Discover the best of South Korean cinema, film, and television
Discover the definitive list of popular and critically-acclaimed movies and TV shows from South Korea. Find your next binge-watch, streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!
The cinema of South Korea
In the last two decades, South Korean cinema has become one of the most dynamic and influential forces in global entertainment, a cultural phenomenon known as the 'Hallyu' or Korean Wave. Its modern cinematic identity was forged by a new generation of visionary directors. Park Chan-wook stunned the world with the brutal elegance of revenge thrillers like Oldboy, while Bong Joon-ho achieved a historic, game-changing victory at the Academy Awards with his masterpiece Parasite. This is a cinema that can deliver nail-biting suspense, sharp social satire, and heartbreaking drama, often in the very same film. This creative energy then completely conquered television. For years, K-dramas have captivated millions with their addictive romances and sweeping historical epics. Then, a show like the global sensation Squid Game didn't just break records; it rewrote the rules of what a non-English language series could achieve. What makes Korean storytelling so incredibly addictive is its fearless emotional intensity and brilliant genre-blending. A story can be a touching romance one minute and a terrifying thriller the next. It is a culture that has truly mastered the art of popular entertainment, and it has the whole world completely hooked.
Best South Korean series
Squid Game 2021
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
77
All of Us Are Dead 2022
A high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must fight their way out — or turn into one of the rabid infected.
77
Kingdom 2019
In this zombie thriller set in Korea's medieval Joseon dynasty which has been defeated by corruption and famine, a mysterious rumor of the king’s death spreads, as does a strange plague that renders the infected immune to death and hungry for flesh. The crown prince, fallen victim to a conspiracy, sets out on a journey to unveil the evil scheme and save his people.
81
Sweet Home 2020
As humans turn into savage monsters and the world plunges into terror, a handful of survivors fight for their lives — and to hold on to their humanity.
74
My Name 2021
Following her father's murder, a revenge-driven woman puts her trust in a powerful crime boss — and enters the police force under his direction.
80
The Glory 2022
Years after surviving horrific abuse in high school, a woman puts an elaborate revenge scheme in motion to make the perpetrators pay for their crimes.
83
Best South Korean movies
Parasite 2019
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
85
Snowpiercer 2013
In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
70
Train to Busan 2016
When a zombie virus pushes Korea into a state of emergency, those trapped on an express train to Busan must fight for their own survival.
78
Oldboy 2003
With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.
83
The Handmaiden 2016
1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl, Sookee, is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Hideko, who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle Kouzuki. But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until Sookee and Hideko discover some unexpected emotions.
82
Memories of Murder 2003
During the late 1980s, two detectives in a South Korean province attempt to solve the nation's first series of rape-and-murder cases.
80