Nowadays, it seems likeKoreanentertainment is everywhere, but there was a long stretch of time when very few knew about the gems being created by South Korea. The 60s were when Korean cinema began to pick up and create a distinct national style the country is known for today,despite harsh censorshipfrom the dictatorships in place during that time. During the late-90s, many of the directors that are beloved and well-known today began their filmmaking journeys, and some were just coming out of film school and were ready to make history.
But some South Korean movies stand out from the rest because of their significance in film history, especially inKorean film history. South Korea was a country devastated by war and the brutal impacts of Japanese colonization, yet has become one of the biggest entertainment cultures in the world. The local movie scene has exploded in recent years, with attention coming from all over the world, not just in Asia anymore.
The films on this list not only made an impact internationally, but also domestically due to their influence. This is not a comprehensive list, but instead a primer for what movies have continued to be influential.
12Peppermint Candy
Made in 1999, Lee Chang-dong’sPeppermint Candyis one of his earlier prominent films after pivoting from a career as a schoolteacher to a filmmaker. It tells the story of one depressed and suicidal man from the moment he decides to end it all in reverse; the film has been noted for its usage of reverse chronology to convey the nuances in this man’s story.
Peppermint Candyalso documents periods of drastic change in Korean history, showing how the Gwangju Massacre and the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis served as moments impacting this one man. This was the film that began to put Lee on the international map, paving the way for Korean cinema’s success.
Many know of Park Chan-wook and his movies, especially his seriesThe Vengeance Trilogy.Oldboyis the second movie in the trilogy, and by large the most famous one around the world. A tale of revenge after a man is kidnapped for over a decade and released, this isn’t a movie for those with a queasy stomach when it comes to violence.
Oldboygained acclaim by winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, and has had several remakes in English and Hindi. This was one of many movies that first opened the floodgates for Korean entertainment.
10Parasite
It seems impossible to escape the Cinderella story when it comes to Bong Joon-ho’s movieParasite. The film is distinctly Korean, but also broad enough to have its themes and characters be applicable to other countries’ contexts. The film tells the story of a rich and a poor family and what it takes to survive, especially when the poor family tries to leech off of the wealthier family’s resources.
The film made waves when it was released abroad, and had an incredible run at the Academy Awards, taking home even the award for Best Picture.
9The Handmaiden
Park Chan-wook has become a big name in the directing world in the past few decades, but his 2016 filmThe Handmaidentapped into audiences in a way his films never have before. An LGBTQ+ story set in a Korea under Japanese colonial rule, two women play an elaborate game with each other to get what each wants.
The film received critical acclaim upon its release in the West, and, after appearing at Cannes Film Festival, had garnered sales for its distribution in over a hundred and sixteen countries. Few Korean movies could say the same when this film was released.
Related:10 Amazing South Korean Movies That Will Make You Cry
8The Housemaid
1960’sThe Housemaid, which was directed by Kim Ki-young, is a masterpiece of Korean cinema and came out during one of the country’s golden ages of film. The Kim family has moved into a middle class lifestyle after the patriarch manages a factory for a living. When he decides to hire his wife a housemaid, it spells the beginning of the end.
The women they end up hiring ends up seducing Mr. Kim, and when she becomes pregnant with his baby, affairs in the house start leading towards violence.The Housemaidhas a distinctive style and tone that would set the scene for Korean movies to come later.
7Memories of Murder
Bong Joon-ho’sMemories of Murdermight actually be his best movie — but it depends on who you’re asking that. This movie also marks the rise of actor Song Kang-ho in the acting world, as his performance inMemories of Murderwas the first one that gained acclaim all around the world.
Based on a true story that was only recently solved, the film follows detectives as they try to figure out who a serial killer is before it’s too late. Ever since its release in the early-2000s, the film has continued to impress audiences across the years.
Burningcame out in 2018, and, despite all the excellent films that had been made in Korea throughout the years, was only the first Korean movie to land the Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature Film. Before landing that spot on the shortlist, though, it had won the FIPRESCI International Critics’ Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Burningtells the stories of a young man who wishes to be a novelist. After running into an old neighbor and classmate, he becomes tangled up in what may or may not be a murder mystery with the mysterious Ben, a man full of secrets.
5The Wailing
Na Hong-jin’sThe Wailingwas released in 2016, and is one of the fewKorean horror filmsthat have managed to capture international attention in recent years. After the arrival of a stranger in a small Korean village, the villagers seem to lose their minds and kill their loved ones. When a local police station finds themselves investigating this, one officer ends up realizing that perhaps the original stranger might’ve been the source of this and might actually be an evil spirit.
Related:Best LGBTQ+ Korean Movies, Ranked
4A Tale of Two Sisters
2003’sA Tale of Two Sistersshowed the world what South Korean horror could be about, and it delivered righteously. The movie would become the first Korean film to be screened in American movie theaters, and has remained the highest-grossing Korean horror film released.
It tells the story of Su-mi, who, after receiving treatment at a mental institution, returns home. Her stepmother sees to be a key to the ghosts haunting their home, but things are about to get darker from here, drawing both sisters into a darker story about their family overall.
3Train to Busan
A zombie movie that gained the love of fans from all over the world, many know the nameTrain to Busan. Gong Yoo portrays a disgruntled worker who is taking his daughter on a high speed train to Busan, as he wants to let her spend time with her mother for birthday, but a country-wide zombie outbreak is happening.
When it reaches the train, he wants to protect her before it’s too late. The film was a massive success upon its release, and managed to spark an entire franchise and an upcoming American remake in the process.
