Korean Movies of the Early 2020s
EditorialSteffen20 titles08/24/2026
Korean cinema changed between 2020 and 2023: because of the pandemic, films like "Space Sweepers" went straight to Netflix; in 2022, "The Roundup" became the first film since "Parasite" to draw more than 10 million moviegoers; and Park Chan-wook won the Best Director award at Cannes for "Decision …
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The Witch: Part 2. The Other One마녀 2
What it's aboutAfter a bloodbath at a secret research lab, a girl who has never seen the outside world wanders through the forest. Kyung-hee (Park Eun-bin) saves the stranger from gangsters and takes her in. But soon, a very different group of pursuers is after the girl. Directed by Park Hoon-jung, starring Shin Si-ah, Seo Eun-soo, and Jin Goo.
Why it's on this listIn 2022, Park Hoon-jung continued his “Witch” series, drawing 2.8 million moviegoers in South Korea.
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Peninsula반도
What it's aboutSince a zombie outbreak swept through South Korea, the peninsula has been cut off from the rest of the world. Former soldier Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won) barely escaped to Hong Kong and now lives a bleak life there. Then he gets an offer: retrieve a truck carrying $20 million from the middle of Seoul, and he can keep half. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, starring Lee Jung-hyun.
Why it's on this listReleased in July 2020 and selected for Cannes: Yeon Sang-ho’s standalone sequel to “Train to Busan.”
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Project Wolf Hunting늑대사냥
What it's aboutA group of dangerous criminals is being extradited from Manila to Busan aboard a cargo ship across the Pacific. The prisoners are locked below deck, and a large police force is on board. But the voyage spirals out of control and becomes a bloody fight for survival. Directed by Kim Hong-sun, starring Seo In-guk, Jang Dong-yoon, and Sung Dong-il.
Why it's on this listPremiering in Toronto in 2022 and winning the Special Jury Prize at Sitges: extremely bloody action on the high seas.
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Decision to Leave헤어질 결심
What it's aboutA mountaineer is found dead at the foot of a peak near Busan. Detective Jang Hae-jun, who has been struggling to sleep for a long time, takes the case and focuses on the much younger widow, Song Seo-rae, an immigrant from China. The longer he watches her, the more strongly he’s drawn to her. Directed by Park Chan-wook, starring Park Hae-il and Tang Wei.
Why it's on this listPark Chan-wook won the Best Director award at Cannes in 2022 for this film, which South Korea then submitted for the Oscars.
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20th Century Girl20세기 소녀
What it's about1999: Seventeen-year-old Na Bo-ra has a best friend, Yeon-du, who is supposed to go to the U.S. for heart surgery but doesn’t want to leave because of her crush, Baek Hyun-jin. Bo-ra promises to keep an eye on the boy and report back by email, so she joins the school broadcasting club. Starring Kim You-jung, Byeon Woo-seok, and Park Jung-woo, directed by Bang Woo-ri.
Why it's on this listThe 2022 Netflix romance looks back to 1999 and reached No. 2 worldwide among non-English-language films.
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The Roundup: No Way Out범죄도시 3
What it's aboutMa Seok-do (Ma Dong-seok) has been transferred to Seoul’s Metropolitan Investigation Unit. With his new team, he investigates the mysterious death of a woman whose body contains traces of a new drug called “Hiper.” The trail leads to a drug ring that’s also making money for the Japanese yakuza. Directed by Lee Sang-yong, starring Lee Joon-hyuk and Munetaka Aoki.
Why it's on this listThe third installment in the series followed in 2023, with Ma Dong-seok returning, and once again drew more than ten million moviegoers in South Korea.
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The Roundup범죄도시 2
What it's aboutSeoul detective Ma Seok-do (Ma Dong-seok) is sent to Vietnam to bring back a suspect who has turned himself in. While there, he encounters a series of murders targeting Korean tourists, carried out by a ruthless killer (Son Suk-ku). The manhunt takes them across Vietnam and back to Korea. Directed by Lee Sang-yong, the second installment in the series after 2017’s “The Outlaws.”
Why it's on this listIn 2022, it became the first film since “Parasite” to draw more than ten million moviegoers in South Korea.
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#Alive#살아있다
What it's aboutA virus that turns people into zombies spreads through Seoul. Gamer and livestreamer Oh Joon-woo is trapped alone in his apartment, cut off from the outside world, and has to find a way to survive. Starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye, directed by Cho Il-hyung. The screenplay is based on Matt Naylor’s script “#Alone.” “#Alive” was the first Korean film to top Netflix’s global movie charts.
Why it's on this listThe 2020 zombie film was the first Korean movie to top Netflix’s global film charts.
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Ballerina발레리나
What it's aboutOk-ju used to work as a bodyguard. When her best friend, ballet dancer Min-hee, dies, a lead points to a man named Choi Pro. Ok-ju wants revenge and takes on him and his associates. Starring Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Ji-hoon, and Park Yu-rim, directed by Lee Chung-hyun, with music by Gray.
Why it's on this listThe revenge thriller starring Jeon Jong-seo debuted on Netflix in October 2023 and topped the global non-English-language film charts.
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Brave Citizen용감한 시민
What it's aboutSo Si-min used to be a boxing prodigy; now she works as a substitute teacher at a high school. When she sees student Han Su-gang ruthlessly bullying his classmates and realizes no one at the school is stepping in, she can’t take it anymore. With a mask over her face, she takes him on herself. Based on the webtoon by Kim Jung-hyun, starring Shin Hye-sun and Lee Jun-young.
Why it's on this listIn this 2023 action comedy, Shin Hye-sun becomes a masked teacher who stands up to bullying at her school.
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Alienoid외계+인 1부
What it's aboutIn 2022, Guard and his shape-shifting robot Thunder watch over alien prisoners who have been trapped in human bodies for centuries. In 1391, during the Goryeo era, Taoist magician Muruk and warrior Ean hunt for a legendary blade. Portals open between the two time periods. Starring Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Woo-bin, and Kim Tae-ri, directed by Choi Dong-hoon.
Why it's on this listThe first part of Choi Dong-hoon’s two-part sci-fi saga connected late Goryeo-era Korea with the present day in 2022.
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Space Sweepers승리호
What it's aboutIn 2092, Earth is barely habitable. The crew of the spaceship Victory—pilot Tae-ho, Captain Jang, Tiger Park, and the robot Bubs—scrapes by collecting space junk. When they find a little girl named Dorothy in a wreck, they get caught up in a dangerous deal. Directed by Jo Sung-hee, starring Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, and Jin Seon-kyu.
Why it's on this listBecause of the pandemic, Korea’s first space blockbuster went straight to Netflix in February 2021 instead of opening in theaters.
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12.12: The Day서울의 봄
What it's aboutOctober 26, 1979: Martial law is declared after the assassination of President Park Chung-hee. Major General Chun Doo-gwang leads the investigation into the murder, but he and a circle of loyal officers make a grab for power. Lee Tae-shin, commander of the Capital Defense Command, plans to stand up to them. Starring Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung, directed by Kim Sung-su.
Why it's on this listThe 2023 political thriller about the December 1979 military coup won the Baeksang Grand Prize and the Blue Dragon Award for Best Film.
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Broker브로커
What it's aboutSang-hyun is strapped for cash, and his friend Dong-soo works at a church’s baby box. The two secretly take in babies left there and sell them to people who can’t adopt one legally. But this time, the young mother So-young comes back, and two police detectives have been watching the men for a while. Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, starring Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, and Lee Ji-eun.
Why it's on this listHirokazu Kore-eda’s first Korean film earned Song Kang-ho the Best Actor award at Cannes in 2022.
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Concrete Utopia콘크리트 유토피아
What it's aboutA massive earthquake reduces Seoul to rubble, leaving just one high-rise standing: the Hwang-Gung Apartments. With no power, water, or connection to the outside world, residents have to organize themselves in the middle of winter as more and more survivors from outside seek shelter. Directed by Um Tae-hwa, based on a webtoon by Kim Soongnyung, starring Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon, and Park Bo-young.
Why it's on this listReleased in theaters in 2023 and submitted by South Korea for the Oscars: a disaster film about the last apartment building still standing in a devastated Seoul.
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Emergency Declaration비상선언
What it's aboutA young man posts online that he plans to attack an airplane, and police investigator Koo In-ho (Song Kang-ho) takes the threat seriously. The trail leads to flight KI501 to Honolulu, which has already taken off. Jae-hyuk (Lee Byung-hun), who is flying to Hawaii with his young daughter, is also on board. Shortly after takeoff, the first passenger falls seriously ill. Directed by Han Jae-rim, starring Jeon Do-yeon.
Why it's on this listAfter its world premiere at Cannes in 2021, the disaster film opened in South Korean theaters in August 2022, starring Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun.
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The Call콜
What it's aboutSeo-yeon returns to a country house to visit her sick mother. There, she finds an old cordless phone, and a woman named Young-sook answers at the other end. She lives in the same house—but in 1999. The two women begin talking across the decades. Starring Park Shin-hye and Jeon Jong-seo, directed by Lee Chung-hyun.
Why it's on this listThe thriller about a phone connecting two different time periods went straight to Netflix in 2020, earning Jeon Jong-seo the Baeksang Best Actress award.
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Carter카터
What it's aboutA man wakes up in a bloodstained motel room in Seoul with no memory and a cross-shaped scar. A woman’s voice in his ear calls him Carter, warns him that CIA agents are on their way, and gives him a mission: rescue a girl named Ha-na who is needed for a vaccine against a deadly epidemic. Directed by Jung Byung-gil, starring Joo Won in the title role.
Why it's on this listReleased on Netflix in August 2022, it reached No. 1 on the global non-English-language Top 10 after just three days.
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Dream드림
What it's aboutAfter being disciplined for an incident, pro soccer player Yoon Hong-dae (Park Seo-joon) is assigned to coach a national team made up of homeless people. Many of his players have never really played soccer, but the goal is still the Homeless World Cup. Aspiring filmmaker Lee So-min (IU) follows the team with a camera. Directed by Lee Byeong-heon and based on a true story.
Why it's on this listFirst in theaters, then on Netflix in 2023: Park Seo-joon and IU star in a sports comedy about Korea’s national homeless soccer team.
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Ghost Mansion괴기맨숀
What it's aboutWebtoon artist Ji-woo (Sung Joon) is looking for material for new horror stories when he winds up in a run-down apartment building. The building manager (Kim Hong-pa) tells him about the strange incidents that have taken place in the individual units over the years. His stories become an anthology horror film with a rotating cast of characters. Written and directed by Jo Ba-reun, also starring Kim Bo-ra.
Why it's on this listReleased in theaters in summer 2021: an anthology horror film where every apartment in an old building has its own terrifying story.
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