It’s a common piece of trivia to hear that India by far produces more movies than any other country in the world, with more than a billion moviegoers Bollywood certainly has to keep the cameras rolling to satisfy its population's entertainment needs. The same could be said for China, whose enormous market is the only one that comes close to the United States in terms of revenue.
Yet it’s a different Asian nation that ticks all the movie boxes one could think of, South Korea. Hardly a secret for the most curious film enthusiasts, nor for those who have fallen down the deep rabbit holes of K-Pop and K-Drama, Korean movies slowly spread all over the world thanks to the cult status attained by some of its best productions and their particular brand of horror.
With plenty of quantity and quality to go around, South Korea has a lot more to offer than Oldboy and Parasite. Read on to get started with drama, action, thrillers, horror or romance, Korea’s got everyone covered.
Snowpiercer (2013)
If the prospect of Korean movies is still a bit intimidating, then Bong Joon-ho can make the transition a little easier. Snowpiercer features mostly English dialogue alongside the familiar faces of Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton and Octavia Spencer, as well as South Korean star Song Kang-ho, all trapped in a train that carries the last humans alive on a frozen planet Earth, neatly separated by social status.
Bong Joon-ho didn’t just turn over Parasite on a whim, the director and screenwriter has been perfecting his craft for over two decades and while no dive into Korean cinema would be complete without watching Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother or Okja; Snowpiercer is a different way to enjoy the Korean’s signature style.
Joint Security Area (2000)
When your country’s history is defined by a technically still ongoing war between South and North, that is bound to have its fair share of cultural influences. JSA takes place in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a border that separates the neighboring countries, where a mysterious shooting sparks international tensions.
JSA is a mystery thriller, a more subtle take than the war epics often involving the two nations or Park Chan-wook’s own Vengeance Trilogy, since at its heart JSA is a tale about friendship. Quentin Tarantino called it one of his favorite movies since he’s been working, and it’s hard to argue against him on that after watching it.
Train to Busan (2016)
No more train movies after this, but Train to Busan does way more for zombie apocalypses than any of its Western counterparts in recent years. Even if zombies on a train seems like a simple proposition that can’t quite hit the artistic notes of some other Korean films, Train to Busan is simply too good at what it does to ignore it. It’s an incredibly well-made and entertaining zombie movie, with convincing characters that don’t feel stereotyped, despite the limitations imposed by the genre.
My Sassy Girl (2001)
If there is one Korean rom-com to rule them all, it has to be My Sassy Girl. The movie follows Gyeon-woo and an unnamed girl he rescues from falling into the subway tracks while drunk, soon after they start dating, but Gyeon-woo painfully discovers may have some issues that need to be addressed.
My Sassy Girl is incredibly funny, charmingly romantic and packed with slapstick comedy, yet it’s known to bring a tear or two to many who watch it. Stay away from the American version or any other localization attempts, instead go watch All About My Wife, Crazy Romance or On Your Wedding Day.
The Wailing (2016)
Set in a remote Korean village where the sudden arrival of a Japanese stranger sets off a wave of family murders at the hands of their seemingly possessed loved one, Na Hong-jin’s The Wailing is one eerie movie.
The director pulls out all the stops to deliver mysterious strangers, ghosts, demons, possessed epileptic children and harrowing murder scenes all wrapped in one horrific package. Don’t be misled by that description though, while The Wailing is on the longish side it throws each of these elements at the viewer in a perfectly timed manner, never dulling audiences, but instead keeping them scared right on the edge of their seats.
The Man From Nowhere (2010)
The Man From Nowhere follows Cha Tae-sik, a laid back pawn shop owner whose only bond is with a little girl he’s become friends with. When So-mi, the little girl, gets threatened and kidnapped due to her mother’s fault, Cha Tae-sik goes out on a John Wick-esque meets The Professional kind of rampage against drug traffickers until he finds her.
It's a great action movie, the last starring reclusive Korean actor Won Bin, who’s also appeared in classics like Mother and Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War.
Extreme Job (2019)
This action comedy hit focuses on a vice task force team that gets reassigned to undercover surveillance of a drug gang, the catch is that as part of their mission they must pose as the owners of a fried chicken restaurant. As if being in the police wasn’t a hard enough job, the cast must now balance their night mission with daily cooking.
Extreme Job is currently the 2nd most watched film in South Korea’s history, it’s so funny and the food looks so delicious, Kevin Hart is set to star in an upcoming American remake.
More recommendations: 3 Iron, The Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance), Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, A Taxi Driver, Miracle in Cell No. 7, Burning, Mother, The Admiral: Roaring Currents, Fabricated City, Be With You, Exit, Silenced, Tazza: The High Rollers, Architecture 101, Confession of Murder, I Saw the Devil, The Chaser, The Thieves.