As we all know, the Korean wave has taken over the entire world, and Korean films, dramas, and celebrities are getting recognized worldwide. Korean cinema is known for its subtlety and realistic approach to showing its art. With films like Parasite and Minari winning the Academy Awards and other international awards, Korean movies have created a platform for themselves. Korean movies have many genres, from rom-com to thriller/action to the supernatural. So here is the list of top 10 must-watch Korean films you should try :
1. Parasite (2019)
Parasite is a 2019 internationally acclaimed film that won four academy awards, becoming the first Korean film to do so. This film shows the economic inequality in society. Bong Joon ho has beautifully captured the two different worlds in the same city. With fine detailing, this film shows the stark difference between the lifestyles of both families. This film is about an unemployed family who grabbed the opportunity to change their life when their son got hired by a wealthy family.
2. Minari (2020)
Minari is a 2020 Korean- American film. It earned six nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards, with Youn Yuh- Jung winning for her performance, making her the first Korean to win an Academy Award for acting. The plot follows a family of South Korean immigrants who try to make it in the rural United States during the 1980s in search of their American Dream. Minari seeds are used as a metaphor to show how life is so simple we make it complicated with our unreal expectations. Minari is a well-crafted film that portrays the different shades of family dynamics. This movie is what we need in these trying times.
3. Train To Busan (2016)
Train to Busan is a 2016 zombie thriller film. It is one of the most popular Korean films of all time. This movie is about a man taking his daughter to Busan because she wanted to be with her mother on her birthday. Their journey took an unexpected turn when a zombie apocalypse struck South Korea. This movie beautifully shows the relationships of the passengers. You have to keep your tissue box in handy for the climax.
4. Taxi Driver (2017)
Taxi driver is a 2017 film based on a real-life story. This story is about a taxi driver in Seoul who takes a foreign journalist to Gwangju for 100,000 won. The foreign journalist wanted to cover the ongoing protest in Gwangju. The taxi driver agreed to take him to Gwangju for money amidst protests and riots but soon realized it was a bad idea.
5. A Werewolf Boy (2012)
A werewolf boy is a 2012 film in the fantasy romance genre. It is a story about a teenage girl who visits her house in the countryside where she meets a werewolf boy, which was the start of a unique relationship filled with love, care, and selflessness. This film is a sweet and nice watch filled with emotions.
6. The Call (2020)
The call is a 2020 film in the thriller and suspense genre. What will you do if you get a call from someone who existed 20 years ago? Well, this film is all about that. Two girls living in different timelines get connected through a telephone call. Things take a wrong turn when they try to change the past.
7. Tune In For Love (2019)
Tune in for love is a 2019 film about two people who met at a bakery. They kept crossing each other's paths from time to time unintentionally. They fell in love with each other but time was not in favor. It is a sweet and simple love story with many shades of emotions like guilt, sadness, love, etc.
8. Forgotten (2017)
Forgotten is a 2017 film in the thriller and mystery genre. This movie is about a man solving the mystery of his older brother's kidnapping. After 19 days of getting kidnapped, Yoo Seok returns home with no memory of it. Jin Seok noticed the change in his brother’s behavior which brings him to the question that the person who got home may not be his brother.
9. Oldboy (2003)
Old boy is a 2003 film in the mystery and action genre. Old boy is a movie about a man who spent fifteen years in a cell. He didn't know the identity of the person behind all this trap. And when he gets out, he got only five days to find out about the motive of the person who kept him in. This movie takes you on a rollercoaster ride with shockers that can blow your mind. This movie is popular, critically acclaimed, and a must-watch.
10. Space Sweepers (2021)
Space sweeper is a 2021 sci-fi film. It has a stellar cast that includes Song Joongki, Kim Taeri, etc. This movie is set in 2092 when the earth is no longer a place where people can live. This story is about four misfits who work as space sweepers and collects space debris in their ship called Victory. They get into a dangerous matter when they find a humanlike robot wanted by the space guards.
