My Top 10 Favorite Korean Horror Films

I watch a lot of horror films, and some of the best in terms of storyline and unique character development have always been from South Korea. These are not films that rely on CGI, jump scares, or an invincible killer. Instead they are slow burn, have bumbling, realistic characters who make mistakes, and stories that push the boundaries. As usual, I’m highlighting a few of the lesser know films, but there were a few well known ones that I just had to add.

On with the films!

Memoir of a Murderer

directed by Won Shin-yeon

Synopsis

A former serial killer with Alzheimer’s fights to protect his daughter from her psychotic boyfriend.

This was an unexpected find on Tubi. Many films told from the point of view of the serial killer never quite allow the viewer to establish a deep level of sympathy for them. But this one lets us care deeply about about a man facing the terror that comes with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis – even if he was once a serial killer. Sol Kyung-gu’s nuanced performance of a man literally losing his mind is brilliant. Don’t miss this unique film!

The Man From Nowhere

directed by Lee Jeong-beom

Synopsis

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.

The strength of this film rests on the performance of Won Bin, who must transform from an almost mute pawnshop owner to a slick, merciless killer. And man, does he ever rise to the occasion. You absolutely don’t want to miss one of the greatest knife fights EVER put on screen!

Face

directed by Sang-gon Yoo

 

Synopsis

A man’s (Shin Hyun-joon) daughter has disturbing visions while he helps the police search for a serial killer.

One of the first Korean films I ever watched, and one I think about from time to time. It was definitely one of the “gateway” films that got me into true crime. It has a slow pace (Korean films often do!), but it balances a nice blend of horror, crime thriller, and a little bit of romance just beautifully. And there just might be a few surprises…

Bedevilled

directed by Cheol-soo Jang

Synopsis

A woman subject to mental, physical and sexual abuse on a remote island seeks a way out.

This is definitely not the film you think it’s going to be when you start watching it. This is one of the surprising and interesting things that Korean films often do. The setting was spooky and isolating – not a place I’d go to get away for some relaxation. Be prepared to start switching allegiances many times throughout the film.

Thirst

directed by Park Chan-wook

Synopsis

Through a failed medical experiment, a priest is stricken with vampirism and is forced to abandon his ascetic ways.

Leave everything you have ever learned about the undead at the door! This is not your ordinary vampire movie! Featuring an early performance by the incredible Song Kang-ho (Parasite), it’s a film about a vampire that is consumed by guilt not only because of his religious views, but because he is a moral man at heart. As befitting every Park film, there are a few glorious, stunning scenes of violence and blood.

Mother

directed by Bong Joon Ho

Synopsis

A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl’s horrific murder.

Mother is a film that probably would have been an absolute flop in the U.S. But in the hands of a skilled filmmaker like Bong Joon Ho and an actress with the talent and power of Kim Hye-ja, it’s a hit. Hye-ja carries the film as she furiously pursues justice for her mentally handicapped son after the police refuse to do any further investigation. And no, your eyes aren’t fooling you, the son, Yoon Do-joon is played by Won Bin from The Man From Nowhere!

The Isle

directed by Kim Ki-duk

Synopsis

Working at a fishing resort in an idyllic location, but surrounded by various facets of human unpleasantness, a young mute woman falls in love with a man on the run from the law for committing murder.

Much like the Japanese film it’s often compared to, Audition, The Isle is a film that pays off if you can stomach some fairly sick scenes. And they are sick even by my own scale and I’ve seen A LOT. But those that push through will find a pay off. And the film itself is simply gorgeous to look at. And it’s no surprise as this director is also responsible for one of the most beautiful films ever made: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…And Spring.

The Call

directed by Chung-Hyun Lee

Synopsis

Two people live in different times. Seo-Yeon lives in the present and Young-Sook lives in the past. One phone call connects the two, and their lives are changed irrevocably.

I went into this one completely blind and I was very surprised at how well it worked. It’s an incredibly ambitious concept: the ability to have someone change the past in order to alter your future. And sure, it starts sweet enough, but this is a horror film…and how do you stop a killer that is in a different time? Who could, with one act, blink you out of existence? This one will have you on the edge of your seat.

The Chaser

directed by Na Hong-jin

Synopsis

A disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.

I had to decide between this film and Na Hong-jin’s other brilliant movie The Wailing, but I feel that this is a film that not as many people have had the chance to watch. The Chaser is based on a true story of an ex-cop turned pimp who noticed that his girls were disappearing. Finding the cops pretty useless, he tracks the criminal down himself. But that’s just the start. This one has terrific chase sequences along with graphic kills.

Memories of Murder

directed by Bong Joon Ho

Synopsis

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.

Based on a true story, I consider this film to be Bong Joon Ho’s magnum opus. In Memories of Murder, the investigative styles of a country and a city cop instantly clash when they first meet. But in order to find the killer, they must work together, fight political corruption, and try to solve an unsolvable crime before someone else dies. What sets this film high above all other crime thrillers is that the director allows us to get to know the personalities and highs and lows of the characters (even throwing some humor in). Doing so lets us feel their drive and eventual desperation to catch the killer. This one is in my Top 10 Films of all time list.

Are there any others I missed? Let me know in the comments below!