In the last few years, Korean dramas have managed to amass a massive fanbase for themselves. Shows like ‘Goblin’ and ‘Descendants of the Sun’ transcended boundaries and acquired almost a cult following. Similarly, K-pop groups like BTS, BLACKPINK, and EXO were able to deliver their music across space and ages. While the world has showered Korean dramas and music with a lot of attention and affection, Korean cinema also has its share of cinematic gems to offer to the world. Here’s a list of some of the best Korean movies of all time.
The Best Korean Movies Of All Time
1 | Oldboy (2003)
- Directed By: Park Chan Wook
- Stars: Choi Min Sik, Yoo Ji Tae, Kang Hye Jeong
- Run Time: 120 min
- Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery
- Movie description: Oldboy is a 2003 South Korean action-drama inspired by a Japanese Manga also titled ‘Oldboy’. The plot revolves around a man who is held captive for fifteen years. When he finally gets out, he finds himself entangled in a web of mystery and vengeance. The American director Quentin Tarantino showered the movie with appreciation at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. At the said festival, the movie also won the Grand Prix - the second most significant award at the festival.
2 | Memories of Murder (2003)
- Release Year: 2003
- Directed By: Bong Joon Ho
- Stars: Song Kang Ho, Kim Sang Kyung, Kim Roe Ha
- Run Time: 132 min
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
- Movie description: Set in 1986, ‘Memories of Murder’ is a story of two detectives - Detective Park and Detective Seo. The two navigate their way through a gruesome series of murder incidents where women are mysteriously raped and murdered. This movie was Bong Joon Ho’s second feature film project. ‘Memories of Murder’ is nothing short of a cinematic marvel. This amalgam of brilliant direction, excellent acting, and flawless screenplay have been rightly labeled as one of Asia’s finest films. It is to date one of the best Korean film ever made.
3 | The Wailing (2016)
- Release Year: 2016
- Directed By: Na Hong Jin
- Stars: Jun Kunimura, Hwang Jung Min, Kwak Do Win, Chun Woo Hee
- Run Time: 156 min
- Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery
- Movie description: The Wailing is a story of a policeman surrounded by murder, horror, and an unidentified disease that is infecting people around him. He has barely grasped the situation when he finds his own daughter Hyo Jin infected by the infamous ailment. ‘The Wailing’ is able to do justice to its unusually long run time with its brilliant writing. The film leaves its viewers in almost a trance where they are unable to stop the plot from unfolding in their heads long after the credits have rolled.
4 | The Handmaiden (2016)
- Release Year: 2016
- Directed By: Park Chan Wook
- Stars: Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, Cho Jin Woong
- Run Time: 145 min
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Movie description: ‘The Handmaiden’ is a tale inspired by ‘Fingersmith’, a 2002 novel. A handmaiden is hired by a Japanese heiress who is secretly being deceived as part of a bigger conspiracy. Set in Japanese-occupied Korea, this is a tale of romantic deception that received massive critical acclaim. This South Korean thriller romance was able to garner a large number of globally significant accolades. This includes winning and being nominated for the Busan Film Critics Awards and the Cannes Film Festival.
5 | Snowpiercer (2013)
- Release Year: 2013
- Directed By: Bong Joon Ho
- Stars: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris
- Run Time: 126 min
- Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
- Movie description: ‘Snowpiercer’ is a 2013 South Korean release set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world. The survivors of this world board a train named ‘Snowpiercer’ that takes them around the globe. Snowpiercer is not just any train, it is a self-sustaining train that has been running for almost two decades following the apocalypse. The societal peripheries of class and status are brilliantly portrayed by interactions (or lack thereof) of the passengers. Once the movie made its international debut, it was on more than just some ‘top 10’ lists of critically recommended movies of 2014. Its unique take on a deteriorating future is exactly what helped the film become one of the best Korean movies ever.
6 | Parasite (2019)
- Release Year: 2019
- Directed By: Bong Joon Ho
- Stars: Song Kang Ho, Lee Sun Kyun, Cho Yeo Jeong, Choi Woo Sik
- Run Time: 132 min
- Genre: Drama, Thriller
- Movie Description: ‘Parasite’ is an Oscar-winning South Korean cinematic masterpiece released in 2019. One of the best Korean movies ever, Parasite revolves around the entangled lives of the Parks and the Kims. At the mercy of their respective fates, the two families navigate through societal discrimination encased in a flawless screenplay. The movie has been rightly acknowledged for its phenomenal writing as it is able to offer a sort of cinematic gratification with every unfolding scene. ‘Parasite’ is initially hard to grasp and then gradually progresses into being intricately exquisite.
7 | I Saw the Devil (2010)
- Release Year: 2010
- Directed By: Kim Jee Woon
- Stars: Lee Byung Hun, Choi Min Sik
- Run Time: 144 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Movie description: A spectacular tale of revenge, ‘I Saw The Devil’ is a 2010 South Korean release that follows a NIS agent on his journey to avenge the murder of his fiancée by a serial killer. In ‘I Saw the Devil’, ‘Joint Security Area’ fame Lee Byung Hun can be seen doing a fantastic job in portraying a revenge-thirsty fiancé and NIS agent who is prepared to go to any lengths to avenge the unjust murder of his fiancée
8 | The Chaser (2008)
- Release Year: 2008
- Directed By: Na Hong Jin
- Stars: Kim Yoon Seok, Ha Jung Woo, Seo Yeong Hee, Kim Yoo Jeong
- Run Time: 125 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Movie description: An ex-policeman-turned-pimp finds himself desperately searching for a serial killer. The story is inspired by the real-life of an infamous South Korean serial killer named Yoo Young Chul.
9 | The Man From Nowhere (2010)
- Release Year: 2010
- Directed By: Lee Jeong Beom
- Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae Ron, Kim Tae Hoon
- Run Time: 119 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Movie description: So Mi is a young girl who resides in the same neighborhood as Tae Sik. Cha Tae Sik, a former undercover agent of the South Korean army goes out of his way to save his only friend So Mi. ‘The Man From Nowhere’ is one of 2010’s best Korean films.
10 | Mother (2009)
- Release Year: 2009
- Directed By: Bong Joon Ho
- Stars: Kim Hye Ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yoo Je Moon
- Run Time: 129 min
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
- Movie description: Mother is a 2009 South Korean release that follows a mother as she goes all in looking for a killer who has managed to portray her son as the culprit of a gruesome murder.
11 | Lady Vengeance (2005)
- Release Year: 2005
- Directed By: Park Chan Wook
- Stars: Lee Young Ae, Choi Min Sik, Kang Ho Song
- Run Time: 115 min
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Movie description: Lady Vengeance is a 2005 crime thriller that was and is still lauded for its phenomenal acting and excellent direction. It is the story of a wrongly accused woman who decides to avenge all injustices that she has been subjected to.
12 | Joint Security Area (2000)
- Release Year: 2000
- Directed By: Park Chan Wook
- Stars: Lee Yeong Ae, Lee Byung Hun, Song Kang Ho, Kim Tae Woo
- Run Time: 110 min
- Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
- Movie description: When a mysterious shootout at DMZ (North-South Korean) leaves two North Korean soldiers dead, a team of politically neutral agents look into the matter to unveil the truth.
13 | A Bittersweet Life (2005)
- Release Year: 2005
- Directed By: Kim Jee Woon
- Stars: Lee Byung Hun, Shin Min Ah, Kim Yeong Cheol, Hwang Jung Min
- Run Time: 119 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Movie description: When a loyal subordinate of a crime lord is accused of betrayal, he finds himself at the receiving end of the latter’s spiteful treatment.
14 | New World (2013)
- Release Year: 2013
- Directed By: Park Hoon Jung
- Stars: Lee Jung Jae, Choi Min Sik, Hwang Jung Min, Park Sung Woong
- Run Time: 135 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Movie description: Lee Ja Sung, an undercover policeman struggles between staying with a crime syndicate or quitting his job at the risk of disclosing his identity. ‘Squid Game’ fame Lee Jung Jae plays the protagonist in this 2013 crime drama.
15 | Bedevilled (2010)
- Release Year: 2010
- Directed By: Jang Cheol Soo
- Stars: Seo Yeong Hee, Ji Seong Won, Hwang Min Ho
- Run Time: 115 min
- Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
- Movie description: Bedevilled is a 2010 South Korean thriller that follows Hae Won on her apathetic journey as she witnesses abuse and murder.
16 | A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
- Release Year: 2003
- Directed By: Kim Jae Woon
- Stars: Lim Soo Jung, Yum Jung Ah, Kim Kap Su, Moon Geun Yung
- Run Time: 114 min
- Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
- Movie description: Su Mi, a teenager has been recently released from a mental institution after being treated for shock and other mental health concerns. She is welcomed back home with a twisted series of horror events involving her stepmother and an undisclosed family history. The film, at the time of its release, was a massive success both critically and commercially. It even inspired an American remake that was titled ‘The Uninvited’.
17 | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
- Release Year: 2002
- Directed By: Park Chan Wook
- Stars: Song Kang Ho, Shin Ha Kyun, Bae Doona, Lim Ji Eun
- Run Time: 129 min
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Movie description: A desperate, laid-off Ryu decides to abduct the child of his ex-boss’ friend hoping to use the money for his sister’s treatment. The movie was not a great success commercially but managed to gain its share of positive reviews. This deeply twisted psychodrama wasn’t met with all praises upon its release but is still one of the most popular South Korean movies of all time.
18 | The Host (2006)
- Release Year: 2006
- Directed By: Bong Joon Ho
- Stars: Song Kang Ho, Byun Hee Bong, Park Hae Il, Bae Doona
- Run Time: 120 min
- Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
- Movie description: A mysterious monster emerges from the heart of the Han river and is on an attacking spree. When a family finds its daughter at a monster's target, they do everything they can to rescue her. Interestingly, the inspiration behind this movie came from the emergence of a deformed fish from the Han river that in fact had an S-shaped spine. ‘Parasite’ fame Director Bong Joon Ho had impressed audiences with his work in ‘Memories of Murder’. The latter made ‘The Host’ one of the most anticipated releases of the year. It then went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies of its time.
19 | The Age of Shadows (2016)
- Release Year: 2016
- Directed By: Kim Jee Woon
- Stars: Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Gong Yoo, Zach Aguilar
- Run Time: 140 min
- Genre: Action, History, Thriller
- Movie description: ‘The Age of Shadows’, a period action thriller following the passage of explosives being smuggled in from Shanghai into Seoul was one of the best Korean movies of 2016. The film could not be dethroned from its topmost spot at the Korean box office for three weeks straight. ‘The Age of Shadows’ is one of the best Korean action movies ever.
20 | Train to Busan (2016)
- Release Year: 2016
- Directed By: Yeon Sang Ho
- Stars: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu Mi, Ma Dong Seok, Sun An Kim
- Run Time: 118 min
- Genre: Action, Horror, Thriller
- Movie description: Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) a guilt-ridden father boards the train to Busan hoping to reunite his daughter and ex-wife on their daughter’s birthday. Passengers, including Seok Woo who board the train at the Seoul station, find themselves in the middle of a zombie apocalypse as each of them desperately tries to save themselves and their loved ones. The film was a huge success and even made it to the Cannes Film Festival in the year of its release.
21 | Hide and Seek (2013)
- Release Year: 2013
- Directed By: Huh Jung
- Stars: Kim Hye Yoon, Son Hyeon Ju, Jeon Mi Seon, Moon Jeong Hee
- Run Time: 107 min
- Genre: Mystery, Thriller
- Movie description: Two families struggle to survive in their own house as the former residents make life tough for them. This 2013 South Korean mystery thriller has inspired a Chinese adaptation also titled ‘Hide and Seek’. This low-budget release with no star-studded cast lineup managed to have a massive box office opening at the time of its release.
22 | Confession of Murder (2012)
- Release Year: 2012
- Directed By: Jung Byung Gil
- Stars: Jeong Jae Yeong, Park Si Hoo, Jung Hae Kyun, Kim Yeong Ae
- Run Time: 119 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
- Movie description: Once the statute of limitations expires, a criminal publishes a confessional autobiography where he discusses the murders committed by him at length. The latter forces the police officer who was previously in charge of finding the murderer, to return to the case and dig deeper. Meanwhile, another mysterious series of murders start unfolding around him.
23 | Rough Cut (2008)
- Release Year: 2008
- Directed By: Jang Hoon
- Stars: So Ji Seob, Jang Hee Jin, Hong Soo Hyun
- Run Time: 113 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Movie description: Gang Pae, played by So Ji Seob, is a crime leader who dreams of working in movies. His life takes an interesting turn when he runs into Soo Ta, a short-tempered actor. The two decide to team up on a project on the condition that all their action sequences must be real. ‘Rough Cut’ makes for an interesting watch as each man tries to constantly outshine the other. This South Korean crime drama was nominated for and won a myriad of national and international cinematic awards.
24 | Thirst (2009)
- Release Year: 2009
- Directed By: Park Chan Wook
- Stars: Song Kang Ho, Kim Ok Bin, Kim Hae Sook, Shin Ha Kyun
- Run Time: 134 min
- Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
- Movie description: On account of a failed medical experiment, Sang Hyun, a priest, turns into a vampire. To top this twisted turn of events, he also finds himself suffering from the symptoms of the deadly Emmanuel virus. As fate would have it, Sang Hyun ends up being attracted to the wife of his childhood friend. The movie was a massive success and even made it to the 2009 Cannes film festival.
25 | The Yellow Sea (2010)
- Release Year: 2010
- Directed By: Na Hong Jin
- Stars: Lee Yoo Mi, Ha Jung Woo, Kim Yoon Seok, Park Byeong Eun
- Run Time: 136 min
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Movie Description: This Ha Jung Woo and Kim Yoon Seok starrer crime drama follows Gu Nam (Ha Jung Woo) as he runs for his life after he fails to deliver a promise made to a local gangster. This 2010 release was a massive commercial and critical success. The movie is to date remembered for its phenomenal acting and flawless knife fights.
26 | The Good the Bad the Weird (2008)
- Release Year: 2008
- Directed By: Kim Jee Woon
- Stars: Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Jung Woo Sung, Yoon Je Moon
- Run Time: 130 min
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
- Movie description: Released in 2008, ‘The Good, the Bad, the Weird’ is one of the best Korean films ever. Its brilliant cinematography and excellent direction were quick to win hearts and good reviews. The film also premiered at the famous Cannes Film Festival in the year of its release. The story follows two men, Lee Byung Hun and Song Kang Ho who have been hired to fetch a treasure map. The map lies with a Japanese official, making things harder for the pair. The movie is set against the backdrop of the pre-second world war era.
27 | War of the Arrows (2011)
- Release Year: 2011
- Directed By: Kim Han Min
- Stars: Park Hae Il, Ryu Seung Ryong, Kim Mu Yeol, Moon Chae Won
- Run Time: 122 min
- Genre: Action, Adventure
- Movie description: ‘War of the Arrows’ is a 2011 South Korean action adventure that is to date remembered for its fast-paced storyline and spectacular archery. The story follows a skilled archer, Nam Yi, played by Park Hae Il who has to fight against the Manchus to save his abducted sister. The film received its fair share of cinematic honours including the ‘Grand Bell Awards’ and the ‘Blue Dragon Film Awards’.
Some of the finest works of cinema should not be just watched, they need to be reflected upon. The aforementioned movies have plots that need to be carefully dissected before they can be truly evaluated.
Out of the 27 best Korean movies, listed above, a majority have received significant critical acclaim. Many of these movies might not have been commercially successful but they were able to please the critics just fine.
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