With the advent of streaming services like Amazon Prime, it has become easier for viewers to broaden their horizons and delve into international cinema. While Hollywood continues to expand and strengthen its reach, there is another country that has expanded its viewer base exponentially- Korea. Korean movies have garnered interest due to their fresh material, a different culture for exploration, and new stories. If you are in the mood to watch something that is not produced in Hollywood, Korean films are highly suggested. And thanks to streaming platforms, they are now at our fingertips.
16. Noryang: Deadly Sea (2023)
Kim Han-min’s ‘Noryang: Deadly Sea’ is a historical war drama based on the Battle of Noryang, which took place at the Noryang Strait and was the last major battle of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598). The film is the third installment in the Yi Sun-sin trilogy and showcases how Admiral Yi Sun-sin (Kim Yoon-seok) led his forces against the Japanese conquest army led by Commander Shimazu Yoshihiro (Baek Yoon-sik) and General Konishi Yukinaga (Lee Moo-saeng). Appreciated for its immersive naval battle scenes and narrative style, ‘Noryang: Deadly Sea’ is an epic-scale Korean drama custom-made for history lovers. It can be streamed here.
15. Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission (2019)
Directed by Eom Yu-na, this is a historical comedy set in the 1940s when Korea was under Japanese rule. It is a fictional take on the 1942 Korean Language Society Incident wherein members of the Korean Language Society (in Keijō) were arrested, imprisoned, and tortured by the Japanese who enforced the use of the Japanese tongue. The film centers on Kim Pan-Su, an illiterate who cannot speak Korean, who shakes hands with Korean Language Society member Jung-hwan to create the ‘MAL-MO-E’ (“collecting vocabularies”) dictionary, a necessary step to safe-keep their language and a stepping stone for their independence. However, the Japanese are closing in on them, and the Korean Language Society must find a way to prevent compromise. Will they be successful? A compelling drama set during a crucial period in world history, ‘Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission’ stars Yoo Hae-jin, Yoon Kye-sang, Jo Hyun-do, Kim Sun-young, Park Ye-na, and Kim Tae-hoon. You can watch the film here.
14. The Killer (2022)
This film, also known as ‘The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves to Die,’ is just about a guy looking for a little girl in the signature Korean action style that never gets old. Former assassin Bang Ui-gang (Jang Hyuk) gets involved in a murder conspiracy and investigation after 17-year-old Kim Yoon-ji (Lee Seo-young), his wife’s friend’s daughter, is kidnapped while under his care. With a human trafficking gang and the Russian mafia involved, Ui-gang has to put his skills to good use if he wants to rescue Kim Yoon-ji. How he does that is what we are subjected to in this action-packed Choi Jae-hoon directorial. You can stream it here.
13. The Treacherous (2015)
Directed by Min Kyu-dong, this historical drama is set in the early 16th century (1504) during the reign of the Joseon Dynasty, the last dynasty to rule Korea. It follows the tyrannical rule of Yeonsangun or Prince Yeonsan (Kim Kang-Woo), infamous for his carnal cravings, who brings over beautiful girls from all across the country for his pleasure and entertainment. The king’s longtime friend/retainer, Im Soong-Jae (Ju Ji-Hoon), plots his own ways of controlling Yeonsan while a lower-class woman named Dan-Hee (Lim Ji-Yeon) plots revenge for her past. With a tournament upcoming that will choose the king’s consort, 10,000 women have been ordered to be brought in. The king’s fate resides with one of them. To find out what lies ahead for Joseon’s last ruler, you can watch ‘Treacherous’ here.
12. The Roundup (2022)
Directed by Lee Sang-yong, this crime action drama is a standalone sequel to ‘The Outlaws’ (2017). Ma Dong-seok, aka Don Lee, stars as Ma Seok-do, Lieutenant of the Major Crimes Unit at Geumcheon Police Station, Seoul, South Korea. After arriving in Vietnam to extradite a suspect, he comes to know about a vicious serial killer named Kang Hae-sang (played brilliantly by Son Suk-ku) who kills for money. How Ma and Captain Jeon Il-man (Choi Gwi-hwa) track down this slippery guy is what follows in this fast-paced action flick garnished with comedy. Filled with twists and hard hits underscored by brilliant action sequences, ‘The Roundup’ is one of Don Lee’s best action films, if not the best. You can watch it here.
11. The Swordsman (2020)
Directed by Choi Jaehoon, this fast-paced period action drama follows a retired Joseon swordsman, Tae Yool (Jang Hyuk), who is slowly losing his eyesight. However, when Gurutai (Joe Taslim), a member of the imperial Qing family, has Tae Yool’s daughter Tae Ok (Kim Hyun-Soo) taken in the aftermath of Qing’s invasion of Joseon, Tae Yool picks up the sword again to rescue his daughter. Will a father with weak eyesight be able to rescue his daughter while being targeted in a conflict? To find out, you can watch the film here.
10. The Handmaiden (2016)
In the film, we have a pick-pocket named Nam Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) who is hired by a con man posing as a Count, Count Fujiwara. Sook-hee’s job is to infiltrate the estate of Japanese heiress Izumi Hideko as her handmaiden and convince her to marry the Count. Once the deed is done, the Count, a con man, shall send her to an asylum and rob the heiress of all her fortune. However, things get complicated when Sook-hee and Hideko develop feelings for each other. Erotic, thrilling, and intriguing, ‘The Handmaiden’ is a must-watch. You can do so right here.
9. A Taxi Driver (2017)
Based on actual events and set in 1980, ‘A Taxi Driver’ follows Man-seob, a taxi driver in Seoul. A father of one, Man-seob struggles to survive and passes his days living hand to mouth. However, fate seems to smile on him when he learns of a foreign national willing to pay good money for a ride to Gwangju City. Unknown to the taxi driver, the foreigner in question is a German reporter with a hidden agenda. As they travel into the city, they get entangled in a tussle between the government and citizens during a student protest, leaving Man-seob’s fate in the balance. You may watch ‘A Taxi Driver’ on here.
8. The Flu (2013)
With a pandemic now a reality, we can relate to any film that deals with it much better. In Kim Sung-su’s ‘The Flu,’ we see what now seems to be a premonition of the coronavirus pandemic: a deadly airborne virus, people in masks, the affected ones falling sick, a drastic rise in the death toll, hospitals running out of beds, quarantine zones and a city shut down. Set in Bundang, Seoul, the movie shows the horror we all have been through and yet doesn’t fail to give us the chills. While the government decides to kill the infected, a rescue worker tries to find the blood serum that will help develop a vaccine. The cast includes Jang Hyuk, Soo Ae, Ma Dong-seok, and Park Jung-min. You can watch the movie here.
7. No Tears for the Dead (2014)
‘No Tears for The Dead’ follows professional hitman Gon, who accidentally shoots and kills a little girl while carrying out a hit in the United States. Although Gon tries to get drunk and forget the incident, his boss soon orders him to South Korea and murder the girl’s mother to tie up all loose ends. Wracked with guilt, Gon makes his way over to South Korea but is unable to deliver the killing blow. However, his act forces the boss to send another assassin behind the woman, and once Gon comes to know of it, he readies himself to fight for the mother of the girl he killed. You can stream the movie here.
6. Midnight (2021)
What happens when a deaf witness becomes the target of a serial killer? ‘Midnight’ is a Kwon Oh Seung-directed psychological thriller that addresses this question. A normal night turns into a life-threatening one for Kyeong-mi (Jin Ki-Joo), a deaf sign language counselor, after she witnesses a murder. Serial killer Do-sik (Wi Ha-joon) doesn’t want to leave any witnesses and thus chooses her as his next target. Whether and how Kyeong-mi escapes and brings the killer to justice is what the movie entails. No less than a horrifying experience, ‘Midnight’ is a gripping flick that you can watch here.
5. Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017)
‘Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds’ is a take on there being more to life than death, or rather, life goes on even after death. Directed by Yong-hwa Kim, the movie shows firefighter Ja-hong dying on duty and being guided in the afterlife by three guardians. Over 49 days, Ja-hong will have to pass the seven trials through Hell to be given the green light for reincarnation. But there’s more to Ja-hong’s earthly actions than just rescuing people that may affect King Yeomra’s decision, including his strained relationship with his mother and brother. Will he be able to pass the tests? The cast of ‘Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds’ includes Ha Jung-woo, Kim Hyang-gi, Cha Tae-hyun, and Ma Dong-seok. You can watch the film here.
4. The Childe (2023)
Directed by Park Hoon-jung, ‘The Childe’ is a neo-noir web of dark secrets and deceits, in the middle of which is Marco (Kang Tae-joo) from the Philippines. A boxer in illegal matches desperately searching for funds for his mother’s surgery, he arrives in Korea accompanied by his wealthy estranged father’s lawyer only to end up being pursued by numerous people, including assassins and heirs. Will Marco even survive all this chaos to save his mother?
Captivating, intense, and twisted, ‘The Childe’ offers everything one can want from a tightly knit action thriller. The film won numerous awards, including a Buil Film Award and at the Bandung Film Festival and can be streamed right here.
3. The Great Battle (2018)
While the advancement in technology has led to the development of weapons, we cannot deny the grandeur that swords, daggers, bows, and arrows have. ‘The Great Battle,’ directed by Kim Kwang-sik, showcases the historical event of the Battle of Ansi and its siege, fought between the forces of the Goguryeo kingdom of Korea and the Tang Dynasty of China. An epic action flick, ‘The Great Battle’ stars Jo In Sung, Nam Joo-hyuk, Park Sung-woong and Park Byung-Eun. You can experience the epic right here.
2. The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)
From director Won-Tae Lee comes this high-octane action thriller starring Ma Dong-seok, aka Don Lee, Kim Sung-kyu, and Kim Moo-Yul. It revolves around the capture of a serial killer who attacks ganglord Jang Dong-Soo (Lee). While his men think that the attack was planned by a rival gang, Dong-Soo believes that it’s not. Then, he reluctantly agrees to join forces with detective Jung Tae-suk (Moo-Yul) to track down the killer. To know how they do it, you can stream the movie here.
1. Deliver Us from Evil (2020)
Directed by Hong Won-Chan, this crime action film shows a cat-and-mouse chase between In-Nam (Hwang Jung-Min), who is an assassin, and Ray (Lee Jung-Jae), both of whom are linked by the death of two people, a woman named Young-joo (Choi Hee-Seo) and a Japanese mobster named Koraeda (Kōsuke Toyohara). In-nam arrives in Thailand to find out that Young-Joo, his former lover, is dead and her daughter Yoo-min (Park So-yi), who is also his daughter, has been kidnapped. Meanwhile, Ray finds out that In-nam, the guy who killed his brother Koraeda, is in Thailand and follows him there. To find out who wins, you can watch this fast-paced action flick right here.
Read More: Best Korean Movies on Netflix
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