Due to the influence of Korean culture and pop culture worldwide, the Korean language has gained much popularity among the masses in recent years. In addition to popular Korean pop groups such as BTS, BLACKPINK, and many more, the popularity of Korean dramas and movies has also risen.
In this article, we will specifically look at Korean movies. All of us enjoy watching movies. Some people have a liking for a specific movie genre, while others like a variety of films. If you are someone who has yet to step into the world of Korean cinema, this article is precisely what you will need. If you are looking for good Korean films to watch, this article will give you some ideas about what you should watch next.
Before jumping into the list of movies, you must wonder what makes Korean movies so popular and have a cult following. Korean filmmakers have a unique and diverse storytelling ability that is different from most other movie industries in the world. This factor, coupled with their rich history and heritage, makes their movies masterpieces that can not only keep their audiences at the edge of their seats but also engage them and bubble up emotions. Furthermore, watching these films can help you pick up the basics of the Korean language faster. Now, let us look at some of the most popular movies according to their specific genre.
Famous Korean Thriller Films
Memories of Murder
This movie was directed by Bong Joon Ho, who received 3 Academy Awards. The story follows the life of two detectives in a small, tight-knit Korean province in 1986 who were faced with the struggle of catching the killer of multiple women who were not only murdered and raped.
It might come as a surprise to many, but Memories of Murder is loosely based on South Korea’s first serial killer - Lee Chun-Jae.
This movie is known as a masterpiece not only for its story but also for its cinematography. Audiences are constantly forced to reassess what they see. What truly makes this movie outstanding is undeniably its ending.
Once you have watched this movie, you will see why it received such good ratings. It has an 8.1 on IMDb and 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Oldboy
Oldboy is a 2003 thriller movie. It tells the exhilarating tale of Oh Dae-Sung, who was not only kidnapped but also imprisoned for 15 years, and his journey to find and track his captors. This is a masterpiece by Park Chan-Wook, who also directed and produced the Thirst.
One thing that stands out about this movie, in addition to good writing, is that it keeps its audiences at the edge of their seats. There is not a second that this movie is boring. The film has gore, but its emotional realism makes it a must-watch for thriller fans. It comes as no surprise that this movie got an 8.3 rating on IMDb and an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Famous Korean History Movies
A Taxi Driver
A Taxi Driver follows the life of a taxi driver who drives a German reporter all the way from Seoul to Gwangju during the 1980 uprising. What started as a simple journey transformed into a fight for survival during the Gwangju Uprising, a significant event in Korean history. It is based on the true story and account of Jürgen Hinzpeter. The movie was made brilliantly, and the characters are really brought to life. This is one of Jun Jang’s excellent works. This movie was rated 7.9 on IMDb and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Last Princess
The Last Princess tells the tale of the Joseon Dynasty’s last princess - Princess Deokhye. She was forced to leave Korea at a young age to pursue an education. She was only able to return to Korea thirty-seven years later. Although this movie was woven with many fictional characters, it was an excellent glimpse into the life and struggle of Princess Deokhye. This movie was directed by Hur Jin-Ho and was a massive success with a 7.1 rating on IMDb and 71% on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you have an interest in K-pop songs and K-drama series, check out Learning Korean with Your Favorite Series and Songs.
Famous Korean Horror Films
The Wailing
If you are a horror genre fan, this movie is a must-watch. The Wailing was released in 2016, although it was released over eight years ago. Despite this, it remains one of the top Korean horror movies of all time, even today. The director of this movie is Na Hong-Jin. He is a famous director and writer known for many highly-rated films such as The Medium and The Chaser.
The Wailing is a tale about a policeman who is investigating a mysterious sickness in his town. This mysterious sickness quickly intertwined with his family, and he needed to solve it quickly to save them. This movie touches on possession, demonology, and exorcism.
This movie is nothing short of a masterpiece that will keep you captivated throughout. It has gorgeous cinematography and just the right amount of confusion to keep its audiences disturbed.
It is no surprise that this movie has a rating of 7.4 on IMDb and 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Tale of Two Sisters
The Tale of two sisters is a movie tagged under horror and mystery. Although this movie was initially released over 20 years ago, it is still very popular with horror fans even today.
Kim Jee-Won directed and wrote this movie. It tells the story of a young Su-Mi who reunites with her sister Su-Yeon to live in their country home with their father and stepmother. As time progresses, weird events start to happen in their home, unearthing shocking revelations that affect not only Su-Mi but also those around her.
This movie is a definite slow-burner. Although the pace seems slow, it keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
This movie is one of Korea’s highest-grossing horror movies and is one of the first few Korean movies to be screened in American theatres. It remains a cult classic till today.
This movie has a rating of 7.1 on IMDb and 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Train to Busan
A list of Korean horror movies must include Train to Busan. This internationally famous movie is the highest-grossing Korean movie in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
This movie is a must-watch Zombie classic. It came out in 2016 and remains a popular choice among horror fans. The story follows the journey of a father and daughter who travel on a train from Seoul to Busan during a Zombie outbreak. It is undeniably a mind-blowing masterpiece.
This movie got a 7.6 on IMDb and 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you are into horror, you should also watch Exhuma, The Host, and The Call. These will surely satisfy your thirst for a good horror binge!
Famous Korean Science Fiction movies
The Call
The Call is a famous sci-fi Korean movie with a cult following. It tells the story of two people, Soo Yeon and Young Sook, who are connected by one phone call. One lives in the past, while the other lives in the future. These women start to talk to each other, living in the same house but 20 years apart.
Chung Hyun Lee directed this movie, which received a 7.1 rating on IMDb and a whopping 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Witch Part 1: The Subversion
This movie tells the tale of a young girl who escaped from a government facility without any memory of what happened to her. After a few years, she joined a competition to win some money for her family, and this is where the story of her past starts to unravel.
This movie is an absolute masterpiece! It has everything you could possibly want and is expertly directed. It not only has excellent acting but also good action scenes with a good dash of mystery and suspense that will keep its audiences hooked to the screen.
This movie got a rating of 7.1 on IMDb and 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Unlike most other movie industries, Korean movies are highly intertwined with the country’s culture. In order to truly understand these movies, you will need to understand the Korean language and its culture. While there are many resources to learn Korean, what better way to do this than hiring a tutor to help you learn and master the language?
Superprof is an online platform that connects students and tutors for various subjects and hobbies, including the Korean language. If you are looking to learn the Korean language with the help of a tutor, then Superprof is where you should be heading. Our tutors are not only experienced in the Korean language but also qualified. To top these, our team also verifies them so you know you are getting the best for your money’s worth. Learning Korean is not only valuable for watching movies; in fact, knowing this additional language can highly benefit you in your career as well.
One of the best things about Superprof is that most of our tutors offer their first lesson for free. This makes it convenient for students to get a feel for their tutor’s teaching method and style before they commit to hiring them. It is essential for us that students find the best fit for their learning goals. If you want to learn to write in Korean and familiarise yourself with the Korean alphabet, Hangul, or learn common Korean words and phrases, our tutors are ready to assist you. We are known for our quality and flexibility, so what are you waiting for?
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