies of family and the profound extents of redemption.

21. House of Hummingbird | Bora Kim | 2019

Arguably, one of the best Korean movies of 2019. In her feature debut, Bora Kim paints an intimate and sensitive story of a lonely and whimsical eighth-grader, Eunhee ( Ji-hu Park ), during the mid-90s. The intentional glacial pacing of the narration allows nuanced observation of Korean culture and the marginal role of women in society.

We featured House of Hummingbird featured in the Best Movies of 2019

Eunhee is trying to navigate life through her dysfunctional family, abusive brother, and her bullies in school while figuring out her place in society.  Bora Kim presents an honest and poignant take on youth, filled with warm cinematography from Gook-Hyun, and with a powerhouse performance from the young Ji-hu Park.

20. The Way Home | Jeong-Hyang Lee | 2002

The plot of ‘The Way Home’ is familiar and bound to have sentimental elements. A gentle, mute grandmother (Eul-Boon Kim), who is unfamiliar with modern technology, including electricity, drainage systems, and Kentucky Fried Chicken, wins over her spoiled grandson (Seung-Ho Yoo) when they spend a summer together in her rural South Korean village.

The economic slowdown has compelled the grandmother’s (Eul-Boon Kim) daughter to leave Sang-woo for summer until she finds a job in a city. Writer & director Jeong-Hyang Lee has realized the story with such tenderness and affection for the characters that it ‘feels’ fresh and new. He avoids all the clichés and genre tropes to structure a narrative around the character whose arcs are at the behest of their internalized feelings rather than the ideological and social differences between its protagonists.

19. The Day He Arrives | Hang Sang-soo | 2011

It is no news that Hang Sang-soo blends personal experience in a fictional story to structure an intimate meta-narrative. “The Day He Arrives” could be his most heartfelt, existential slacker comedy. A feckless filmmaker Seong-jun (Yu Jun-sang), four films old, is on the edge of being washed out. He has come to Seoul to meet his friend, a critic named Young-ho (Kim Sang-Joong).

They hang out in a bar over several seemingly repetitive days, just like ‘Groundhog Day’, except that there are new developments and shifts in energy every day. They meet a teacher friend of Young-ho, a bar owner and an actor who was promised a role in Seong-jun’s film. Their interactions are mostly mundane, as you would expect in Hang’s films.

This time around, the characters are more rounded. The mundane conversations are a way to deal with their unperturbed existential crisis. There is bittersweet wisdom in it that makes it even more profound. Simply composed and beautifully shot in black-and-white, “The Day He Arrives” is almost a perfect summation of Hong’s artistic approach and ideas.

18. Painted Fire | Im Kwon-taek | 2002

The sprawling, layered narrative and picturesque visuals of ‘Painted Fire’ takes inspiration from the life and work of a 19th-century Korean painter ‘Jang Seung-eop’. His self-willed artistic fire made him arguably the greatest painter of his time, despite lacking the formal education deemed a necessity to succeed in any art form.

He captivates art connoisseurs with his surreal paintings while battling personal demons and incessant artistic crises at a time of great social and cultural change. Choi Min-Shik embodies artistic vulnerability & stubbornness to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

17. Parasite | Bong Joon-ho | 2019

Bong Joon-ho’s wildly entertaining seventh feature changed the course of cinema when it beat hot favorites – Sam Mendes’s one-shot War drama ‘1917’, QT’s love letter to Hollywood Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,’ and Martin Scorsese’s gangster drama ‘The Irishman’ starring veterans Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci – at the Oscars in 2020, after already having won the Palme d’Or at Cannes (2019). It also pushed general audiences to overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles. The uninitiated folks mellowed down to foreign cinema, especially Korean cinema. It propelled people to look beyond Hollywood films for their dose of entertainment.

Parasite ‘ is not the best work of Bong Joon-ho, but it is an immensely entertaining film from the word ‘go. It is a commercial potboiler with an underlying social & class commentary that effortlessly switches between a tragicomedy and a Hitchcockian thriller. 

Related to the Best Korean Movies – 10 Films To Watch If You Love Parasite (2019)

16. past lives | celine song | 2023.

“Past Lives” gives us a close look into the lives of two old friends, Nora and Hae Sung, who navigate through a sea of memories, lost time, and deep connections. Directed by Celine Song, the movie deviates from the conventional storyline of friends reuniting after years. It’s a lot more than that. Some might quickly label this as an immigrant drama or a film about friendship and potential love, but it’s essential to dig deeper to appreciate its real depth and not rush to box it into a category.

Nora and Hae Sung were the best of friends in South Korea, but life sent them on separate ways when Nora moved away with her family. After two long decades apart, fate brings them back together, offering an opportunity to delve into a sea of emotions once buried deep within. As they confront friendship and explore the notion of destiny, this reunion promises to be a week of self-discovery and meaningful connection that will leave an indelible imprint on their lives. But “Past Lives” isn’t just about their story. It quietly, yet effectively, prompts us, the viewers, to think about our life journeys.

The film speaks to the heart, showcasing how our past, the friends we make, and the places we’ve lived stay with us, shaping who we become in subtle ways we might not always realize. This isn’t simply a reunion of friends; it’s a mirror reflecting aspects of life, relationships, and personal growth that often go unspoken. Nora and Hae Sung’s week together isn’t just about reconnecting; it’s also about reconciling with the parts of themselves they’ve left behind.

15. Take Care of My Cat | Jae-Eun Jeong | 2001

Writer-director Jae-eun Jeong’s ‘Take Care of My Cat’ is a multi-faceted and layered drama. It takes a subtle look at class division and economic disparity that strain the childhood friendship of five friends from the industrial port city of Inchon.

Hae-Joo (Yo-won Lee) is selfish, self-centered, and ambitious, finding happiness in material things. She has planned out her future, and her friends are nowhere to fit in it as she looks down upon them. And it also has to do with their lack of stable jobs. She is particularly dismissive of Ji-young (Ji-young Ok), who wants to study textile design abroad. Ji-young’s parents are dead and the financial crisis at home does not allow her to pursue further studies.

Hae-Joo callously reminds Ji-young about it. Tae-hee (Doo-na Bae) is mature and kind-hearted among all. She works for her parents. She finds staying at home suffocating due to her huge family. The inseparable identical twins, Ohn-jo and Bi-Ryu (Eun-shil and Eun-Joo Lee), are content with their life in a small town. They are indifferent to their poor conditions and have no plans for the future.

Jae-eun structures the plot around three reunions to show the widening crack in their friendship that goes beyond repair. A small cat, which Ji-young finds in an alleyway and is passed from friend to friend, is used to keep the four-story arcs linked.

14. Microhabitat | Jeon Go-woon | 2017

The protagonist of Jeon Go-woon’s directorial debut ‘Microhabitat’, Miso (Esom), chooses her indulgences – whiskey and cigarette – over a roof over her head. An unusual and unexpected choice. But the film is written with such conviction, and a fresh perspective that Miso’s choice in the film seems potent and rational, contrary to my initial assumption that it was emotional. Miso’s dispassionate outlook towards life and priorities will push you to look into your own life.

When the rent goes up, and cigarettes and whiskey turn expensive, Miso heads out couch-surfing around Seoul. She carries an egg tray as a gift for every friend she visits. Jeon Go-woon draws our attention to Korean urban society’s culture and economics against the economics of the poor. She does it without being disparaging or through any pity lens. What is fascinating about Miso is that she barters her trade for necessities and helps her friends in her way so that she does not end up being in debt to her friends, who are probably in debt themselves.

13. Mother | Bong Joon-ho | 2009

A mother is always considered a symbol of unconditional love who could sacrifice everything for her child without giving a thought. Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mother’ tries to navigate through the emotional quandary of a mother and realize the actuality of unconditional love.

Bong Joon weaves a gut-wrenching mystery thriller around the murder of a teenage girl, the suspect of which is a marginally intelligent boy. His mother (Kim Hye-Ja ) starts an amateurish investigation to find out the real culprit. It throws her into a labyrinth of deception and moral corruption. Kim Hye-Ja terrifically gets into the skin of this role to give a nuanced performance that audiences will remember for a long time after the credits roll.

12. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring | Kim Ki-Duk | 2004

It’s fairly difficult to write about a film that is intuitive, visceral, and so expansive in its sprawling narrative. How do you write about something which mimics life so intimately and explores it in the backdrop of changing seasons?

We are introduced to a small Buddhist monastery, a world in itself, situated on a raft floating in the center of a lake on a mountain. An old monk (Oh Young-soo) is preparing to pass on his wisdom to a child monk (Kim Jong-ho), showing the cycle of life. We see life grow in the backdrop of four seasons, encapsulating the emotions of existing and constantly flourishing as time goes on.

Recommended: 10 Best Films About Facial Surgery

11. Moonlit Winter | Dae Hyung Lim | 2019

In his sophomore feature, ‘Moonlit Winter’, Lim Dae-Hyung shifts his focus to a mother and daughter’s strained relationship after portraying the relationship between a father and a son in his debut film, ‘Merry Christmas, Mr. Mo’ (2016) . Lim takes a conventional story of a wobbly relationship that crawls towards reconciliation; however, that’s a mirage the filmmaker plants to deal with something more sensitive and controversial for Korean society.

Kim Hee-ae stars as a middle-aged woman who bottles up a secret that ends up eating her from the inside out, subsequently resulting in divorce and an embittered life. The shadows of her past come back to haunt her when accidentally, her estranged daughter reads a letter out to her. The subdued narrative is told in an unhurried manner with such pensive sadness that it will crush your heart and throw you into a black hole of melancholy. It stirs such a tsunami of forlorn emotions that it will be difficult to shrug off.

10. The Handmaiden | Park Chan-Wook | 2016

“The Handmaiden” is a rich tapestry of genres, masterfully blending a romantic period narrative with psychological and sensual drama. It also serves as a poignant commentary on Japan’s occupation of Korea in the 1930s, wrapped in a gripping tale where the con artist becomes the conned. Park Chan-Wook’s filmmaking prowess is on full display here, presenting an intricate fable of love, deception, and the empowerment of women, all while indulging in sumptuous imagery.

Park Chan-Wook’s direction skillfully immerses the audience in a vast, intricate puzzle. Viewers find themselves questioning every action, feeling unease at some turns, and, in a darkly humorous way, being thoroughly entertained. The film’s unique blend of story elements and its captivating visual style make it a standout piece in modern cinema.

The Handmaiden Featured in Our List of The 25 Best Non-English Films of 2016

9. decision to leave | park chan-wook | 2022.

A trace of the psychological violence from Park Chan-wook’s most talked-about film, ‘Oldboy’, is combined with a dash of sexuality from his stunningly gorgeous ‘The Handmaiden’ to give us his most profoundly emotional story that will blow your minds.

Although it initially seems like a textbook rewrite of Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct, this erotic suspense thriller centers on a methodical cop named Hae-jin, played by Park Hae-il, who is looking into the death of a wealthy man. The wealthy man’s wife, Seo-rae, played by Tang Wei, is the main suspect in the case.

The fact that Seo-rae is a Chinese immigrant adds an additional layer of linguistic and cultural complexity to the story. However, Chan-wook’s primary focus is not on the mystery itself but rather on the emotional entanglement that develops between the two main characters as the mystery unfolds, leading to one of the most shocking climaxes.

Related to the Best Korean Movies: 10 Best Korean Movies of 2022

8. burning | lee chang-dong | 2018.

“Burning”, by Lee Chang-dong , is a stunning, opaque, ambiguous story filled with uncertain turns of events. It is a well-crafted film with muted cinematography and absolute control over its writing, as displayed in the powerful characterization.

The greatest achievement of “Burning” lies in the controlled and restrained narration that uses minimal exposition, relying on visual cues to express the airtight tension among the characters. Anger, grief, rage, love, and envy are never explicitly expressed. Rather, they are internalized in uncomfortable silences and further heightened by Kim Da-won’s unsettling score.

Burning Featured in Our List of the 25 Best Foreign films of 2018

7. treeless mountain | so yong kim | 2008.

“Treeless Mountain” is a piercing, minimalist movie that smartly avoids sentimentalism to find the naturalism in its narrative and characters. It is about two innocent girls, 7 year old Jin and her younger sister, Bin. Their distraught mother leaves them in the care of their aunt while she attempts to reconcile with her delinquent husband. In one of the scenes, Aunt (Mi Hyang Kim) scolds 5-year-old Bin for peeing in bed. The girl sincerely asserts a couple of times that she did not pee in bed. It is her 7-year-old elder sister Jin who has wet the bed, but Jin remains a silent spectator out of embarrassment.

Any other filmmaker would have created a space for dramatic conflict to empathize with Bin, but the writer-director So Yong Kim, never revisits the issue to resolve the misunderstanding. She never provides an easy answer. She never trivializes the naivety of young girls for the sake of creating a linear arc that validates their innocence. So Yong Kim weaves the heart-wrenching story with a fabric similar to Asghar Farhadi’s complex but nuanced dramas and Majid Majidi and Jafar Panahi’s impeccable charm in portraying the innocence that children possess.

Recommended: 10 Most Essential Majid Majidi Films

6. Secret Sunshine | Lee Chang-dong | 2007

“Secret Sunshine” is an unflinching, lyrical drama that gets emotionally taxing as we get to know more about the meek and genial Shin-ae (Jeon Do-Yeon). Lee Chang-dong’s dense narrative is brimming with the emotional and psychological breakdowns that Shin-ae experiences while grieving over the loss of her son. The opening scene of the film foreshadows the fate of Shin-ae and her son. They are stuck in the middle of the highway, looking for help while moving to Miryang (which literally translates to ‘Secret Sunshine’ in Chinese). She wishes to begin a fresh life in her husband’s native land after his death.

Her unsettled life takes a tragic turn when her son is kidnapped and later found dead, leading her to the struggle of finding peace amidst personal loss, grief, leveling disillusionment, and shaky faith. Jeon Do-Yeon gave a committed and superlative performance that won her Best Actress award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival.

5. The King and the Clown |   Lee Joon-ik | 2005

“The King and the Clown,” a historical tragicomedy, stands out as a rich and intricate exploration of themes such as sexuality, love, jealousy, and madness, all set against the vibrant backdrop of 15th-century Korea during King Yeonsan’s reign. This film, a shining example of Korean cinema’s depth, weaves these themes into a layered narrative reminiscent of Shakespearean tragedy, filled with powerful monologues and dramatic elements.

Adapted from the play “Yi” (“You”), the movie, directed by Lee Joon-ik and written by Choi Seok-hwan, skillfully deconstructs the complex relationships between two doomed traveling clowns. Their journey, marked by compassion and a yearning for a better life, places them in a tangle of emotions and social commentary, making it a significant addition to the best movies Korea has offered. The film’s nuanced portrayal of these characters and their struggles highlights the ability of Korean cinema to delve into rich, emotional storytelling.

4. The Wailing | Na Hong-jin | 2016

Na Hong-jin seamlessly blends multiple genres with ease, constructing a psychological horror movie involving satanic cults and ancient folk tales. the eponymous ‘wailing’ is like a giant monster who is not visible, but its terrorizing, ominous presence of supernatural force is felt through the eerie silence which makes the audiences feel like they are about to be gulped by the rain of horror.

The Wailing Featured in Our List of the 50 Best Films of 2016

Set in a small mountain town in South Korea, village dwellers find themselves amidst a nightmare – the mysterious killing of dwellers with no suspect in sight. Na Hong-jin lets the central plot grow organically with time while keeping its audiences busy setting the puzzling trap of horror, served with a dash of doleful humor. This horror gem is certainly one of the best Korean movies of the century.

3. Peppermint Candy | Lee Chang-dong | 2000

Lee Chang-dong’s “Peppermint Candy” is an unflinching and unhurried examination of a man against the backdrop of the ever-changing, volatile sociopolitical environment in Korea. The five phases in the protagonist’s life form the narrative in “Peppermint Candy”. It is structured in reverse order and opens with his suicide on the bridge, then goes back in time to his college days. It does a psychological exploration of Young Ho (Sol Kyung-gu) after he accidentally shoots an innocent girl during the Gwangju massacre in the 1980s.

Also, Read: Every Lee Chang-dong film ranked

It leaves a scar on his psychology that turns into a blister under the military dictatorship in the Korean government, during the 1980s and during the economic crisis in the 1990s. “Peppermint Candy” also explores the rise of masculinity in Korean society that chews up the relationship of Young Ho with his wife and enables his toxic behavior. Director Lee Chang-Dong explores one of the most tragic moments in Korean history in an extremely powerful way by portraying a male character who struggles within its militarized society.

2. Memories of Murder | Bong Joon-ho | 2003

Richly detailed and nerve-racking, “Memories of Murder” is a masterful work in character study and in creating  a  disquieting and chaotic atmosphere throughout a film . The muted color cinematography and the vast emptiness of the fields in the rain create a sense of horror lurking in every frame. The ritualistic serial killing of women in a small town in South Korea brings two inept local police officers along with a calm and sensible Seoul officer to crack the case.

Also, Read: Every Bong Joon-Ho Film Ranked

The killings are graphical and unsettling but Bong Joon-ho layers the investigation with the hilarity of the mismatch between the sensibilities and attitudes of the two police officers. The conflict in their approach to the case reveals a great deal about the critical connection between these people and the repressive society. As the lunkheaded officers become obsessed with the case, the character arc sees a tectonic shift that brings to life, the psychological impact of the ongoing serial killings. Bong Joon-Ho’s masterpiece is one of the best Korean movies of the century and probably of all time.

1. Poetry | Lee Chang-dong | 2010

INARGUABLY and I say this in bold letters on purpose, the best Korean movie of the century. Lee Chang-dong is undoubtedly one of the best contemporary screenwriters and directors working today. Even with the thinnest plot that can be reduced to one sentence, the complex and layered drama that he packs will require multiple viewings to be comprehended completely. It does not get better than in “Poetry”. Contemplating guilt and grief and venting it out while facing an existential crisis forms an underlying theme of Lee’s melancholic “Poetry.” This is Lee’s most accessible work, but it contains a multitude of emotional and psychological layers.

Related to Best Korean Movies: 10 Great Korean Films You Can Watch on Netflix

“Poetry” is a film rich in emotions and complex thoughts. The emotional depth and psychological complexity Lee’s film carries is nothing less than a conundrum piece.  It tells the story of Mija, a 66-year-old woman who works part-time as a caretaker. She lives with her grandson in a simple home and discovers she has Alzheimer’s disease. As she joins a poetry class, eager to learn a new way to express herself, there’s a poignant irony: she’s learning to create with words at the same time she’s starting to lose her memory of them.

Other Film Lists You Should Check Out:

Every hirokazu koreeda film ranked 5 essential takeshi kitano movies every jim jarmusch film ranked, every korean film as listed on wikipedia, trending right now.

Either overly obsessed or deeply disinterested. A high functioning procrastinator who passionately writes on films. Juggling with passion, dreams, heartaches, career, survival and pissing on life.

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The 21 Best Korean Movies to Stream Now

From arthouse gems to big budget features, here are the best Korean movies to watch now.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

In 2017, a New York Times Magazine profile called director Park Chan-wook "the man who put Korean cinema on the map," and it's thanks to this 2003 hit, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes. It has all the winning elements of a great film: revenge, conspiracy, violent action sequences, and, at the center of it all, a legendary actor (Choi Min-sik).

Celine Song made her feature directorial debut with Past Lives , which she wrote based on her own experience immigrating to Canada from South Korea when she was 12. The poignant tale of love, loss, destiny, identity, and the selves we leave behind earned critical acclaim—and Oscar noms for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

Besides being a superb film, what gave Parasite its unstoppable, Oscar-winning momentum may have been Bong Joon-ho's razor sharp take on universal subject matter: the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor. Add in visually arresting set design and cinematography, a perfect mix of suspense and comedy, and Bong's mastery at social commentary and it's easy to see why this scathing portrait of greed and social inequality is one of the best films ever made.

Based on director Lee Isaac Chung's own childhood, Minari —starring Steven Yeun and Youn Yuh-jung, who won an Oscar for her supporting role—is really a quintessentially American tale about a family that moves to rural Arkansas to start a farm and chase the American dream. Along the way, and with the arrival of a grandmother from Korea, the film serves up a powerful lesson on resilience, family, and what it means to belong.

Return to Seoul

Directed by Cambodian-French director Davy Chou, this critically acclaimed film is centered on a 25-year-old Korean adoptee named Freddie (Park Ji-min), who ends up in Seoul for the first time in her life and embarks on a journey to find her biological parents and, in the process, discover herself.

Assassination

Korea's painful history, especially the 35 years the country spent under Japanese rule, is a constant source of cinematic inspiration. This 2015 hit—a revenge fantasy about a group of resistance fighters in 1930s Korea who plot to kill a pro-Japanese businessman and a high-ranking Japanese general—is one of the best on the subject.

Snowpiercer

An A-list cast (Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris) was assembled for Bong Joon-ho's English-language debut (which later inspired an AMC series). In this post-apocalyptic world, humanity's only surviving members live aboard a train that perpetually circumnavigates the globe, with the rich living splendor at the front, and the poor relegated to the back. In revolt, these lower class citizens, led by Evans's character, fight their way forward—but this being a Bong production, things aren't quite what they seem.

Miss Granny

In this hilarious, and touching, film, a septuagenarian widow has just learned her son is going to send her to a nursing home. She enters a photo studio to take what she believes will be her funeral portrait but is instead transported into the body of her 20-year-old self. The premise was such a huge success that a remake of this 2014 comedy has been done in eight countries around the world (and counting).

The Handmaiden

Park Chan-wook's feminist masterpiece was inspired by Sarah Waters's Fingersmith , except it trades the book's Victorian-era setting for 1930s Korea under Japanese rule. The thriller begins with a simple enough premise: a man hires a young pickpocket to help him seduce a Japanese heiress for her fortune. But of course things soon begin to unravel in ever more twisted ways.

Anyone who has seen Parasite and Snowpiercer knows that Bong Joon-ho is a pro at searing social commentary (see also: The Host ). The metaphor is especially poignant in Okja , his 2017 film about a young girl and her genetically modified super pig. When the corporation that created the animal comes to take it away, she joins forces with an animal liberation group to save her beloved pet from slaughter.

This 2018 psychological thriller, directed by Lee Chang-dong, uses the premise of a love triangle—between a working class man named Jong-su, his childhood friend Hae-mi, and her mysterious, rich, and possibly very disturbed new acquaintance Ben (played by Steven Yeun)—to deliver a sharp critique of the deep economic divisions that plague Korean society.

Yet another cult hit by Bong Joon-ho, Mother also exemplifies his characteristically subversive style. The titular mother, played by Kim Hye-ja, is a hardworking single parent who lives with and takes care of her mentally disabled adult son Do-joon (played by Won Bin). When a local girl is found murdered, Do-joon is arrested, tricked into signing a confession, and jailed, leaving his mother to investigate the crime herself and do whatever it takes to find the real killer.

Decision to Leave

Think Anatomy of a Fall , but with Park Chan-wook's signature twisty sensibility. Part neo-noir, part-romance, this 2022 film, which won Park the Best Director prize at Cannes, stars Park Hae-il as a detective investigating the death of a man, whose wife, played by Chinese actress Tang Wei, becomes his prime suspect—and love interest.

The moral depravity of the country's chaebol (family-run conglomerates) is a frequently explored subject in Korean films and TV. Veteran explores the theme by pitting a detective against an arrogant scion, while using several moments of comedy to bring levity to the sad fact that its portrayal of superrich kids behaving terribly isn't much of an exaggeration.

Kill Boksoon

Veteran actress Jeon Do-yeon, who has been a mainstay at Cannes since 2007 (she became the first Korean to win the Best Actress award at the festival that year for Secret Sunshine , and became the first Korean actress to serve on the main competition jury in 2014) stars in this 2023 Netflix film as a single mom of a bratty private school teen who secretly moonlights as a hired assassin. Her kill success rate is 100%. As for her parenting? Not so much.

Scandal Makers

In this 2008 classic, early aughts comedy king Cha Tae-hyun plays a thirty-something radio DJ and former teen idol who finds out that he is a grandfather when a young woman claiming to be his daughter shows up at his apartment with her son in tow. When paparazzi snap the trio, rumors spread that father and daughter are a romantic couple. Hilarity ensues.

The Thieves

An ensemble cast of Korea's top stars, including Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Soo-hyun, and Lee Jung-jae, star in this Ocean's Eleven- like heist comedy about a motley crew of ten thieves who band together to steal a valuable diamond from a Chinese crime boss.

The Man from Nowhere

In this 2010 film, early aughts heartthrob Won Bin plays a reclusive former secret agent who comes out of retirement to save a little girl—his only friend—who has been kidnapped by a violent drug gang. The movie was, to date, the actor's final onscreen apperance.

Train to Busan

A divorced father and his daughter board a train bound for Busan, but just before its doors close, a woman-turned-zombie slips in. Like the best zombie apolcalypse tales, Train to Busan is more about the undertones of class warfare set within a train. And about answering the real question: Who are the real monsters?

Extreme Job

This 2019 box office smash follows a group of narcotics detectives who are tasked with carrying out an undercover operation to bust an international drug gang. They purchase a fried chicken restaurant as a cover for their stakeouts, but, in a hilarious twist, the place becomes a viral sensation.

Leena Kim is an editor at Town & Country , where she covers travel, jewelry, education, weddings, and culture.

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The 11 best korean movies of 2019.

Discover the top Korean movies of 2019, across genres like action, drama, comedy, romance, crime and more.

By Anthony Kao , 26 Dec 19 04:52 GMT

In 2019, South Korea maintained its status as East Asia’s cinematic powerhouse. Beyond a certain film that gained unprecedented international buzz (keep reading if you don’t know which), Korean cinema produced over 150 features  during the year.

Out of all those, which are the Best Korean Movies of 2019? 

We here at  Cinema Escapist have compiled this list of the top 11 Korean films from 2019 to help you answer that question. These 11 Korean movies include both blockbusters and indie gems; they also represent a variety of genres including drama, comedy, thriller, romance, and action. Let’s take a look!

11. The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos

Korean Title: 나쁜 녀석들-더 무비  (Nappeun Nyeoseok-deul: Deo Mubi) | Director: Son Young-ho  | Starring: Kim Sang-joong, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Ah-joong, Jang Ki-yong | Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime

2019’s list of best Korean movies kicks off with  The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos . While it doesn’t reach classic status, this action flick swept Korea’s box office upon its release.

Based off an eponymous TV show ,  The Bad Guys  stars A-listers including  Ma Dong-seok and Kim Ah-joong  as a group of criminals recruited to help bring a  yakuza kingpin to justice. The film mixes dynamic fight scenes with moments of clumsy amusement. This, combined with a timely anti-Japanese tilt , likely endeared the film to Korean theatergoers.

To learn more about  The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos , read our full-length review .

10. The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil

Korean Title: 악인전 (Ak-in-jeon) | Director: Lee Won-tae | Starring: Ma Dong-seok, Kim Mu-yeol, Kim Sung-kyu | Genre: Action, Thriller

Action aficionados may also enjoy  The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil . The film’s unique premise sees a beefy gang boss (Ma Dong-seok) ally with a washed-out police detective (Kim Moo-yul) to hunt a demented serial killer (Kim Sung-kyu).

Suspense pervades  The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil . While our titular gangster and cop have the same goal, they employ vastly different methods towards that goal—it’s not clear until the end who might succeed. True to his reputation as a muscular action man, Ma Dong-seok throws many mean punches that keep the film’s momentum going.  The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil also got international attention. It screened at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival , and Sylvester Stallone wants to do a Hollywood remake .

To learn more about  The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil , read our full review .

9. Innocent Witness

Korean Title: 증인 (Jeungin) | Director: Lee Han | Starring: Jung Woo-sung, Kim Hyang-gi | Genre: Drama, Crime

Innocent Witness  begins with a purported crime. After her depressed elderly client dies, a housekeeper named Mi-ran gets charged with his murder. The only witness to this supposed act is Ji-woo (Kim Hyang-gi)—a 15 year old girl on the autistic spectrum.

Enter heartthrob actor Jung Woo-sung as Mi-ran’s defense attorney Sun-ho. A former human rights lawyer who sold out for big bucks, Sun-ho defends Mi-ran  pro bono to curry favor with his boss. After realizing Ji-woo may hold the key to proving Mi-ran’s innocence, Sun-ho tries to befriend the teenage girl. In the process, he learns about what it means to be a “good person.”

It’s refreshing to see Jung Woo-sung in a non-romantic role, and actress Kim Hyang-gi does a great job of sensitively portraying an autistic character. While  Innocent Witness  might not have  Miracle in Cell No. 7 levels of popularity when it comes to Korean films that blend developmental disorders with quests for justice, it evokes a similar heartwarming feel.

8. Birthday

Korean Title: 생일 (Saeng-il) | Director: Lee Jong-un  | Starring: Sol Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon | Genre: Drama, Family, Tragedy

In 2014, the ferry MV  Sewol sank near South Korea’s coast. 304 people died, including 250 students. The tragedy plunged South Korea into a state of intense national soul-searching , as it surfaced issues of cronyism and government incompetence. While Korean filmmakers have made multiple documentaries about the  Sewol disaster, 2019’s  Birthday is the first dramatic feature that explores the incident.

Produced by master filmmaker Lee Chang-dong ,  Birthday  follows a family who lost their eldest son Su-ho to the  Sewol disaster. As Su-ho’s birthday approaches, father Jung-il and mother Soon-nam struggle to raise their surviving daughter Ye-sol in the shadow of their son’s memory.

Unlike the  Sewol- focused documentaries,  Birthday focuses less on the accident itself than its emotional aftermath. This is a strikingly mournful movie that looks at the tragedy from a single family’s perspective. Those looking for a slower-paced, poignant exploration of loss will find meaning in  Birthday .

7. Another Child

Korean Title: 미성년 (Mi-seong-nyeon) | Director: Kim Yoon-seok | Starring: Yum Jung-ah, Kim So-jin, Kim Hye-jun, Park Se-jin | Genre: Drama, Family

Broken families take center stage with  Another Child . In this unexpectedly entertaining family drama, two teenagers named Joo-ri (Kim Hye-jun) and Yoon-ah (Park Se-jin) discover their father and mother, respectively, are having an affair. Together, they face the mess their family lives have become.

This premise might sound trite at first. However,  Another Child executes it superbly. The film proceeds at an engaging pace, and blends humorous moments with serious contemplations on the nature of family. Every major character gets fleshed out properly, and excellent acting helps audiences empathize with each of them, regardless of their flaws. The actresses who play our teenage protagonists especially stand out; Joo-ri’s actress Kim Hye-jun even won the 2019 Blue Dragon Award (Korea’s equivalent of the Oscars) for Best New Actress.

Korean Title: 엑시트 (Ek-si-teu) | Director: Lee Sang-geun | Starring: Jo Jung-suk, Im Yoon-ah | Genre: Disaster, Comedy, Action

Fans of K-pop supergroup Girls Generation  ought to see  Exit , which stars member Im Yoon-ah  (popularly known as Yoona). Those who aren’t K-pop fans can also enjoy this dynamic action movie, which mixes high entertainment value with biting social commentary.

In  Exit , Yoona and Jo Jung-suk star as two downtrodden Korean millennials named Yong-nam and Eui-ju. When a toxic gas cloud creeps through Seoul, they must use their rock climbing skills to reach safety. While this premise might sound a bit ridiculous,  Exit injects it with great suspense and humor.

As our two leads scale Seoul’s labyrinthine urban landscape,  Exit  also starts feeling like an extended metaphor for millennial Koreans’ existential misery . Despite their expertise in a quintessentially millennial sport , Yong-nam and Eui-ju constantly lose out to  privileged brats and baby boomers  when rescue helicopters come along. When they do catch any breaks, it’s thanks to fellow downtrodden millennials who fly drones and leverage social media.

E xit  became 2019’s third highest grossing Korean movie, and this degree of societal relevance likely helped. When your country is a “hell with no exit,” a movie called  Exit sounds pretty appealing.

To learn more about  Exit , read our complete review .

Korean Title: 돈 (Don) | Director: Park Noo-ri | Starring: Ryu Jun-yeol, Yoo Ji-tae, Jo Woo-jin | Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller

If you liked the American movie  Wall Street , 2019 Korean film  Money might be up your alley. In this tale of high Korean finance, a young stockbroker named Jo Il-hyun (Ryu Jun-yeol) gets involved with a mysterious insider trading scheme. Dogged securities regulator Han Ji-chul (Jo Woo-jin) catches wind of this scheme—and a rollicking game of cat and mouse ensues.

Reminiscent of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio’s  Wolf of Wall Street ,  Money deftly deploys humor and suspense to weave a story about hubris and ostentatious materialism. Ryu Jun-yeol’s convincing performance as a countryside youngster with something to prove also drives  Money forward. Along with last year’s  Default ,  Money shows Korea can make finance-driven flicks that rival Hollywood peers.

Learn more about  Money in our comprehensive review .

4. Extreme Job

Korean Title: 극한직업 (Geukan Jigeop) | Director: Lee Byeong-heon | Starring: Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Hanee, Lee Dong-hwi, Gong Myung | Genre: Comedy, Action

One of Korea’s best comedies , Extreme Job dominated 2019’s box office and became the second most watched Korean movie of all time. Almost a third of South Korea’s population  saw it in theaters, and Hollywood plans an American remake .

The film centers on a squad of five bumbling anti-narcotics detectives. To maintain cover during a stakeout, they end up buying and operating a fried chicken restaurant. Thanks to a young detective’s secret recipe, the restaurant becomes unexpectedly popular. As fried chicken orders pile on and social media influencers stream in, the squad must balance culinary success with their ultimate goal to bust a major drug trafficking ring.

It’s impressive how far  Extreme Job runs with this unique premise. Buddy cop jokes and well-crafted fight scenes become complementary ingredients that help the film maintain audiences’ interest. The detectives also enjoy good chemistry and a surprising amount of character development. Extreme Job is like a plate of Korean fried chicken —it’s not haute cuisine , but its hearty taste will leave you satisfied.

3. House of Hummingbird

Korean Title: 벌새 (Beol-sae) | Director: Kim Bora | Starring: Park Ji-hoo, Kim Sae-byuk | Genre: Drama, Coming-of-Age, Romance

Though  House of Hummingbird premiered in October 2018 at the Busan International Film Festival, we’re including it in this list of 2019’s best Korean movies, as its main theatrical release came in 2019. Inspired by director Kim Bora’s childhood, the film occurs in the year 1994 and centers on a 14 year-old girl named Eun-hee. She hails from a dysfunctional working-class family on the margins of society, and lives a lonely, muted existence.

As Seoul industrializes around her , Eun-hee comes of age. A new cram school teacher becomes a mentor, and Eun-hee also starts exploring her sexuality with both boys and girls. Her life feels simultaneously bleak yet peppered with flares of human connection. In a way, she’s like the titular hummingbird—fluttering from flower to flower, searching for the nectars of life. Those who enjoy Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda ‘s movies like  Shoplifters and Nobody Knows  will find resonance in  House of Hummingbird  ‘s tender ruminations on family, independence, and the nostalgic travails of adolescence.

Learn more in our complete review of  House of Hummingbird .

2. Kim Ji-young, Born 1982

Korean Title: 82년생 김지영 (82nyeonsaeng Kimjiyoung) | Director: Kim Do-Young | Starring: Jung Yu-mi, Gong Yoo | Genre: Drama

At  Cinema Escapist , we value films that have societal significance. That’s why  Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 made it onto our list of 2019’s top Korean movies. The film raises important questions about gender dynamics in Korean society, and has generated more heated opinions and political discourse than any other film in this article.

Based off an eponymous bestselling novel ,  Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 centers on a woman named Kim Ji-young (Jung Yu-mi). Kim has the most popular female name for Korean babies born in 1982, something that cements her status as an “everywoman.”  Slowly paced and low key, the film follows her life as an ordinary mother. Along the way, it highlights the everyday indignities she suffers in professional, public, and family settings due to conservative gender expectations.

Millions of Korean women found  Kim Ji-young ‘s portrayal of patriarchy highly relatable. The film topped Korean box offices upon its release thanks predominantly to female viewers . Men, however, did not find it so fantastic.

The film’s feminist message comes at a time where the #MeToo movement has not only inspired many South Korean women to speak out about misogyny, but also sparked  virulent backlash from Korean men . Kim Ji-young further intensified this debate around South Korea’s gender expectations—and apparently even caused breakups . To us, that’s evidence of  Kim Ji-young ‘s status as a societally impactful piece of art.

Learn more in our full-length review of  Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 .

1. Parasite

Korean Title: 기생충 (Gisaengchung) | Director: Bong Joon-ho | Starring: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam | Genre: Thriller, Black Comedy

To no cinephile’s surprise,  Parasite  tops our list of 2019’s best Korean films. A rare gem that manages to achieve the holy trinity of box office, awards, and critical success,  Parasite  might be the most internationally renowned Korean movie thus far. Beyond US$120 million in theatrical takings,  Parasite won the Palme d’Or at 2019’s Cannes Film Festival, and has Oscars nominations for Best Director, Screenplay, and International Feature.

What makes  Parasite so great? Well, it achieves another rare holy trinity: it’s entertaining, artistic, and socially relevant.  Parasite director Bong Joon-ho imbued the film with a rollicking story about a poor family who scams their way into becoming the household staff of a rich family.

While this premise sounds simple, it has superb execution. Parasite blends meme-able dark humor , memorable acting , and even catchy jingles  with top-notch cinematography and intricate set design . The film taps perfectly into South Korean anxieties around income inequality , and makes them globally relatable. It’s rare you have people from West Virginia to Saudi Arabia  united in praise about a Korean movie. Yet,  Parasite has made that happen.

To learn more about why the film is such a hit,  read our full article about  Parasite .

Want more Korean movies? Check out our lists of the best romance , action , comedy , and war movies from Korea! You can also find our lists for the best Korean films from 2017 and 2018 .

Want more? Join our 30K+ followers on Facebook and Twitter .

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• Born June 25 , 1982 · Seoul, Korea
• Birth name Ji-Hoon Jung
• Nation's Thief
• Height 6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
• Rain was born in Seoul, South Korea on June 25, 1982 as Jung Jihoon. He was extremely shy in elementary school; in interviews he's stated that he barely spoke. He caught the desire to become a dancer at a school talent show in sixth grade; when nobody from his school stepped forward to dance, he gave it a try, imitating the moves he saw on TV. The applause was extremely gratifying, and he decided right then to become a professional dancer. To learn, he sought out older street dancers who sometimes helped him--and other times bullied and beat him up. Rain and his younger sister Hana enjoyed a comfortable life until the Korean recession of 1997, when his father's mill and bakery businesses failed. Bankrupt, his father left for Brazil to pursue economic opportunities, leaving Rain's mother to try to support the family as a food vendor. Rain got a start in the entertainment business as part of a 6-member boy band, Fanclub. Revealing abuses in the Korean entertainment industry, Rain described the Fanclub members as "caged animals" locked in the rehearsal room for up to 10 hours without food. After Fanclub released only two CDs, the company promoting them failed and Rain was back to square one. During his junior year of high school, he lived with some of his dance-group members, subsisting mostly on cups of ramen noodles. He auditioned 18 times for entertainment companies but was told that, although he was talented, he was too ugly to become a star. He was told that he should have plastic surgery to create "double eyelids", a common Korean practice to obtain more western-looking eyes. Finally, in 2000 he was accepted by JYP Entertainment as a trainee. CEO Park Jin Young, who put Rain through a grueling 3-4-hour audition, described him as "desperate" and "like a tiger who was about to starve to death" (2008 Discovery Channel documentary "Hip Korea"). JYP stipulated that Rain had to attend college, so after studying "ferociously," Rain got accepted to Kyunghee University and became a music major. He spent three years as a trainee and back-up dancer for JYP, who has stated that he was particularly critical of Rain in order to push him to be the best and keep him from getting a "swelled head." During Rain's time as a trainee, his family lived in poverty and his mother became increasingly ill with diabetes as she lacked money for insulin or medical care. Rain drove himself hard to prove that he was ready to make his debut, but he didn't achieve success in time to save her life; she died of complications from diabetes a year before his debut. This had a huge impact on him; he has said in interviews that he regrets having had conflict with her over skipping school to go to dance practice, and that he believes she is in heaven where she can see him. He says that a major motivation in his life is to make her proud and he visits her grave before embarking on each new project. Another motivation he has mentioned is remembering what being hungry was like. He is a self-professed workaholic, and after acting alongside him in Speed Racer, John Goodman called him "the hardest working man in show business." - IMDb Mini Biography By: isilvalie
• Spouse Kim Tae-hee (January 19, 2017 - present) (2 children)
• Children Child
• Relatives Hana (Sibling)
• Lived in poverty, his mother died when he was in his teens.
• He is a singer, dancer and actor in Korea and well-known in Asia.
• Rain is known for his many charity efforts, a few notable examples: In 2005 He donated money to have 50 drinking water wells built and in 2007 to have playgrounds built in Cambodia. In 2006 Rain participated in the Love Photography Exhibition to help find adoptive parents and was appointed World Vision HIV/AIDS Ambassador. A percent of his 2006-2007 World Tour concert proceeds were donated to assist children orphaned by AIDs. In 2007 he participated in the MTV EXIT campaign against human trafficking. In 2008 he volunteered in the Taean oil spill cleanup and donated 300 million won. In 2009 he performed in Jackie Chan's "Good Friends" concert (all proceeds donated to charity) and participated in the Green Ribbon Hope Walking Campaign to raise funds for prevention and to help find missing children.
• As part of a group of pan-Asian artists, Rain sang in front of 91,000 people at the 2008 Olympics Closing Ceremony in the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing
• His favorite artists are Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson .
• [Rain's motto:] Endless effort, endless humility, endless modesty.
• I dedicated my 20s, my passion and energy to the name 'Rain.' I always did my best and I thought if I did, it would eventually show and even if it didn't turn out well, I wouldn't have any regrets.
• The biggest competition is myself. I am not looking to follow others or pull them down. I'm planning to test my own boundaries.
• [on training for 'Ninja Assassin'] I trained for six hours a day for six months. Five hours on martial arts and one hour on total body fitness. Their system is amazing. It's not just about lifting weights and cutting out chocolate. It combines a re-growth diet and a lot of core strength building. It's about the entire body, inside and out, not just single muscle building. It was hard, but it was incredibly rewarding.

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The 20 Best South Korean Crime Movies of the 21st Century (So Far)

For new memories of murder.

Since Parasite 's incredible popularity, moviegoers have sought more South Korean film production. Unbeknownst to many, South Korea is known for crafting gritty, honest films that accurately represent the harsh realities of life, especially crime movies. It could be the sincerity or the unapologetically exploring the worst aspects of society yet occasionally managing to give viewers hope that makes Korean crime movies so attractive to spectators.

It's no secret that crime movies are the most engaging to watch. Maybe it's the way they blend the action with more severe issues like shady politics, racism, and criminal justice system corruption. Or perhaps it's merely the joy of watching criminal masterminds carry out their master plans. Either way, they all make for fascinating stories. Thus, these are some must-watch South Korean crime thriller movies of the 21st century you can stream right now.

20 'Kill Boksoon' (2023)

Directed by byun shung-hyun.

Kill Boksoon is a recently released Netflix crime thriller that centers on renowned hitwoman Gil Bok-soon ( Jeon Do-Yeon ), a single mother who feels distant from her adolescent daughter Gil Jae-young ( Kim Si-a ) despite being the best at her job.

The movie is an incredibly entertaining action-thriller that more than makes up for its predictable flaws with a ton of fantastic set pieces, compelling domestic drama, and odd humor. Kill Boksoon has been compared to a female version of John Wick , however, with more humor and heartfelt scenes while also being able to criticize many societal concerns.

Kill Boksoon

Watch on Netflix

19 'The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil' (2019)

Directed by lee won-tae.

A serial murder case is being investigated in Cheonan, but it leads to nowhere. However, only Tae-suk ( Kim Mu-yeol ), a police officer, recognizes that all the murders are the work of the same assailant and begins an inquiry. Later, a strange man attacks Dong-soo ( Ma Dong-seok ), a gang boss, and Tae-suk suspects that this man is the serial killer K ( Kim Sungkyu ), and Dong-soo becomes K’s only survivor.

Thanks to Park Se-Seung 's clean and vivid cinematography, the movie is visually appealing and is drenched in neon and dramatic lighting. The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil is, for the most part, a fast-paced, exciting crime-thriller with two fascinating leads. Also, it successfully tackles the gangster film clichés and combines the action thriller with the cop story in a novel way, which quickly draws in the audience.

The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil

Watch on Peacock

18 'Inside Men' (2015)

Directed by woo min-ho.

Inside Men revolves around An Sang-Goo ( Lee Byung-hun ), a political henchman who becomes embroiled in a power struggle among corrupt politicians, prosecutors, and conglomerate leaders. After being betrayed and manipulated by his superiors, An sets out on a path of revenge, seeking justice and exposing the corruption that runs deep within society.

The movie is a biting, compelling exposé of the shady practices used in Korean society to control power and public opinion. Moreover, Inside Men stands apart in the crime genre because it doesn't have a villain that viewers can cheer for and it isn't afraid to criticize the corrupt aspects of society and the legal system.

Watch on Kocowa

17 'A Dirty Carnival' (2006)

Directed by ha yoo.

A Dirty Carnival follows Kim Byung-doo ( Jo In Sung ), a small-time gangster who aspires to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld. He finds himself caught between loyalty to his friends and family and the increasing pressure to perform criminal activities for his boss. As Kim becomes entangled in a power struggle, he faces difficult choices that test his morality and ultimately redefine his relationships.

The film stands out among other neo-noir action movies due to its realistic portrayal of the gritty and violent world of organized crime. It also offers an unflinching look at the corrupt practices, power struggles, and betrayals that occur within this setting.

Buy on Amazon

16 'The Yellow Sea' (2010)

Directed by na hong-jin.

The Yellow Sea follows Gu-nam ( Ha Jung-woo ), a taxi driver from the Chinese-Korean border region who is drawn into a life of crime and violence after accepting a perilous mission. Gu-nam agrees to take part in a kill operation in Seoul in order to pay off his rising debt and, hopefully, discover his missing wife.

The movie expertly combines noir and suspense elements, enveloping spectators in a world of shady connections, betrayals, and thrilling pursuits. Additionally, The Yellow Sea stands out for its ability to consistently convey a sense of suspense and desperation. It's a suspenseful thriller with a menacing atmosphere that goes deeply into the minds of its characters, especially Gu-nam, the protagonist who struggles with moral dilemmas.

Rent on Apple TV

15 'No Mercy' (2010)

Directed by kim hyeong-jun.

No Mercy follows the leading forensic pathologist Kang Min-ho ( Sol Kyung-gu ) who is set to retire but when the dismembered corpse of a young woman is discovered, he decides to undertake one final job. A serial killer then threatens to kill his daughter if he is not granted bail when Kang is close to catching the murderer.

The film is straightforward and uncompromising in its depiction with numerous autopsy scenes and intimate sequences which are not intended to shock but rather to heighten the sense of anguish. Moreover, Sol Kyung-gu won Best Actor at the 18th Chunsa Film Art Awards for his performance.

14 'Forgotten' (2017)

Directed by jang hang-jun.

Forgotten follows Jin-seok ( Kang Ha-neul ), a young man who, along with his family, moves into a new home in the countryside after his brother Yoo-seok is released from a mental health facility in the movie . Jin-seok starts to wonder if his brother is not who he claims to be as he starts to unearth a string of odd and scary happenings.

The movie masterfully combines aspects of mystery, family drama, and psychological suspense to create a gripping story that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats throughout. In addition, the film's tension is apparent as it reveals the layers of deception and intrigue. It is an engaging and thrilling investigation of the hazy boundaries between reality and illusion.

13 'Montage' (2013)

Directed by chung keun-sup.

Montage revolves around a cold case that resurfaces after 15 years when a kidnapping case, in which a child went missing and was later found dead, is reopened. The film follows the perspectives of the grieving parents of the victim, the detective who failed to solve the case originally, and a new investigator. They start a new inquiry when they start receiving enigmatic messages and pictures that appear to be from the kidnapper.

Montage artfully plays with the audience's expectations , offering unexpected plot twists and revelations that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. It presents a web of interconnected characters, each with their own motives and secrets, and invites viewers to piece together the puzzle along with the characters on screen.

Watch on Roku

12 'Innocent Witness' (2019)

Directed by lee han.

Innocent Witness follows Soon-ho ( Jung Woo-sung ), a lawyer who is assigned to defend a girl with autism named Ji-woo ( Kim Hyang-gi ), who is the sole witness to a murder case. As Soon-ho investigates the case, he comes to the conclusion that Ji-woo's testimony will be crucial in establishing the defendant's innocence. However, he will have to deal with the difficulties of working with a witness who communicates differently.

The film is renowned for its moving examination of the nexus between justice and empathy , illuminating the difficulties of memory and communication as well as the significance of comprehending people who have cognitive disabilities. The movie also features an emotional and thought-provoking narrative that challenges viewers to reflect on the moral and ethical ramifications of the legal system as well as the ability for compassion in people.

Buy on Apple TV

11 'Decision to Leave' (2022)

Directed by park chan-wook.

Decision to Leave centers on the insomniac investigator Hae-joon ( Park Hae-il ), who is tasked with solving the death of a man who died after falling to his death from a mountain's peak. He then begins to suspect the deceased man's wife Seo-rae ( Tang Wei ) was behind this. As he looks into the case more, he discovers that he is caught in a web of deceit and desire.

The film is a suspenseful murder mystery that also functions as a chic love melodrama, fusing the procedural and the emotional aspects with ease. Unquestionably, this is Park Chan-wook 's most refined and mature work to date. It seamlessly integrates the genre with visually spectacular cinematography and matching soundtracks.

Decision to Leave

Watch on Mubi

10 'New World' (2013)

Directed to park hoon-jung.

Ja-Sung ( Lee Jung-jae ) has found himself in the position of being the right-hand man of the organization's second-in-command, Jung Chung ( Hwang Jung-min ), after going undercover in South Korea's largest crime syndicate. When the boss is killed in a car accident, a power struggle breaks out among the gang. Ja-Sung, who hopes to leave his secret life behind and starts a new life with his pregnant wife, is forced to stay because his commanding chief wants to seize control of the organization.

New World may appeal to Martin Scorsese 's The Departed fans because director Park Hoon-Jung masterfully builds tension as the film progresses and manages to inject genuine emotional depth into the proceedings. Moreover, along with the well-known plot twists, the movie features customary violence, anti-heroes, remarkable action sequences , and fashionable gangsters in suits.

Watch on Pluto

9 'A Bittersweet Life' (2005)

Directed by kim jee-woon.

A Bittersweet Life revolves around Sun-woo (Lee Byung-hun), a stoic and loyal enforcer working for a high-end hotel owner. Suspicions emerge when he is given the responsibility of keeping tabs on the boss's mistress, Hee-soo ( Shin Min-ah ), and this sets off a complex web of betrayal and retaliation.

The movie is praised for its elegant direction, thrilling action sequences, and a compelling storyline full of moral quandaries. As he makes his way through a dangerous underworld, the movie shows Sun-woo's transition from a stoic enforcer to an angry force of nature. The film's aesthetic appeal is also enhanced by the stunning cinematography and well-choreographed action scenes, and the complex plot keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

A Bittersweet Life

Watch on Kanopy

8 'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance' (2003)

Ryu ( Shin Ha-kyun ) is a deaf person who works in a factory to support his sick sister, who requires a kidney transplant. He decides to obtain the kidney from a black organ-trading market, where he is swindled. He then kidnaps a wealthy girl for ransom at his most desperate time. However, things do not go as planned, and every character begins seeking vengeance on the other.

The first installment of Park Chan-Wook's critically acclaimed Vengeance Trilogy , the film can be challenging to sit through since it takes melancholy and bleakness to new heights. Park compels viewers to imagine a world where morally upright individuals behave badly, and awful things are dealt to them by fate. Yet, the film discovers unexpected and sad traces of humanity even in its worst times.

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

Watch on Tubi

7 'Lady Vengeance' (2010)

In her early twenties, Lee Geum-Ja ( Lee Yeong-ae ) was convicted of kidnapping and murdering a small boy. She was given a 13-year sentence in prison, during which time she acquired a lot of new friends. She immediately begins planning her vengeance after being liberated.

Lady Vengeance , the final installment of Park Chan-Wook's critically praised Vengeance Trilogy, is perhaps the lightest entry in the series, but that doesn't mean the audiences will not receive some heavy subjects in this critically-acclaimed revenge movie . Even though it lacks the distinctive intensity of the first two films, the film remains a stunning and unique art piece from a director at the peak of his game.

Lady Vengeance

6 'the man from nowhere' (2010), directed by lee jeong-beom.

Cha Tae-Sik ( Won Bin ) was a special forces agent until he was forcefully separated from his wife and child. He now works alone as a pawnshop proprietor, cuts off from the rest of the world, and seems uninterested in rejoining society. That is until he meets the young girl next door, whose mother has neglected her, and together they form a bond. When the mother makes the critical mistake of taking cocaine from a powerful crime lord, she and her daughter are kidnapped by gangsters, and it's up to Cha Tae-Sik to restore order.

The Man from Nowhere is a bleak and emotionally draining movie that deals with awful issues like child abuse, organ trafficking, drug addiction, kidnapping, and murder. However, it still manages to transmit many familial moments and frame it as a kinetic action thriller . Despite its overall lack of novelty, the movie is very well-made throughout, with strong leading performances.

The Man from Nowhere

5 'mother' (2009), directed by bong joon-ho.

Do-Joon (Won Bin) is a meek young man with an intellectual disability who is cared for by his overbearing mother ( Kim Hye-ja ). Do-Joon spends a lot of time with Jin-tae ( Jin Goo ), whom the mother perceives as a negative influence. One day, the girl is found dead, and the police are led to Do-Joon by circumstantial evidence. This ordeal tests the unique mother-son bond in the movie .

Featuring outstanding performances from the cast and brilliant direction from acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho, Mother is full of ambiguity and heartbreaking scenes. The film was nominated and won a slew of awards at several international film festivals the year it was released.

4 'The Chaser' (2008)

Joong-ho ( Kim Yoon-seok ) is a former cop who now works as a pimp. Two of his girls have recently vanished without paying their bills. With remaining detective skills, Jung-ho decides to investigate. After a long chase, he apprehends the culprit, but both men are caught and taken to the police station.​​​

The Chaser was filmmaker Na Hong-jin 's first film, and he delivered a suspenseful and intricately structured thrill ride in his debut. The film's screenplay also sets out to expose the systemic factors that made these crimes and others like them possible. The Chaser won many prizes in Korea, including Best Film and Best Director.

3 'I Saw the Devil' (2010)

When serial killer Kyung-Chul ( Choi Min-sik ) murders pregnant Joo-Yun ( Oh San Ha ) on a snowy night and dismembers her body, he has no idea that her father, a police officer, and her boyfriend (Lee Byung-hun), a National Intelligence Service secret agent, will go to any length to identify the perpetrator and bring him to justice.

Violent, upsetting, and starring Korea's greatest actors in the game, I Saw the Devil is another noteworthy South Korean entry in the revenge movie genre and well worth seeing for fans of these types of films. Also, the movie is a masterpiece in every way, with exquisite direction and scriptwriting, intricate cinematography, and one of the most stunning cinematic endings ever .

I Saw the Devil

A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.

2 'Memories of Murder' (2003)

The film was inspired by a true event about ten women who were raped and murdered in a small hamlet in Gyeonggi province, south of Seoul, between 1986 and 1991. Memories of Murder begins when the first victim is discovered, with an inquiry led by two inexperienced local detectives, Park Doo Man ( Song Kang-Ho ) and Cho Yong Koo ( Kim Roi Ha ) and a Seoul-based detective, Seo Tae Yoon, that leads nowhere.

The film depicts the quickly changing political climate in South Korea in the late 80s when the country was emerging from a dictatorship, as seen by the ruthless tactics of the local police force. Despite the dark topic, the film manages to be darkly hilarious, cementing Bong Joon-ho's reputation as a director and making it one of the best crime Korean movies of all time .

Memories of Murder

In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.

1 'Oldboy' (2003)

Oh Dae-su ( Choi Min-sik ), a husband and father, is kidnapped and thrown in solitary confinement in a hotel-like prison on his daughter's birthday for unknown reasons. After 15 years, he is abruptly released following receiving a phone call from his captor. From then, it's a race against time to discover his tormentor and execute vengeance, as he only has one day to solve the puzzle.

Oldboy earned the Special Jury Prize at Cannes and a slew of other nominations and accolades worldwide, making it the first Korean crime movie that received Hollywood’s attention in the expanding Korean film industry. Oldboy still holds its own as a modern retribution masterpiece , packed with tremendous brutality and with an iconic shocking film ending , but with a plot that captures viewers' interest and keeps them committed through every turn.

Oldboy (2003)

After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must find his captor in five days.

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