With the release of international blockbusters such as "Busan Trip", "Miss", "Parasite" and so on, South Korea has proved its strong strength in the field of film.
South Korea keeps pushing out hits, and while Korean creators are clearly good at making specific genres like psychological thrillers and zombie movies, korean movies of all genres are brilliant.
Most of us know anything about Korean cinema from their love of romance and comedy. However, they are more than that.
Of course, from romance to action movies, drama films, and then to outright spiritual sex, Korean movies have their own unique narrative style.
Here are 25 Korean movies that we think you should include on your watch list:
1 Old Boys (2003)
Park Chan-wook
Remember the epic hallway fight scene in the movie, which redefined the action scenes? "Old Boys" is about a man who is imprisoned for 15 years without any explanation, and the person who arrested him is unknown.
On a clear day, the protagonist is released, all his questions are not answered, his desire for revenge is also stimulated, and then he is given five days to solve all problems. You may remember Bollywood's attempt to remake the film's "Prison Break."
2 Agents of the Lone (2010)
Li Zhenfan
The action thriller, directed by Li Zhenfan, was the highest-grossing film of 2010. The plot tells the story of a quiet pawnshop owner with a history of violence who investigates a drug and organ trafficking gang in order to save the children involved in it.
3 Final Weapon: Bow (2011)
Kim Han-min
One of the few era/action films on the list, Final Weapon: Bow is set during the second Manchu invasion of Korea in the 17th century.
The story revolves around a Korean, Robin Hood-style archer who wants to save his sister from being enslaved under Prince Dolgun.
4 Mother (2009)
Bong Joon-ho
Now, let's move on to drama. The film tells the story of a mother who goes out in search of the killer of a young woman whose son was wrongly convicted. That's the feeling!
5 Poetry (2010)
Li Cangdong
Directed by Lee Cang-dong, the film tells the story of a suburban woman in her 60s who becomes interested in poetry while battling Alzheimer's and irresponsible grandchildren. Curl up and cry to me!
6 Oasis (2002)
Directed by Li Cangdong, Oasis tells the story of a more sensitive relationship between a criminal sentenced for hit-and-run and the daughter of a victim with cerebral palsy. Remember to bring tissues.
7 Watchmen (2010)
Yoon Sung-hyun
Written and directed by Yoon Sung-hyun, "Watchmen" is about a small rift in the relationship between a group of high school classmates, and after the death of one of their friends, the relationship has reached an irreversible point. The film revolves around the student's death and its impact on his friends.
8 Mints (1999)
"Mints" is a drama that begins with the protagonist's suicide, focusing on the cause of the protagonist's suicide and telling the key events in the protagonist's life in a flashback manner.
Lee Cang-dong's "Mints" was selected as the opening film at its premiere at the 1999 Busan International Film Festival and won several awards.
9 The Holy Death (2012)
Kim Ki-duk
Written and directed by Kim Ki-duk, The Holy Death depicts a mysterious relationship between a violent executor working for a loan shark and a middle-aged woman who claims to be his mother.
The film has interesting Christian symbolism and a high degree of sexual content. It's definitely going to be a little unsettling.
10 Stories Sadder Than Sad (2009)
Yuan Taiyuan
Next is love, because on the list of Korean movies, no love will end. One could argue that "A Story Sadder Than Sad" is a remake of the Bollywood movie Love, No Tomorrow.
The Film's Korean title literally translates as "A Story More Sad Than Sad". That's it.
11 My Horror Girlfriend (2006)
Sun Zaikun
Written and directed by Sun Jae-kun, the noir/romantic comedy film My Horror Girlfriend is the kind of film that will tear you apart. The story follows a young man who discovers that his girlfriend has a nasty little secret hidden in her refrigerator.
12 Wave Forecasting (2005)
Tian Yunshu
Directed by Yuki Tian, Wave Forecast is a remake of the Japanese film Call for Love at the Center of the World, based on the novel by Kyoichi Katayama. The film was for hardcore romantic fanatics.
13 Man Who Was Superman (2008)
Zheng Yinche
Korean films are wonderful, imaginative and comedic. Released in 2008, "Once Superman", tells the story of a snobbish producer directing a documentary whose neighbors consider themselves Superman and whose behavior is intriguing. Ha ha!
14 King's Crusoe (2009)
Li Haijun
This is another romantic comedy with a fantasy plot for people. Released in 2009, the romantic comedy tells the love story between a suicidal man and an autistic woman on The Ham Island on the Han River.
15 The Gift of Room 7 (2013)
Li Huanqing
A heartbreaking comedy directed by Lee Hwan Kyung, The Gift of Room 7 tells the story of a mentally ill man who has been wrongly imprisoned for murder and establishes a friendship with a die-hard criminal in his cell who helps him see his daughter again.
16 Welcome to Dongmo Village (2005)
Park Kwang-hyun
Based on a stage play by filmmaker/screenwriter Jang Jin and directed by Park Kwang-hyun, Welcome to Dong Mo Village is a war sitcom set during the 1950 Korean War.
Soldiers from North and South Korea, as well as an American pilot, found themselves in an isolated village where residents were largely unaware of the outside world, including the war.
17 I Want Revenge (2002)
Breaking with the conventions of action thrillers, I Want Revenge is the first installment of the Revenge trilogy, directed by Park Chan-wook. The story tells the story of a newly laid-off deaf-mute factory worker who kidnapped the daughter of his former boss and tried to pay for his sister's kidney transplant with a ransom.
18 Seeing the Devil (2010)
Jin Zhiyun
Among the first horror/crime thrillers on the list, See the Devil has it all: gore, violence, and a little bit of horror. The plot tells the story of a secret agent who pursues revenge on a serial killer through a series of arrests and releases.
19 The Bat (2009)
This should satisfy terrorists and vampires. The story is about a priest who infects a vampire and is forced to abandon his ascetic approach.
Bat is very different from the average vampire movie in that it presents some creepy and truly disturbing visuals.
20 Rose, Red Lotus (2003)
Rose, Red Lotus is a psychological horror drama written and directed by Kim Ji-woon inspired by a folk tale of the Joseon Dynasty called "The Legend of the Rose Red Lotus".
The plot focuses on the two sisters returning home from a mental hospital and experiencing more and more disturbing events involving them and their stepmother. Yes, it's a creepy story.
21 Liu Lie's Music Album (2019)
Zheng Jiyu
"Yoo Lie's Music Album" is a sweet love story that takes place many years ago, following the star lovers Hyun Woo and Mi Soo through many ups and downs of their relationship.
In 1994, the two meet for the first time at the bakery where Mihide works, and the relationship is getting better and better, but strange circumstances always seem to separate them. Whether it's an email password loss, a broken phone, or even jail time, neither of these two people seems to be able to get a break.
Still, Mi-soo and Hyun-woo have been looking for each other for years, determined to be with each other, no matter what obstacles there are in life. If you're in the mood for a heartfelt, delicate love affair, Willow's Music Album is the perfect choice.
22 Night of Memories (2017)
Zhang Hengzhun
The psychological thriller Night of Memories is mainly about a young man named Zhenshi, who lives a humble life with his parents and brother. One night, Zhenshi saw his brother kidnapped on the street, but 19 days later, his brother returned, looking good and acting like nothing had happened.
When everything returned to normal, Zhenshi noticed a noticeable difference in his brother's behavior, and he was soon convinced that it was a different person.
Overall, Night of Memories is a bit difficult to explain, because if I dig any deeper, it may reveal some of the shocking twists and turns of this inexplicable thriller.
Written and directed by Zhang Hengzhun, "Night of Memories" is a truly unpredictable story, and people who like movies such as "Memory Fragments" and "Seeing the Devil" should immediately join the watch list.
23 The Reservoir Game (2017)
Choi Jin-sung
The only documentary on the list, "Reservoir Games" tells the story of journalist Joo Jin-woo investigating the whereabouts of a hidden sum of money rumored to be held by former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. The documentary delves into the case and how the scam was created and implemented.
The true story of The Reservoir Game is both interesting and complex, and it's another great example of the political and economic corruption of those in high positions, and a group of people determined not to let them go unpunished.
24 Telephone (2020)
Lee Chung-hyun
If you want to see a truly heartwarming mystery thriller, The Phone is the best option.
The story of Telephone revolves around a complex concept of time manipulation, telling the worst that could happen if we could change the past. The film is dominated by two extremely complex protagonists, constantly taking on twists and turns that you really wouldn't see.
25 The Witch (2018)
Park Hoon-jeong
Witch is a mysterious thriller about an 18-year-old girl named Zi Yoon, played by Kim Do-mi, whose secluded life with her adoptive parents is broken, and a group of people hunt her down, claiming that she is the product of an experimental project that trains children into weapons of violence and gives them supernatural abilities.
Seriously, if you want to see a fast-paced and truly unique mystery thriller, you need to check out Witch.