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Let's check out what hidden gems Netflix Korea has in store for us.
Last time, I suggested a couple of dramas and movies you could watch on the streaming service for a taste of your host country’s pop culture. If you missed my last list of must-watch recommendations check it out here.
Don’t let these titles or the ones from the previous list intimidate you— they’re easy to follow and come with English subtitles!
Fun Korean movies
• The Wailing – 2016, Horror/ Thriller, 2h 36 min
Released in 2016, The Wailing utilizes Korea’s traditional shamanism and the occult to bring one of the best horror films I’ve watched in years.
The story revolves a peaceful village plagued with a string of mysterious and violent deaths. Jong-Goo, the protagonist and local police officer (played by Kwak Do-Won), takes on the investigation to uncover the truth behind these deaths as her daughter beings to show the same crazed symptoms of the victims who met their untimely demise. The longer you watch, the more confused you’ll get, but it’s a ride worth taking!
• Extreme Job – 2019, Comedy/ Action, 1h 51m
I caught this flick with my entire family when it was released in theaters last year. This one humorously depicts the desperate struggle of a drug police squad on the verge of disbanding due to their inability to solve the crimes they’re assigned to investigate. To observe the drug cartel, the police officers take over a chicken joint across from the criminal organization's hideout. Their cover chicken business starts to boom, an unexpected result that will keep you laughing.
• Save the Green Planet – 2003, Sci-fi/Comedy, 1h 58 min
Released in 2003, it fits into the alien genre which is not a common theme you’ll find in Korean films. The poster for this looks like a children’s movie, but don’t let it fool you, Save the Green Planet is a bizarre and imaginative film. The outrageous events caused by the main character (Shin Ha-gyun) to prevent the invasion of the Earth by an alien army led by Prince Andromeda will make you realize that this film is close to the horror genre, not a comedy.
• The Chaser – 2008, Thriller/ Action, 2h 5min
This is famed director Na Hong-Jin’s debut film, for which he won numerous awards and good reviews. The crime-thriller is based on the real serial murder case of Yoo Young-chul, who killed 20 people from September 2003 to July 2004. The film revolves around a dishonest ex-detectvie and pimp who attempts to track down Ji Young-min, a psychopath, after one of his prostitutes goes missing. Side note: Not one for the kids.
• The Yellow Sea – 2010, Thriller/ Drama, 2h 37min
Another Na Hong-jin flick, The Yellow Sea begins with Gu-nam (Ha Jeong-woo), an ethnic Korean Joseon taxi driver who lives a hard life in Yanbian, China. To pay his debts, Gu-nam must put a hit on a professor. Things don’t go as planned and he is on the run from the police and the gangster he owes a debt to.
• Oldboy – 2003, Thriller/ Mystery, 2hrs
This one is a bit of cult classic in the states and was the victim of a badly-reviewed Spike Lee remake in 2013. The original Oldboy released in 2003 is based on the Japanese comic of the same name by Garon Tsuchiya and illustrated by Nobuaki Minegishi. The movie shows in a somewhat aggressive way how Oh Dae-soo (Choi Min-sik), the seemingly ordinary main character, discovers why he was mysteriously detained in a private prison for 15 years without any explanation, without prison guards or outside contact. This film was also the first Korean film to win the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004.
• I Saw the Devil – 2010, Thriller/Drama, 2h 23m
This 2010 film tells the story through a confrontation between Intelligence Service agent Kim Soo-hyun (Lee Byong-hun) and the brutal bizarre killer Jang Kyung-chul(Choi Min-sik), who killed Kim's fiancee. Due to the hyper brutal scenes, the film received a "Restricted" rating twice to prevent any sort of release but managed to be released by getting “R-rated” after undergoing many edits.
