While South Korean films haven’t historically received the same international recognition as films from markets like Japan or Hong Kong, Western interest in Korean movies is growing. While some North Korean films, such as The Flower Girl and Pulgasari, are notable, this list focuses on South Korean cinema. The best Korean films span multiple genres, from drama to romance to comedy and especially thrillers. Korean films often feature beautiful visuals, social commentary and strong themes. It can be hard for viewers unfamiliar with South Korean cinema to know where to start. However, this list seeks to be a perfect primer into the greatest Korean movies from the emergence of Korean film in the 1950s to the widespread international recognition of Korean movies in the 2020s.

Top Korean Movies

The South Korean film industry didn’t really start until after the end of the Japanese occupation in the mid-1950s. While the industry began to grow and even flourish in the 1950s and 1960s, the 1970s brought strict censorship. The industry started to recover in the 1980s and 1990s, and since then, there has been a renaissance of South Korean filmmaking (which is palpable on this list.) For example, both the highest-grossing South Korean film and the first South Korean film nominated for an Oscar appear on this list, and both of them come from the late 2010s.

While many genres are popular in South Korea, many notable films are thrillers, horrors or slow-burn romances. Top film directors featured on this list include Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho and Lee Chang-dong. Interestingly, four films on this list also star Choi Min-sik and another three star Song Kang-ho​​. It should also be said that the list seeks to feature a diverse list of fabulous films but was compiled by an American who doesn’t speak Korean.

30. The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014)

The Admiral: Roaring Currents is most notable for being the highest-grossing domestic film in South Korea (even ten years after its release.) The film also broke viewership records. Sometimes just called The Admiral, the film is a period war drama based on the Battle of Myeongnyang in 1597 and the Korean naval commander Yi Sun-sin.

The film stars Choi Min-sik, Ryu Seung-ryong and Cho Jin-woong. The Admiral: Roaring Currents features an impressive and very extended naval battle scene (that, while over an hour) doesn’t drag. It is a fairly nationalist film, but that kind of comes with the genre of war movie, and it highlights a fascinating time in Korean history as well as one of its most famous battles. It is currently streaming for free on The Roku Channel.

29. Il Mare (2000)

While most Americans will be more familiar with its 2006 American remake, The Lake House, Il Mare is better. The film follows two people as they realize that they live two years apart in time at the same house with a mysterious mailbox.

The film stars Lee Jung-jae and Jun Ji-hyun and was directed by Lee Hyun-seung. Il Mare was slightly overshadowed upon its release by a similar 2000 film, Ditto, which follows two students (one in 1979 and one in 2000) who attend the same school and can communicate through a mysterious radio. While the films have similar premises, Il Mare’s visual beauty and acting make it the better watch. It is currently streaming for free on Pluto Tv and Amazon Prime.

28. Little Forest (2018)

Little Forest is a very sweet and sentimental film about a young woman who leaves her life in Seoul to return to her small hometown. While it might sound like a Hallmark movie, it is much better. Not much happens in the film, but it is more about a feeling and finding what’s really worth it.

The film, directed by Yim Soon-rye, stars Kim Tae-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol, Moon So-ri and Jin Ki-joo. It’s a great reminder to slow down, let go and follow a personal type of joy. It is currently streaming for free on Tubi and Plex.

27. ​​​​​​Lady Vengeance (2005)

Park Chan-wook’s Lady Vengeance is the third film in his “Vengeance Trilogy,” following 2002’s Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and 2003’s Oldboy. The film follows a woman after she is released from prison for a murder she did not commit and tracks down the real killer.

The film stars Lee Young-ae as the titular lady and Oldboy’s Choi Min-sik. It is available in two versions: the full-color version and the so-called “Fade to Black and White version.” The latter starts in color and slowly turns into black and white. While both versions are great, the “Fade” adds an interesting layer that is surprisingly not gimmicky. Lady Vengeance is currently streaming for free on Tubi, Pluto TV and Plex.

26. Christmas in August (1998)

Christmas in August is a sweet romantic drama about a terminally ill photographer and a meter reader. It was Hur Jin-ho’s directorial debut, and it stars Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha.

The film was popular upon its release and influenced many later Korean films, especially similar slow-burn, low-key romance movies. It features beautiful cinematography and was the final film of cinematographer Yoo Young-kil (it was released posthumously). It is available to rent on YouTube, Google Play and Amazon Prime.

25. Right Now, Wrong Then (2015)

Right Now, Wrong Then may be too artsy for some romance fans. The film follows a married art film director after he meets a young artist. It is a quiet story that follows the same day twice with slight differences. Directed by Hong Sang-soo, the film stars Jung Jae-young and Kim Min-hee.

The film won two awards at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, and Jae-young’s performance was especially heralded. While very little happens in the movie, it has a great sense of melancholy and voyeurism as it examines the small choices that people make. While Sang-soo’s approach to low-fi Korean mumble-core films may not be for everyone, his earlier 2003 film Tale of Cinema is another fabulous low-key romance. It is currently streaming with Fandor.

24. Save the Green Planet (2003)

Save the Green Planet follows a man who is convinced that aliens are plotting to destroy Earth and tries to torture another man who he believes to secretly be their alien leader. Directed by Jang Joon-hwan, the film stars Shin Ha-kyun and Baek Yoon-sik.

The film was partially inspired by the American movie Misery and a website that claimed Leonardo DiCaprio was secretly an alien. Fittingly, it is part horror, part sci-fi and part comedy; moreover, it does all of these genres well. The Guardian once called it, “A bizarre Korean sci-fi movie that’s so inventively demented, it’s hard to dislike.” It is currently available to stream with a library card on Kanopy.

23. House of Hummingbird (2018)

Directed by Kim Bora, House of the Hummingbird is a coming-of-age story about a 14-year-old in mid-90s Seoul. Some may be turned off by the film’s slow pace, but for many, it will feel emotional and relatable.

The film stars Park Ji-hu, Kim Sae-byuk and Jung In-gi. It was well received by critics and won the Best International Narrative Feature Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. It currently holds a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Peter Sobczynski said of the film for Roger Ebert.com, “House of Hummingbird deserves a place alongside the likes of The Virgin Suicides, The Ocean of Helena Lee and Eighth Grade as one of the most knowing cinematic takes from recent years on the pains and occasional pleasures of female adolescence.” It is currently streaming for free on Tubi, Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Plex.

22. Seopyeonje (1993)

Based on a novel by Yi Chong-jun, Seopyeonje follows a singer who travels to find a musician from his past and preserve pansori, a type of traditional Korean folk music. The film was the first South Korean film to draw over one million viewers and re-popularized interest in pansori.

Directed by Im Kwon-taek, the film stars Oh Jeong-hae, Kim Myung-gon and Kim Kyu-chul. Im is one of Korea’s most prolific directors, with over 100 films to his name, and Seopyeonje is easily among his best. In 2007, Im directed a spiritual sequel to Seopyeonje, Beyond the Years. Unfortunately, Seopyeonje is currently not on streaming.

21. Extreme Job (2019)

Extreme Job is currently the second-highest-grossing domestic film in South Korea. The movie is, in a word, fun. While sometimes comedy doesn’t translate, Extreme Job will deliver laughs even through subtitles. The film follows a group of detectives who get more than they bargained for after buying a fried chicken restaurant to complete a surveillance mission.

The film stars Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Hanee, Jin Seon-kyu, Lee Dong-hwi and Gong Myung. Directed by Lee Byeong-heon, the film is a slick and quick-paced crowd-pleaser, much like his previous films Twenty and What a Man Wants. It is available to rent on Amazon Prime, YouTube and Google Play.

20. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

A Tale of Two Sisters is a horror movie that loosely retells a folktale from the Joseon dynasty in the modern era. The film follows two sisters (one recently released from a mental hospital) as they return to live with their father and new stepmother.

Directed by Kim Jee-woon, the film stars Im Soo-jung, Moon Geun-young, Yum Jung-ah and Kim Kap-soo. While there is a 2009 US remake called The Uninvited, the Korean original is much better. The film is very stylish, almost sometimes to a fault, but is a much watch for fans of Asian horror films. It is currently available to stream on AMC+.

19. Poetry (2010)

Lee Chang-dong’s Poetry is a truly devastating film. It follows a woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s who must deal with losing herself and possibly her family as her grandson is linked to the death of another teen.

A co-French production, the film stars Yoon Jeong-hee and Lee David. It won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival as well as Best Film at the Korean Film Awards. It also currently holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is surprisingly unsentimental and challenges the viewer. Peter Bradshaw said of the film for The Guardian, “If it could be reduced to anything as prosaic as a formula, this mysterious and beautiful film from Korean director Lee Chang-dong might be expressed as Ozu plus… what? It is a picture of something inexpressibly gentle and sad, something heartbreaking and absolutely normal, but something stirred up by a violent, alien incursion.” Poetry is available to rent on Google Play, Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

18. Chilsu and Mansu (1988)

Chilsu and Mansu was Park Kwang-su’s debut film. The film feels slightly dated but in the best way possible. It captures the feeling of the late 1980s in a rapidly changing Korea and the hopes of the next generation. The film follows two young men who climb on top of a billboard. It blends political commentary with dramedy. The film is most remembered as a landmark anti-censorship film.

The film was based on a short story by the Taiwanese writer Huang Chunming; however, since Huang’s work was banned in South Korea at the time, he was not credited. The film stars Ahn Sung-ki and Park Joong-hoon, who later collaborated on 1993’s Two Cops and 1999’s Nowhere to Hide. Unfortunately, Chilsu and Mansu is not currently available on streaming.

17. ​​​​​​Madame Freedom (1956)

While Madame Freedom is dated in some ways, it is well worth a watch. The film was scandalous for its time and follows a professor’s wife as she mingles with Seoul’s elite. It features lavish parties, Western influence, Jazz, dance halls and extramarital affairs. Much like Hollywood films from the 1950s, the film features beautiful costumes, black-and-white cinematography and performances.

The film, directed by Han Hyung-mo and starring Kim Jeong-rim and Park Am, examines morality and a new way of post-war life. While it is mainly remembered as a historically important film, it was also a huge box office smash for its time. While it is easy to find online, it is currently not on streaming.

16. ​​​​​​Thirst (2009)

Thirst is one of five films directed by Park Chan-wook on this list, and much like his other films, Thirst is intense. The film is a horror/romance about vampires. It features a priest, an extramarital affair and blood. Thirst is a fresh take on the Gothic Horror/Romance and Vampire film genres. It was also the first of Park’s films to screen in the U.S. and, perhaps more notably, the first mainstream Korean film to feature full-frontal male nudity.

The film won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. It stars Song Kang-ho​​ and Kim Ok-bin. Roger Ebert said of the film and its director, “Park Chan-wook of South Korea is today’s most successful director of horror films, perhaps because there’s always more than horror to them. He seems to be probing alarming depths of human nature. Maybe that’s why he can simultaneously be celebrated on fanboy horror sites and win the Jury Prize.” The film is available to rent on Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube and Amazon Prime.

15. Castaway on the Moon (2009)

Castaway on the Moon is a rom-com about a man whose botched suicide leads him to be marooned on an uninhabited island in the Han River and a reclusive woman addicted to a social media game. The film stars Jung Jae-young and Jung Ryeo-won.

Directed by Lee Hae-jun, Castaway on the Moon is an inventive comedy that explores modern isolation and human connection in a highly creative way. It currently holds a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. In a review for Asian Movie Pulse, Adriana Rosati wrote, “With its fine balance between serious and funny, its perfect blend of profound topics and lightness of touch, its charming protagonists and top technical specs, Castaway on The Moon is an original and crowd-pleasing cinematic adventure.” It is a currently available for free on Tubi, Pluto TV and The Roku Channel.

14. ​​​​​​Obaltan (1961)

Sometimes also called Aimless Bullet, Obaltan follows an accountant as he struggles to provide for multiple family members in difficult post-war Korea. It is based on Yi Beomseon’s novel of the same name.

The film was directed by Yu Hyun-mok and stars Choi Moo-ryong, Kim Jin-kyu and Moon Jeong-suk. While many will be drawn to the film for its historical significance, it is also a very well-made film. The film has also been called the greatest Korean film ever made. Unfortunately, Obaltan is not currently available on streaming.

13. ​​​​​​Decision to Leave (2022)

While there are a lot of films by Park Chan-wook on this list, Decision to Leave feels a bit different from his other films. The romantic mystery film follows a detective as he develops an inappropriate relationship with the widow of a murdered man. The film stars Tang Wei and Park Hae-il.

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won best director. It went on to receive two BAFTA nominations and was shortlisted for a Best International Feature Oscar. While it was not nominated, the National Board of Review named it one of their top five international films of 2022. It is currently available to stream with Mubi.

12. ​​​​​​Past Lives (2023)

While including Past Lives on this list might have some recency bias, the film is a beautiful and quiet romance. It follows two childhood friends who reconnect as adults over a few days and 24 years. The film was a co-production between the United States and South Korea, and fittingly, it takes place between Seoul and New York City.

Past Lives is Celine Song’s debut film, loosely based on Song’s own life. The film stars Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro. It was nominated for two Oscars: Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. Past Lives is available to stream with Showtime.

11. I Saw The Devil (2010)

I Saw The Devil is a thriller that follows a special agent as he tracks down his fiance’s killer to exact his revenge. The film was directed by Kim Jee-woon and stars Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik. I Saw The Devil was also written by Park Hoon-jung, who collaborated again with Choi on another great thriller, New World, in 2013.

The film is very violent and even had to be recut for its theatrical release in Korea due to graphic violence. While intense, the film still received high praise from critics. Brad Miska wrote of the film for Bloody Disgusting, “I could talk for hours about I Saw the Devil, but nothing I can say will ever do it justice. The film is an experience; it’s something that will have you emotionally invested in the characters, while also covering your eyes at the extreme violence.” It is currently available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

10. ​​​​​​Train to Busan (2016)

Train to Busan is a fresh take on the zombie movie. The film takes place on a train from Seoul to Busan while a zombie apocalypse suddenly breaks out. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, the film stars Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee and Kim Eui-sung.

The film was set to have an American remake that never fully materialized; however, it started a franchise in Korea that includes a sequel and an animated prequel. British filmmaker Edgar Wright famously tweeted a photo of his ticket to the film, saying, “Best zombie movie I’ve seen in forever. A total crowd-pleaser. Highly recommend.” It is available for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex and The Roku Channel.

9. ​​​​​​Peppermint Candy (1999)

Lee Chang-dong’s melodrama Peppermint Candy is a gorgeous film that examines masculinity, history and personal tragedy. The film starts with the main character’s suicide and then shows how he got to that point through reverse chronological flashbacks.

The film stars Sol Kyung-gu, Moon So-ri and Kim Yeo-jin. Peppermint Candy was the opening film for the Busan International Film Festival. It is a beautiful character study of a not-very-sympathetic man that still feels unique 25 years later. It is currently available to rent on Apple TV.

8. ​​​​​​My Sassy Girl (2001)

My Sassy Girl is a bit of a cult classic in the U.S., but it was a mega-hit in South Korea and, at one point, the country’s highest-grossing comedy. The romance/comedy was based on a true story originally popularized in blog posts by Kim Ho-sik (who later adapted the posts into a novel). The film follows an engineering student who falls for a manic pixie dream girl who constantly embarrasses him.

The film was directed by Kwak Jae-yong and stars Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun. My Sassy Girl is credited with helping spread the “Korean Wave,” aka the rise in popularity of South Korean culture on a global scale that has been building since the 1990s. My Sassy Girl has been remade several times, including a 2008 American version; however, the original is easily the best and currently holds a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. My Sassy Girl is currently not on streaming.

7. ​​​​​​The Wailing (2016)

Na Hong-jin’s The Wailing is a horror film that follows a policeman, a series of mysterious deaths, his daughter and mass hysteria in a remote Korean town. The film stars Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee and Jun Kunimura.

The film is a very fresh take on the horror genre. Maggie Lee said of the film for Variety, “There’s nothing scarier than not knowing what you should be scared of,” and going into this film blind is preferable, even if it’s not for everyone. The film currently holds a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. It is currently available for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Plex.

6. ​​​​​​The Handmaiden (2016)

Another Park Chan-wook film, The Handmaiden, follows a pickpocket and a con man who try to seduce a wealthy Japanese woman out of her inheritance. The film is loosely based on the Sarah Waters novel Fingersmith; however, the setting is changed from Victorian Britain to Japanese colonial rule in Korea in the early 1900s.

The film stars Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo and Cho Jin-woong. It’s a highly entertaining queer thriller that drips with style. Emily St. James wrote in a review for Vox, “The Handmaiden is a nearly flawless movie. Every frame, every movement of the camera, every performance feels perfectly calibrated for maximum effect.” It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

5. ​​​​​​Memories of Murder (2003)

Bong Joon-ho’s neo-noir Memories of Murder follows two provincial detectives as they struggle to solve a murder with a serial killer/rapist at large in the 1980s. The film is based on the 1996 play Come to See Me by Kim Kwang-rim. While Bong’s 2009 film, Mother, is another wonderful neo-noir, it doesn’t hit the highs that Memories of Murder accomplishes.

Manohla Daargis wrote of the film for the New York Times, “Memories of Murder is such a taut, effective thriller it’s a shame you have to read subtitles to gauge just how good a movie it is.” The film is also a favorite of director Quentin Tarantino alongside Bong’s 2006 horror film, The Host. Memories of Murder stars Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung. The film is currently available for free on Tubi.

4. ​​​​​​The Housemaid (1960)

While The Housemaid was remade in 2010 and inspired the 2019 film Parasite, there is something special about the original that makes it a must-watch. The film follows an unstable woman who blackmails her way into being the housemaid for an upper-middle-class man and his pregnant wife.

Directed by Kim Ki-young, the film is part of his “Housemaid Trilogy,” which was followed by Woman of Fire and Woman of Fire ’82. It stars Lee Eun-shim, Ju Jeung-nyeo and Kim Jin-kyu. Koreanfilm.org called the film a “consensus pick as one of the top three Korean films of all time.” It is available to rent on Apple TV and The Housemaid.

3. ​​​​​​Burning (2018)

Directed by Lee Chang-dong, Burning follows a delivery boy who starts to believe his childhood friend is in danger after she meets a wealthy young man. The film is based on the Haruki Murakami short story “Barn Burning,” which itself is based on the William Faulkner story of the same name.

The film stars Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun and Jeon Jong-seo. Burning has a great sense of unease that carries this psychological drama. The film was selected as South Korea’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards and became the first Korean film to make the shortlist for the awards (however, it was not nominated.) The film topped both Korean Screen and Vice’s lists for Best Korean films. It is available for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Plex.

2. Parasite (2019)

Parasite is the first Korean film to win an Academy Award. It won four Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards, including Best International Feature Film and Best Feature Film (making it the first film to win both categories.) It was also the first Korean film to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Bong Joon-ho, Parasite is a dark comedy/thriller that follows a poor family who con their way into working for a wealthy family. The film stars Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam and Jang Hye-jin. Bong was inspired by another iconic Korean film on this list 1960’s The Housemaid. It is currently streaming on Max.

1. Oldboy (2003)

Directed by Park Chan-wook, Oldboy is an action/revenge classic. The film follows a man who has been kidnapped and held for 15 years after he is given an ultimatum: If he can find out why he was imprisoned in five days, his imprisoner will kill himself. It stars Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae and Kang Hye-jung.

Oldboy is disturbing for many reasons (largely due to its twist, which comes with a content warning, as well as its intense violence). However, the film is still regarded as one of the best foreign language, Korean and 21st-century films. The film is most famous for its hammer-hallways fight scene, but it’s also surprisingly emotionally rich for an action film. It is currently streaming on Netflix.

Bottom Line

It is hard to truly choose a “number 1” Korean film. South Korea has created many iconic films, and the industry is only growing stronger. From quiet romances to graphic violence, Korean films have a little bit of everything and deserve an even wider audience.