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The Korean film industry has had a long and storied history — its movies are full of intense action and emotion, sharp dialogue and talented actors. What's more, movies from Korea have broken records and won awards worldwide for both acting and directorial talent — Bong Joon Ho’s film Parasite became the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2019, and won three other Oscars. The film also broke box office records, grossing over $262 million dollars worldwide and setting the record for the highest opening weekend ticket sales ever for a foreign language film in the United States.
Korean and Korean-American actors have also achieved international recognition. You’ll see versatile players like Song Kang Ho, Choi Min Sik, Ma Dong Seok and Lee Byung Hun cast again and again in Korean films.
Keep in mind: Korean cinema is distinct from Korean drama (known as K-drama), which refers to Korean-language television series with multiple episodes per season. But both genres are part of the Korean film and entertainment industry coined “Hallyuwood, "a combination of the words "Hollywood" and "Hallryu," the Korean term for the surge in popularity of Korean media and culture around the world.
This list of the best Korean films of all time (in no particular order) includes required classics and newer releases in many genres, including psychological thrillers, horror movies, romantic comedies and smoldering dramas that are unique to Korean cinematic and narrative aesthetics. Be prepared to feel every emotion under the sun — terror, suspense, sorrow and hilarity — when viewing the movies below. Grab the popcorn (or your favorite Korean snack)!
1
Joint Security Area (2000)
A classic of Korean cinema, this early film from Park Chan Wook explores the tensions between North and South Korea. Set in the controversial and tense area known as the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, in Korea, the movie investigates a fatal shooting that involves soldiers from both the North and the South. The film was a major blockbuster in Korea and the highest-grossing film in Korean history when it was released in 2000.
2
House of Hummingbird (2018)
A favorite on the film festival circuit, this coming-of-age film about a Korean teenager makes viewers feel all the feels. Highlighting the everyday pains and joys of adolescence, the movie follows main character Eunhee as she navigates the trials of friendship, sexuality, family and illness. Contemplative, visceral and emotional, this film is a good one for arthouse cinema lovers.
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3
Badland Hunters (2024)
Bleak, intense and sometimes funny, this movie is a sequel to the disaster thriller film Concrete Utopia, which was released in 2023. The film has all the exciting ingredients of the perfect post-apocalyptic movie: wasteland scavengers, a mad scientist and mutant soldiers. Put your seatbelts on for this wild cinematic ride.
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4
My Name is Loh Kiwan (2024)
Highlighting the plight of North Korean defectors, this film is an adaptation of the novel I Met Loh Kiwan by author Cho Hae-jin. Protagonist Lo Kiwan escapes North Korea for China and then lands in Brussels, where he struggles with homelessness in the bitter winter. He fights to survive through the strength of memory, will, and friendship.
5
Citizen of a Kind (2024)
This hilarious ensemble film centers around a woman who lost her life savings to a scam telemarketer in China. In a mission to recoup her money, she ends up traveling to the call center in Qingdao, China to help the telemarketer out of trouble. You’ll get big laughs from the cross-cultural misunderstandings and vengeful but cheery energy.
6
Snowpiercer (2014)
A thrilling epic action movie and the inspiration for the television series of the same name, this film is an earlier movies from Academy Award-winning director Bong Joon Ho. An allegory of privilege and class conflict, the film is set on a train that circles the world carrying the last surviving humans.
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7
Nameless Gangster (2012)
A gangster film starring the lead actor of cult classic Oldboy, Choi Min Sik, this movie boasts all the shiny features of the genre: embezzlement, murder and stylish suits. A Time Magazine movie critic called the feature “The Korean mob film Martin Scorsese would be proud of” in his 2012 review.
8
Last Princess (2016)
Based on the true story of Princess Deok Hye of the Korean royal family, this moving period drama follows the princess as she is taken to Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea and prohibited from entering her home country. She finds hope in love interest Jang Han, a Korean independence fighter, who works to bring her back home.
9
Champion (2018)
Hilarious and heartwarming, this movie starring Ma Dong Seok, also known as Don Lee, follows the road to redemption of a former arm-wrestling champion turned club bouncer. The comedy makes viewers fall in love with this unexpected hero as he travels to Korea to find his biological mother who gave him up for adoption and wins the national arm wrestling tournament on the way.
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10
Thirst (2009)
A lesser-known gem from acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan Wook, Thirst is an unconventional vampire movie. A Catholic priest, played by Song Kang Ho, of Parasite fame, is faced with an ethical reckoning when he turns into a ravenous vampire after receiving a blood transfusion.
RELATED: The Best Classic Horror Movies of All Time
11
The Housemaid (1960)
This classic by controversial director Kim Ki Young has been hailed by film curators and scholars as one of the most important films in Korean cinematic history. The melodrama centers around the violent and dramatic downfall of a middle-class Korean family when they hire a young woman to help with housework.
12
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
This heart-wrenching revenge film is the first installment of Park Chan Wook’s Vengeance Trilogy from the early 2000s, which also includes Oldboy (2003) and Lady Vengeance (2005). In a desperate attempt to raise money for his sister’s kidney transplant, Ryu, a disabled factory worker, kidnaps the daughter of the factory president. The heist goes wrong in many ways, leading to tragic endings for all.
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13
High Society (2018)
The higher up the social ladder you go, the more you have to climb to protect your place. In this enticing drama about the ultimate power couple, an economics professor husband and his gallery-curator wife embark on an adventure to do whatever it takes to achieve upward mobility and stay there.
14
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... And Spring (2003)
For those who prefer a more sentimental and emotional watch, you won't regret trying out this beautifully meditative film from 2003. It follows the life of a Buddhist monk living in an isolated floating temple, as each passing season symbolizes a stage in his life.
15
Peppermint Candy (1999)
Directed by acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang-Dong, Peppermint Candy is a powerful, moving drama that explores themes of fate, time and memory using a unique and intriguing storytelling feature. The story is told in reverse, taking viewers backward through 20 years of a doomed man's life.
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16
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008)
Inspired by Italian director Sergio Leone's classic spaghetti western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, this Korean spaghetti western film is about a bounty hunter, gangster and train robber who embark on an epic crusade to uncover buried treasure. Prepare for a lot of laughs, adventure, and genre-specific tropes in this action-packed film.
17
Right Now, Wrong Then (2015)
Right Now, Wrong Then is a great pick if you're in the mood for a more quiet, contemplative drama. This highly acclaimed film from celebrated director Hong Sang-Soo tells the story of a chance encounter between a celebrated art film director and a young painter.
18
Train to Busan (2016)
A must-watch Korean thriller film, Train to Busan presents a fresh and original take on one of the most classic film genres — the zombie apocalypse flick — as it follows a man fighting for survival on a speeding train that's overtaken by a zombie outbreak. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat the entire time while watching this one!
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19
Peninsula (2020)
After watching Train to Busan, you'll definitely want to follow it up with Peninsula, its highly anticipated sequel. Set four years after the events of the first film, a former soldier and his team battle zombies to retrieve a truck full of money from the wastelands of the Korean peninsula.
20
Minari (2020)
A tender and stirring drama about a family of South Korean immigrants who take on the American dream in 1980s rural Arkansas, this highly acclaimed film from Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung received six Academy Award nominations (including for Best Picture!). You'll probably want to keep a box of tissues handy for this one.
Hannah Jeon
Associate Commerce Editor
Hannah Jeon is an Associate Commerce Editor at Prevention, where she covers expert-driven commerce content for all things health, beauty, and wellness. Previously the Editorial Assistant at Good Housekeeping, she earned her bachelor’s degree in creative writing and psychology from Johns Hopkins University. When she’s not on the hunt for all the best products online, you can often find her trying out new food spots in New York City or clicking away behind a camera.
