My personal favorite Korean movies 10 [recommendation of all time] 2023

 

My personal favorite Korean movies

 

This order is based on my own personal favorites and is not a ranking.
If there's a life movie you'd like to recommend that's not here, please let me know in the comments.
Let's share good movie information together~.

 

FYI,

English title by IMDB (Translated Elngish title, Korean title) Release year

1, Salinui chueok (Memories Of Murder , 살인의 추억) 2003 

131 min/ Crime, Drama, Mystery 

In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit. (by IMDB)

- My 1st favorite Korean movie

I haven't been disappointed by any of director Bong Joon-ho's commercial films since this one.

2, Tazza (The War Of Flower, 타짜) 2006 

139 min/ Comedy, Crime

A guy with a talent for cards makes his way into the dangerous world of underground gambling in this crime thriller from South Korea. (by IMDB) 

- My personal top 3 Korean movies along with 'Memories of Murder' and 'New world'.

3, Sinsegye (New World, 신세계) 2013

135 min/ Action, Crime, Drama

An undercover cop finds it difficult to play both a cop and a goon. (by IMDB) 

- My 1st favorite Korean gangster movie

A very famous movie that almost no one in Korea knows.

4, Bumchoiwaui junjaeng: Nabbeunnomdeul jeonsungshidae

(Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time, 범죄와의 저쟁 : 나쁜 놈들 전성시대) 2012 

134 min/ Crime, Drama

On the verge of being fired, a corrupt customs official finds a haul of drugs and teams up with a vicious gangster to become the most powerful crime partnership in Busan.  (by IMDB) 

- My 2nd favorite Korean gangster movie

I also recommend the Netflix drama 'Narco-saints 수리남' by the director of this movie, Yoon Jong-bin.

5, Ajeossi (The Man from Nowhere, 아저씨) 2010 

119 min/ Action, Crime, Drama

A quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend. (by IMDB)

- It is the last movie shot by the most handsome actor 'Won Bin' in South Korea.

6, Oldeuboi (Oldboy,  올드보이) 2003 

120 min/ Action, Drama, Mystery

After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must find his captor in five days. (by IMDB)

-This film that made Park Chan-wook the director he is today

7, Gwang-hae, wang-i doin nam-ja (Masquerade, 광해, 왕이 된 남자) 2012 

131 min/ Drama, History

A look-alike commoner is secretly hired to take the place of a poisoned king to save his country from falling into chaos. (by IMDB)

- You could watch one of Korea's handsome best actors play two roles in a movie.

8, Gisaengchung (PARASITE, 기생충) 2019

131 min/ Drama, Thriller

Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan. (by IMDB)

- A movie so creepy and uncomfortable to watch that it kept me watching until the end...

9, Gwoemul (The Host, 괴물) 2006

119 min/ Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi 

A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches. (by IMDB)

- CG skills may seem a bit lacking, but the story is very full. 

Bong Joon-ho, the director who only makes movies like this quality, is probably the real monster.

10, Beomjoidosi (THE OUTLAWS, 범죄도시) 2017 

121 min/ Action, Crime, Thriller

Based on real events, this crime action film depicts a Seoul detective's attempts to keep peace while two Chinese-Korean gangs battle over turf in the neighborhood. (by IMDB)

- This movie cemented the lead actor's place in the Korean film industry.

Later, this most powerful character's actor 'Ma Dong-seok' in Korea would go all the way to Marvel in the U.S.