In 2020, Bong Joong-ho’s masterpiece, “Parasite”, made history becoming the first non-English film to win the Oscar for “Best Picture”. In this article, we’ll journey back in time to uncover a list of the best Korean movies—some known by everyone, others hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
1. Parasite (2019)
Starting with the above, “Parasite.” A dark comedy-thriller, “Parasite,” follows the low-income Kim family, who, when their son gets the opportunity to tutor the daughter of the wealthy Park family, scheme to parasitically attach themselves to the family. However, the more the Kims get drawn into the world of the Parks, the more dangerous their secrets become—leading to a violent climax. As many essays and articles across the internet will explain, “Parasite” is a critique of capitalism and Korea’s strict social hierarchy, where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. This is even reflected in how the Parks live in a house with tons of glass windows, while the Kims live in a basement apartment—even sunlight is expensive these days!
Given the movie’s genre-defying storytelling and amazing star-studded cast featuring Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Lee Sun-kyung, and more, it shouldn’t be a surprise that “Parasite” swept the awards! In fact, in addition to the movie’s historic win at the Oscars, “Parasite” was also the first Korean film to win the top prize, or Palme d’Or, at the Cannes International Film Festival—”Parasite” also picked up trophies at the Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards, and Screen Actors’ Guild Awards!
2. Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013)
Moving on, the next movie on this list is the emotional drama, “Miracle in Cell No.7.” This film follows Lee Young-gu, a developmentally disabled man who is wrongfully convicted of a murder that he didn’t commit. Switching between the past and present, the audience watches as Lee Young-gu, unexpectedly, connects to his cellmates, including gang leader So Yang-ho, who agrees to help Lee Young-gu reunite with his daughter, Ye-sung, whom he longs to return to. Tragically, “Miracle in Cell No. 7” was actually based on a real-life story of a man who, after being tortured, admitted to the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl in 1972. After spending over thirty years in prison, the man was only exonerated in 2008. With the characters’ love and resilience, “Miracle in Cell No. 7” touched the hearts of viewers across generations and, as a result, has become one of the most popular Korean movies of all time!
3. The Housemaid (1960)
Often called one of the “best Korean films of all time,” the classic black-and-white movie, “The Housemaid”, is a must-watch! Reportedly, inspired by a story that director, Kim Ki-young, read in the newspaper—”The Housemaid” follows Kim Dong-shik, a pianist whose family gets torn down after hiring a young woman named Myung-sook as their housemaid. Although she is, at first, a helpful and hardworking worker, Myung-sook soon starts to manipulate Kim Dong-shik into cheating on his wife. A domestic horror movie and exploration of desire and class struggles, “The Housemaid” paints a haunting cautionary tale of trust, betrayal, and the power dynamics between a family and their staff. Fun fact, Bong Joon-ho actually called “The Housemaid” one of his two “stairway movies” (the other being the 1963 movie “The Servant”) that inspired “Parasite”! The film was also featured in Faces of the Korean Woman back in 2019 at the Asian Film Archive.
4. The Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
Released in the same year as Bong Joon-ho’s “Memories of Murder” and Park Chan-wook’s “Oldboy” (which I’ll get to in a second) was Korea’s highest-grossing horror movie, “A Tale of Two Sisters.” Based on a Korean folk story from the Joseon dynasty, named “Janghwa Hongryeon jeon,” the story of “A Tale of Two Sisters” is about Su-mi, a teenage girl who returns to her family after being in a mental institute. However, Su-mi come home to a series of chilling events—as Su-mi and her sister, Su-yeon, confront their stepmother, the sisters begin to suspect that something evil is going on. Set in a “The Shining”-style Gothic mansion, “A Tale of Two Sisters” and its stunning psychological horror plot, became the first Korean movie to be screened in American theaters, and, despite all the other amazing titles released in 2003, “The Tale of Two Sisters” was one of the most awarded films of the year, including Im Soo-jung (who plays Su-mi) winning “Best New Actress” at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. Similar to The Housemaid, this film was also featured in Faces of the Korean Woman.
5. New World (2013)
Next, we skip forward ten years to the 2013 movie, “New World.” The perfect movie for fans of films like “The Godfather” and the Hong Kong classic “Infernal Affairs,” “New World” follows an undercover cop, named Lee Ja-sung, who infiltrates a powerful Korean gang, Goldmoon International. But as eight years pass, a power struggle breaks out in the gang, and Chief Kang, who is in charge of reassigning him, keeps him on the job, Lee Ja-sung starts to wonder which side he is really on. Starring “Squid Game” star, Lee Jung-jae, “New World” was well-received around the world—while the movie only had a budget of 7.3 million won, “New World” ended up making around 31.7 million US dollars in the box office, making this film a massive hit!
6. Oldboy (2003)
Finally, for the last movie on this list, we have to discuss “Oldboy.” Starring Choi Min-sik, “Oldboy” is about a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years without a reason. During this time, he is kept in a cell that looks like a hotel room by a mysterious captor—and, when he is randomly released, he finds himself framed for his wife’s murder and decides he must find his captor and get his revenge. With its intricate plot and superb delivery, “Oldboy” was awarded the “Grand Prix” at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and gained high praise from critics like Roger Ebert, who commended it for its exploration of the human heart’s depths. Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, Ebert says, “We are so accustomed to ‘thrillers’ that exist only as machines for creating diversion that it’s a shock to find a movie in which the action, however violent, makes a statement and has a purpose.”
Loosely adapted from the Japanese manga of the same name, “Oldboy” is a brutally violent film that delves into profound social commentary, examining themes of revenge and forgiveness, which has elevated “Oldboy” to the status of a “cult classic.” In fact, just a few days ago, Lionsgate announced that they are partnering with Park Chan-wook, who directed the original film, to create an English TV series version of the iconic movie. Although “Oldboy” got an American movie adaptation a few years ago, directed by Spike Lee, it was not particularly well received—this new version will, according to Scott Herbst, executive vice president and head of scripted development for Lionsgate Television, “feature the raw emotional power, iconic fight scenes and visceral style that made the film a classic.”
As we come to the end of our deep dive into 6 of the best must-watch K-movies ever, it’s obvious that Korean cinema has really left its mark around the world. These films aren’t just entertaining; they also get us thinking and talking, and they highlight the wide array of stories Korean cinema has to offer!
