Around this time last year, Bong Joon-ho’s genre-bending film Parasite made headlines all around the world for being the first South Korean film to break through the glass ceiling of Hollywood. It clinched several distinctions at the 92nd Academy Awards including Best Picture, making it the first non-English language film to do so.

In terms of cultural exports, Korean films are generally overshadowed by K-Pop and K-dramas. Parasite’s triumph, however, has renewed global interest in Korean films. Many people are just now discovering the rabbit hole that is Korean cinema, and we at The Seoul Story are happy to help you navigate through it.

In order of release date, here are 10 films that showcase the best of Korean cinema and leave their audiences with lingering emotions long after the credits have rolled.

One Fine Spring Day (2001)

One Fine Spring Day paints a brutally honest portrait of love and relationships. Yoo Ji-tae and Lee Young-ae play Sang-woo and Eun-soo, respectively, who rush into the first instance of love after meeting through work. Despite dialogue being sparse in the film, the story is beautifully told through other sounds. The brushing of bamboo trees against each other. The bubbling of ramen. The awkward silence after Sang-woo asks Eun-soo if she’d like to meet his father. One Fine Spring Day is a tad bitter, a little sweet, and all too real.

Memories of Murder (2003)

Memories of Murder is arguably the second-best entry next to Parasite in Bong’s impressive filmography. The film follows two detectives as they try to solve a puzzling case of serial murders. It is loosely based on the real-life Hwaseong serial murders that happened between 1986 and 1991, the first serial murders in Korean history. It is difficult to believe that Bong wrote and directed Memories of Murder so early into his career because of the film’s near-perfect execution. Up until the final frame, the film keeps us guessing.

Castaway on the Moon (2009)

Part of Castaway on the Moon’s charm is its sheer absurdity. It centres on Seong-geun, a man who ends up stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the Han River, and Jung-yeon, the internet-addicted loner who watches him from afar. The film begins as a tale of survival. Then the narrative shifts seamlessly into a story of escapism, serendipity, and hope. There are a lot of things you will look at differently after watching this film, including jjajangmyeon.

Mother (2009)

Another murder mystery from Bong, Mother revolves around an unnamed widow doing her best to take care of her developmentally disabled son, Do-joon. Their relatively quiet life is disturbed when the murder of a young girl is linked to Do-joon. The film puts us in the place of the mother, and like the titular character, we do not find out the truth until the very last act. Mother is not only a very effective thriller, but also a jarring reminder of the lengths that mothers go to in order to protect their children — even if it means going against the world.

Poetry (2010)

The title pretty much describes what this film is. Akin to reciting poetry, the story is told softly and with the utmost care. It follows the life of 66-year-old Mija, played by the legendary actress Yoon Jeong-hee, who enrols in a poetry class as she struggles with the tell-tale signs of Alzheimer’s and the aftermath of her grandson’s crime. The film is a two-hour cinematic poem, and it requires its audience to read between the lines — “to really see”, as Mija’s poetry teacher said. And, like poetry, the film ultimately poses rather than answers questions.

Hope (2013)

Hope is by no means an easy film to watch. Based on the real-life Cho Doo-soon case in 2008, it follows a family’s path to healing while coping with their own rage and grief after their eight-year-old daughter, Sowon, narrowly survives a brutal incident. The film barely gives its audience time to breathe as gut-wrenching scenes are piled on top of the other, with the cast’s stellar performance delivering the blows. Before diving into this film, be sure to have your heart and tissues ready.

The Handmaiden (2016)

Where to even begin with The Handmaiden? Not a single second of this nearly three-hour masterpiece is dull; its twists and turns would keep anyone at the edge of their seat throughout the film’s runtime. Set in Japanese-occupied Korea, the film follows an orphan and a conman’s scheme to steal the inheritance of a rich Japanese woman. Apart from its intricate plot, the film also boasts a stunning cinematography and praiseworthy performances from its cast. A word to the wise: The Handmaiden is not for the faint of heart.

A Taxi Driver (2017)

In one of Song Kang-ho’s strongest performances to date, he plays Man-seob, a taxi driver who drives a foreign journalist into the city of Gwangju at a time of great political upheaval in South Korea. The film starts out comedic courtesy of Song’s stingy character, but then morphs into a stirring commentary on the plight of the working class, the value of truth, and the fight for freedom. A Taxi Driver will make you laugh, cry, and most of all, make you appreciate what a terrific actor Song Kang-ho truly is.

Bori (2018)

Bori is a character study more than anything. In Kim Jin-yu’s directorial debut, we follow the life of the titular character as she tries to find her place within her hearing-impaired family. The film perfectly captures the tender relationship between children and their parents, between siblings, and between childhood friends. Despite the occasional drag of the narrative, what makes Bori heart-warming through and through is that it is told completely from a child’s perspective. The film serves a nice reminder of what it feels like to be a child for those of us who might have forgotten.

Swing Kids (2018)

What sets Swing Kids apart from other war-era films is that the war itself isn’t the most important part of it. Instead, it lets us into the lives of those caught up in the crossfire. In the film’s case, we follow a group of misfits who form a dance team in a prisoner-of-war camp during the Korean War. The film becomes comical more than a few times, but its unapologetic humour is precisely what makes its takes on freedom, friendship, and ideology all the more poignant. Combining the elements of tap dance, crisp editing, and masterful direction, Swing Kids is a spectacle from start to finish.

This list simply scratches the surface of the bountiful world of Korean cinema. There are more gems to be found out there — all we need to do is look. As Bong put it, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

If your favourite Korean films didn’t make it to our list, don’t hesitate to share them below!

Written by: Sai
Featured Image by: Sai

Established in 2011, The Seoul Story is a Southeast Asia-based Korean Events, Entertainment & Lifestyle News Site On The Go

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