Fans of Korean entertainment know that the only way to satiate one's appetite for more of the best K-dramas is to either unplug the TV and/or disconnect the internet so you can't stream shows anymore. That, or you could just binge even more by watching the best Korean TV series on Netflix and the must-watch, new K-dramas of the year—and even dive into the world of Korean cinema.
Films hailing from South Korea have been wowing cinephiles for decades, and arguably increased in popularity with American audiences thanks to streaming (remember when Oldboy first hit Netflix in its early days?), and even more so since the breakthrough success of Parasite's groundbreaking Best Picture win at the 2020 Oscars. From romance movies like Tune in For Love to horror epics like Train to Busan, Korean films offer an escape into worlds with both intense plot twists and cheesy scenes (which we love). (Bonus: Most Korean movies, on Netflix and otherwise, come in right under that two-hour mark.)
Browse our favorite Korean movies on Netflix below, then sit back with some snacks and hit the play button. (For even more recommendations, we've rounded up the best Korean movies of 2025 so far.)
Best Action Korean Movies
'Ballerina' (2023)
This gritty action-thriller stars The Call and Burning’s Jeon Jong-seo as Ok-ju, a skilled fighter who’s taking a break from her job as an elite bodyguard. On her birthday, she reconnects with her former classmate Min-hee (Park Yu-rim) and quickly becomes besties with the titular ballerina. Everything’s great until Ok-ju discovers Min-hee’s dead body and a suicide note asking Ok-ju to avenge her death. Flower of Evil’s Kim Ji-hoon co-stars as the sadistic gangster who may be involved in Min-hee’s death.
'The Fortress' (2017)
This stunning historical-action film from Squid Game director Hwang Dong-Hyuk is set during the Qing invasion of Korea's Joseon dynasty in 1636. When King Injo refuses to accept the Qing emperor's rule, the Chinese army forces the king and his court to retreat to an isolated fortress in the middle of winter. As enemy forces surround the castle, King Injo deals with a political struggle inside, as influential ministers attempt to sway their leader in his response to the invaders. This tense war epic also boasts an all-star cast including Park Hae-il, Kim Byung-hun, Kim Yoon-seok, and Park Hee-soon.
'Kill Boksoon' (2023)
This slick Korean thriller on Netflix follows the titular Bok-soon (Crash Course in Romance's Jeon Do-yeon), a top-class assassin who balances her successful career with her private life, as the mother to 15-year-old Jae-young (Kim Si-a). After decades at the top of Korea's hidden hitman industry, Bok-soon decides to retire and focus on her relationship with her daughter. However, her final assignment goes awry, putting her in the crosshairs of several of her former co-workers and her formerly devoted boss Cha Min-kyu (Sul Kyung-gu).
'KPop Demon Hunters' (2025)
Okay, technically KPop Demon Hunters was made in the U.S.—but the animated blockbuster has quickly taken over South Korea (and the rest of the world) while mixing K-pop music and fandom with fantasy elements inspired by Korean mythology. HUNTR/X is both the biggest group in K-pop and a trio of hunters, who protect the world from the demon king Gwi-ma with a barrier made out of their fans's love. But when a human-turned-demon named Ji-nu (Business Proposal's Ahn Hyo-sep) forms a demon boy band to take HUNTR/X's fans, main vocalist Rumi (Partner Track's Arden Cho) has to reckon with a lifelong secret and her surprising attraction to her rival.
'Psychokinesis' (2018)
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Psychokinesis is a superhero action movie that centers on bank security guard Suk-hun (Moving's Ryu Seung-ryong). After drinking water from a mountain spring that was struck by a meteor, Suk-hun finds himself with telekinetic superpowers. His estranged daughter, Roo-mi (Shim Eun-kyung), runs a fried chicken restaurant that is under threat of being taken over by a construction company, which is controlled by the mafia, which also wants to kick the neighbors out of the area. A confrontation takes place between the thugs, Roo-mi, and her mother. Suk-hun attempts to use his newfound powers to rescue his daughter from the mafia as well as the neighborhood. Will he succeed?
'Space Sweepers' (2021)
Billed as South Korea's first blockbuster space film, Space Sweepers focuses on a group of strivers trying to make ends meet as humans leave an uninhabitable Earth to live in utopian space colonies. The debt-ridden "space sweepers," led by Vincenzo's Song Joong-ki, work as scavengers picking up debris from the wealthy colonies. On a mission, they discover a young child named Dorothy, who turns out to be an android containing a nuclear weapon. The group's initial plan to sell Dorothy to the highest bidder gets upended as they start to bond with the adorable android. Space Sweepers is perfect for anyone who likes their sci-fi epics with a bit of heart.
Best Comedy Korean Movies
'Miss Granny' (2014)
This laugh-out-loud comedy from Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk shows what happens when an elderly grandma gets the chance to relive her 20s. Oh Mal-soon (Na Moon-hee) is a cantankerous 74-year-old widow and lifelong singer who lives with her son and grandkids. When she comes across a mysterious photo studio, Mal-soon is transformed back into her 20-year-old self (played by Shim Eun-kyung). The cranky now-young woman still has old-fashioned tastes, but she still woos over both her grandson (BIA4's Jinyoung), who lets her join his band, and a record producer (Squid Game's Lee Jin-wook) who wants to make her a star.
'Mission: Cross' (2024)
In this action-comedy, Veteran's Hwang Jung-min and SKY Castle's Yum Jung-ah star as a married couple reckoning with a huge secret. Kang-mu (Hwang) is a former spy turned househusband, and his wife Mi-seon (Yum), one of Seoul's best detectives, has no idea about his past. When a female former colleague seeks Kang-mu's assistance, he tries to help her without Mi-seon finding out, leading to a huge misunderstanding in the middle of a life-threatening mission.
'Officer Black Belt' (2024)
This action-buddy-comedy takes place in the world of martial arts officers, real-life contractors appointed by the country’s Ministry of Justice to help the police force. When Lee Jung-do (Kim Woo-bin), an easy-going delivery driver who's a third-degree black belt, rescues an officer from an assault and is offered the post, he partners with a dedicated probation officer (played by Kim Sung-kyun) to keep the community safe.
'Parasite' (2019)
Odds are either Parasite or Train to Busan was your introduction to Korean cinema, but if you haven't caught the former yet, here's your chance! Director Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning film is a black comedy and social satire about a poor family scamming their way into working for the elites. That's all I'll say, to give lucky viewers the chance to go into this genre-bending, plot-twisting masterpiece completely blind. (Prepare for your mind to be blown.)
Best Horror/Thriller Korean Movies
'#Alive' (2020)
Because there's no such thing as too many K-zombie thrillers, #Alive takes place during a zombie apocalypse and follows live streaming video gamer Oh Joon-woo (Yoo Ah-in) as he attempts to stay, yes, alive amid all the madness happening outside his apartment. Fortunately, he soon catches sight of another uninfected survivor, Kim Yoo-bin (Park Shin-hye), in a nearby apartment, with whom he strikes up a very socially distanced friendship. Finally, they attempt a daring escape, but you'll have to tune in to see whether they make it to safety or succumb to the bloodthirsty hordes of zombies waiting eagerly on the streets below for new people to infect.
'The Call' (2020)
This psychological horror answers the question of what would've happened if, rather than Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock using the magic time-traveling mailbox in The Lake House to start up a (very) long-distance romance, a serial killer had used it instead to torture their next victim. Jeon Jong-seo and Park Shin-hye, respectively, play those two main characters, who can contact each other 10 years apart through a cordless phone in the house where they each spent their respective childhoods. Though their calls start helpful, with each giving the other enough information to improve their lives, things quickly take a turn.
'Forgotten' (2017)
This twisty Korean horror movie follows Jin-seok (Squid Game's Kang Ha-neul, who witnesses his brother Yoo-seok's abduction. After 19 days, Yoo-seok (Kim Moo-yeol) returns home one night with no memory of what happened, which leads the family to believe he repressed those horrid memories. Soon after, Jin-seok realizes that both his parents and brother are acting very strange and attempts to seek help, but ends up getting kidnapped by his "brother." Jin-seok is then thrown into a confusing murder plot and attempts to clear his name while battling whatever has gotten hold of his parents and brother. Creepy AF? We think so.
'Kingdom: Ashin of the North' (2021)
Viewers can watch this prequel to the Korean historical drama Kingdom without having seen the original show, although the drama will make you fall in love with the film and want more. Set in Korea's Joseon period in the 16th century, the film follows the titular Ashin, a young girl growing up in a Northern border town with her sick mother. One day, while Ashin is away seeking out a mysterious blue "resurrection” flower to save her mother, her entire family is slaughtered back home. Ashin continues to train, hoping to become a great warrior, and waiting for the opportunity for revenge.
'Silenced' (2011)
This film by Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk is technically a drama, but I'm including it here because it depicts a horrifying true story that led to political change in South Korea. It's based on events at the real-life Gwangju Inhwa School for the Deaf, where students were victims of repeated sexual assaults in the early 2000s. When a kind new art teacher (Squid Game's Gong Yoo) earns the trust of the students, he learns about the rampant abuse and teams up with a human rights activist (Jung Yu-mi) to seek justice for the kids.
'Train to Busan' (2016)
Another seminal Korean movie which has made its way back to Netflix, Train to Busan is the Korean zombie flick that set off a worldwide obsession with the sub-genre. This movie follows a zombie epidemic through an ingenious lens, as a group of commuters on a bullet train from Seoul to Busan (which crosses the whole of Korea in just over two hours) have to fight for their lives against a swarm of the undead. Come for the terrifying fight scenes, stay for the surprisingly tear-inducing drama.
'Unlocked' (2023)
Don't be surprised if you want to throw your phone off a cliff (or spend a few hours updating the privacy settings) after watching this terrifying psychological thriller. Office worker Lee Na-mi (Chun Woo-hee) loses her smartphone on the bus after a night out, but she's relieved when it's discovered by a stranger and dropped off at a repair shop. After she recovers her phone and goes on with her life, she befriends a stranger named Jun-yeong (Squid Game's Yim Si-wan), as they seem to have a lot in common. She has no idea that Jun-yeong was the one who found her phone and installed spyware to discover everything there is to know about her life.
'Wall to Wall' (2025)
This new psychological thriller from Unlocked director Kim Tae-joon turns the ordeal of home ownership into harrowing dark comedy. Three years after purchasing his 275-square-foot apartment, Woo-sung (Kang Ha-neul) is now house poor, depressed, and working a second job as a delivery driver. He's plagued by loud noises from the apartment above him, but the tenants below him believe that he's the source of the sound. This immersive dive into a desperate man's paranoia is best summed up in the trailer: "The building's not to blame. Ultimately, people are the problem."
Best Romantic Korean Movies
'20th Century Girl' (2022)
Prepare to feel tons of nostalgia for your teenage crushes while watching this sentimental Korean romance movie. In 1999, 17-year-old Bo-ra (Kim Yoo-jung) receives a request from her best friend Yeon-doo: to find out everything she can about Yeon-doo's crush, the popular Hyun-jin, while her friend's away overseas. As Bo-ra spies on and later ends up becoming friends with Hyun-jin, she also builds a connection with his thoughtful best friend, Woon-ho (Lovely Runner's Byeon Woo-seok). This film is a thoughtful love letter to both devoted teenage friendships and the first feelings of young love.
'Lost in Starlight' (2025)
Netflix's first-ever animated movie from Korea is a love story perfect for sci-fi fans. In 2050 Seoul, scientist Nan-young (Kim Tae-ri) dreams of traveling to Mars and searching for traces of her mom, an astronaut who never returned after a mission. Right before her space voyage, she meets Jay (Weak Hero Class 1's Hong Kyung), whom she hires to repair her mom's broken record player. As the pair fall in love, their romance pulls them both off their set life paths into the unknown.
'Love and Leashes' (2022)
This 2022 rom-com is a sexy and hilarious breath of fresh air for viewers who love Korean romances but wish there was a bit more tension (basically anyone who devoured Business Proposal's kiss scenes). Office worker Ji-woo (Girls Generation's Seohyun) forms a crush on her cute new co-worker Ji-hoo (Weak Hero Class 2's Lee Jun-young) when one day she receives his package containing a human-sized dog collar. Soon she's sucked into the world of BDSM as the pair begin a dominant-submissive partnership.
'Tune in for Love' (2019)
Nurse the emotional void left in your soul by When Life Gives You Tangerines by tuning into a heart-wrenching love story. This 2019 movie begins in the '90s during the Asian financial crisis. Mi-su (Kim Go-eun) and Hyun-woo (Jung Hae-in) meet as teenagers while working in a bakery over Christmas. As time passes, obstacles in adulthood separate them from each other, though the pair always look for ways to reunite. However, one of them holds a secret that might destroy their relationship. The film spans a decade and has a nostalgic tone, plus a beautiful soundtrack. By the end of the film, you're guaranteed to shed a few happy and sad tears.
Best Korean Documentaries
'BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky' (2020)
For any K-pop fans who haven't caught this documentary about global girl group BLACKPINK (or want a real-life group to check out after KPop Demon Hunters), it's worth it for a peek behind the scenes at what makes the group tick, as well as an insightful look into the industry's trainee system. Through interviews with the members and their producers, old trainee footage, and behind-the-scenes clips, Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa tell their story of their rise to fame and their goals going forward.
'Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror' (2022)
This true-crime documentary covers one of the biggest crimes in recent South Korean history, the Nth Room case. In 2019, news surfaced of secret chat rooms, where over 60,000 users paid for degrading and pornographic content obtained through coercion and blackmail. The rooms' creators, known under usernames like "godgod" and "baksa," would use phishing, fake model recruitment, and other means to force women to do what they demanded, or else the content would be leaked to their families. This horrifying doc lays out the timeline of the case and the creators' eventual arrest through interviews with several reporters and investigators.
'Yellow Door: '90s Lo-Fi Film Club' (2023)
Film buffs who are eager to learn more about the Korean film industry need to watch this documentary. When Parasite director Bong Joon-ho was a university student in the early '90s, he made his first-ever film: a 22-minute stop-motion short called Looking For Paradise. The film was screened for 10 members of cinephile club Yellow Door on Christmas 1992, and has never been seen since. Yellow Door will follow director Lee Hyuk-rae's quest for the beloved director's unreleased film.
