Korean horror, or K-horror, has been regarded for its distinctive style, bloody violence, and disturbing imagery. It shares many similarities to J-horror (Japanese horror) with its psychologically dark plotlines and social commentaries. K-horror achieved international attention alongside J-horror with a boom in the late 1990s. Subsequent English-language remakes have followed numerous original K-horrors, many of which have been panned by critics.
A common theme in Korean horror cinema is vengeance, whether it be a demonic supernatural presence seeking revenge on the unsuspecting living, or a disturbed individual going on a bloody vengeful rampage. Korean horror movies tend to stay fairly grounded, and often mix realism with fantastical elements. Here are some of the best movies to start with.
The Isle (2000)
The late director Kim Ki-Duk helmed this dark love story set in a floating cottage at a fishing resort. The idyllic location contrasts the disturbing story which sees Hee-Jin (Suh Jung), an innocent mute girl, and Hyun-Shik (Yu-seok Kim), a dangerous fugitive, fall for each other. Kim established his own visual style by combining his haunting tone with spiritual beauty. The horror elements come predominantly from the unflinching brutality of the violence – described by many as traumatizing. The stir it caused led to international attention, with several reports of audience members vomiting or fainting. The Isle does not follow the typical conventions of K-horror, and stands out in its own way. The beautiful cinematography and subdued tragedy made it a hit with arthouse audiences all over the world, and its gruesomeness is still grimly effective.
Phone (2002)
Phone is a monumental addition to K-horror, and it remains one of the most popular. Taking more of a supernatural approach, this chilling horror follows Ji-won (Ha Ji-Won) in her investigation into a series of menacing phone calls she is receiving. In an effort to escape the calls, she changes her number and moves into a house owned by her sister Ho-jeong (Kim Yu-Mi). Soon, the calls continue and Ho-jeong’s daughter Yeong-ju (Seo-woo Eun) begins acting strangely. Phone includes plenty of innovative scares including a terrifying scene in which Ji-won comes across Yeong-ju on her phone and the young girl reacts with an ear-splitting scream before passing out. It allows the audience’s minds to race wildly on what could possibly have provoked such a reaction. The second half is full of shocking twists and turns – and an explanatory flashback sequence which truly exemplifies the horrifying capabilities of the K-horror genre. An American remake was announced to be in the works in 2009, but has since made little development.
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
From Kim Jee-woon, one of South Korea’s finest directors, A Tale of Two Sisters is a heartbreaking horror which explores family conflicts, mental illness, and vengeful spirits. It was inspired by the Korean folktale Janghwa Hongreyeon jeon, which has been adapted several times with the latest being The Guard Brothers’ The Uninvited in 2009. Troubled and traumatized teenager Soo-mi (Lim Soo-jung) is released from a mental institution and reunited with her sister Soo-yeon (Moon Geun-young), father (Kim Kap-su), and stepmother (Jung-ah Yum). Downbeat and thematically rich, this K-horror played a major part in popularizing the genre. The disorientating slow pace along with a sustained level of suspense caught the attention of audiences around the world.
At the time of its release, it became the highest-grossing Korean horror film of all-time. Kim went on to make several equally impactful films, but A Tale of Two Sisters may well be his best work. It is a deep and disturbing dive into an unsound mind, and as well as being smartly deceptive, it is also profoundly terrifying.
The Host (2006)
Bong Joon-ho is now a name recognized all over the world thanks to his history-making masterpiece Parasite, but in 2006, his career was just getting started. His third feature was the dazzling monster movie The Host, a genre-mashup of horror, action, and black comedy with strong political background. Bong was inspired to write the film after he read a news story about gallons of formaldehyde being dumped into the Han River by the US military. The movie’s opening scene speculatively recreates this event with an American military doctor demanding his reluctant Korean assistant to throw the bottles of formaldehyde down drains leading to the Han River. Over time, the chemicals mutate into a bloodthirsty monster intent on wreaking havoc on the city of Seoul. Bong has never shied away from social and political issues, and The Host offers criticism of the US military and the South Korean government in a metaphor-heavy story which harkens to the real world more often than it may first appear.
Hansel & Gretel (2007)
The story of Hansel & Gretel has been adapted many times, but Pil-sung Yim’s 2007 movie really does stand out for the way it captures the unusualness of the original story whilst dripping in atmosphere and dread. The opening act sees a red-cloaked child (Shim Eun-kyung) discover Eun-Soo (Jeong-myeong Cheon) in the aftermath of a car accident. She leads him into a dark forest to her parents and siblings who all live in a house buried deep within the trees. Eun-Soo soon discovers the deceptiveness of the house when he begins to feel as though he is a prisoner. His heightened state of paranoia is reflected onto the audience in the most terrifying way with a sense that danger could be around every corner. The movie fantastically uses color to drive the plot along as the bright colorfulness of the house gradually becomes darker and less appealing following many disturbing revelations.
Audiences familiar with the original story will be able to recognize the similarities in the movie, but the Hansel & Gretel tale is directly addressed multiple times and the book itself eventually plays a big role in the plot. Often favorably compared to Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, 2007’s Hansel & Gretel shows what can be done when fairytales are taken to the darkest places.
Thirst (2009)
Notorious South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has incorporated horror elements into many of his films including Oldboy, Stoker, and The Handmaiden. He even directed a segment in the East Asian horror anthology Three… Extremes, but his clearest crack at the horror genre was the stylish vampire movie Thirst. Park approached the film as a love story, but still crafted a disturbing, blood-soaked horror film which features some unexpectedly beautiful moments. A failed medical experiment results in priest Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho) unleashing tendencies of vampirism upon many unsuspecting victims. After he falls in love with Tae-ju (Kim Ok-bin), the two of them become targets of suspicions as the once-idolized priest becomes feared. Fresh new life is breathed upon the vampire genre, and Park’s trademark ruthless violence and bleak humor makes this a perfect starting point for those interested in K-horror.
Stunningly shot, particularly in one mesmerizing scene, in which Sang-hyun and Tae-ju bounce from rooftop to rooftop, this K-horror is a masterstroke from Park. Hopefully, he will take another stab at the horror genre in the near future.
I Saw the Devil (2010)
Kim Jee-woon returned with this grisly horror thriller about secret agent Kim Soo-hyeon’s (Lee Byung-hun) search for sadistic serial killer Jang Kyung-jul (Choi Min-sik). This is another K-horror in which vengeance is at the forefront, and it focuses on the prolonged mercilessness of seeking revenge on pure evil. This dark, grim tale is emotionally draining at two-and-a-half hours long. It has been commended for its cinematography, but has been hugely controversial for its graphic violence and torture sequences. Kim wants to keep Jang alive for as long as he can to make his revenge as agonizing as possible, and it makes for one of the most compelling games of cat-and-mouse Korean cinema has ever seen. Choi’s horrifying performance really is the stuff of nightmares. The harrowing conclusion shows the ultimate hopelessness of extracting such brutality. Fast-paced and unforgettable, I Saw the Devil is a modern masterpiece.
Hide and Seek (2013)
Jung Huh’s low-budget mystery looks into the terrifying idea of strangers hiding in people’s homes. After his brother goes missing, Seong-soo (Son Hyeon-ju) begins to notice strange symbols everywhere he goes. The symbols lead him to the mysterious Joo-hee (Moon Jeong-hee), a neighbor of his brother’s. The near-constant tension builds to an explosive, unexpected finale. Jung smartly looks into class warfare by interweaving Seong-soo and Joo-hee’s stories, and his precise direction keeps the atmosphere unnerving and the pacing meticulous.
Jung’s directorial debut was an unexpected hit topping the Korean box office on its opening weekend. In 2021, it received an American remake directed by Joel David Moore, and starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The remake performed poorly, and was critically panned.
The Wailing (2016)
One of K-horrors biggest successes, Na Hong-jin’s The Wailing sees Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won) lead a police investigation in a remote village after the villagers become dangerously violent. Engaging for its entire 157 minutes, this horror creates an enigmatic mystery drenched in a moody atmosphere. Na brilliantly balances creepy East Asian mythology with terrifying supernaturalism to create a rich horror film which does not rely on cheap jump scares, and instead crafts some superbly unique set pieces. K-horror’s tendency to mix genres is apparent here with smatterings of action, drama, and comedy in the monstrous running-time. Na still manages to find a balance in tone, and the result is an unsettling and brilliantly constructed nightmare.
Critics and audiences all around the world were blown away by Na’s masterful horror effort. With terrific character development and Na’s flawless direction, The Wailing is a psychologically complex horror experience never to be forgotten, and it leaves the audience on a chilling ambiguous note.
Train to Busan (2016)
Train to Busan is a thrill-ride of a zombie movie. Set on a high-speed train traveling from Seoul to Busan, a zombie virus breaks out, causing mayhem to ensue amongst the passengers. At the heart of the movie is Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) and his daughter Soo-an (Su-an Kim) whose relationship provides a lot of emotion in the movie. He is an absent father who is wracked with guilt, but he becomes fiercely protective of his daughter as the virus spreads. The action is frantic and frenzied, but staged in a brilliant way which puts the audience amongst the chaos. The zombies are not the slow-moving groaners we have come to expect, and instead move at a rapid speed. Their desire for flesh and blood makes them merciless, and the tension is off the charts whenever they are around. Seok-woo’s character arc is phenomenally executed, and the final scene hits hard. Director Sang-ho Yeon also made an animated prequel Seoul Station and a follow-up Peninsula set in the same universe.
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)
This terrifying found-footage horror was based on the real-life psychiatric hospital which closed down in 1996. The creator of a horror web series leads a small team into the abandoned hospital to investigate whether it is as haunted as its reputation would suggest. Before long, the investigation takes a terrifying turn. This is easily one of the strongest, most effective found-footage horrors of recent times, taking its time before exploding into anarchy with big scares. The movie does a fine job at passing itself off as real, even referencing the real list CNN came up with about the world’s most haunted locations.
Never reliant on jumpscares, Beom-sik Jung has crafted an immersive found-footage gem. Likable characters and some of the most creative scares the genre has ever seen make Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum one of K-horror’s finest offerings.