19 Korean Movies for Language Learners
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Are you a Korean movie buff, or learning to speak Korean? This list can help you choose a Korean-language film to study or enjoy.
These films were available on Netflix in at least some regions when this guide was written in 2021. Streaming catalogues change, so check the title in your country before planning a lesson around it.
South Korea’s film industry is part of Hallyu, the “Korean wave” of popular entertainment from South Korea. If you want more titles, start with our guide to Korean movies, including Train to Busan, Oldboy and Parasite. Parasite was the first film not in English to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
The list covers several genres: action, romance, comedy, horror, thrillers, dramas. There are even a couple Korean kids’ movies!
Here are 19 films to explore across several genres.
A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away in Korean for at least 15 minutes with the “Fluent in 3 Months” method. All it takes is 90 days. Tap this link to find out more.
Korean Action Movies
Steel Rain
Hangul: 강철비
Released: 2017
Director: Woo-suk Yang
Genre: Action, Drama
In the near future, Eom Chul-Woo, a former North Korean Special Forces agent, discovers a plot for a military coup. He’s forced to defect to South Korea with the Supreme Leader.
To prevent an all-out nuclear war on the Korean peninsula, Eom Chul-Woo teams up with South Korean official Kwak Chul-Woo to stop the coup from happening.
Psychokinesis
Hangul: 염력
Released: 2018
Director: Sang-ho Yeon
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Director Yeon Sang-ho also made Train to Busan. In this superhero fantasy, a bank security guard named Suk-hun drinks water from a mountain spring and discovers telekinetic powers.
He then uses his newfound powers to save his estranged daughter, Roo-Mi, from an evil construction company run by the mafia.
Revenger
Hangul: 리벤져
Released: 2018
Director: Seung-won Lee
Genre: Action, Crime
In the not-too-far future, a remote island has become a prison for violent criminals on death row.
But one man, set on avenging his family’s murder, purposefully gets himself sent to the island to take revenge.
Pandora
Hangul: 판도라
Released: 2016
Director: Jung-woo Park
Genre: Action, Thriller
A run-down nuclear plant explodes after an earthquake strikes a small town in South Korea.
The nuclear meltdown is devastating to the town, and only the plant workers can stop it. They must return to the plant in order to save everyone.
Illang: The Wolf Brigade
Hangul: 인랑
Released: 2018
Director: Jee-woon Kim
Genre: Action, Sci-fi
In 2029, North and South Korea have finally agreed to reunification. The preparations have been 7 years in the making, but it’s threatened by a political uprising on both sides.
South Korea creates a special forces unit, the “Wolf Brigade”, to stop the terrorist attacks on the reunification.
This movie is a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.
The Witch: Part 1 – The Subversion
Hangul: 마녀
Released: 2018
Director: Hoon-jung Park
Genre: Action, Mystery
A young girl escapes from a mysterious lab after an incident leaves many dead. After 10 years of living a normal life without any memories of what happened to her, she tries to uncover the truth.
Her search leads her face-to-face with more troubles from her past as she discovers an inner darkness she had hidden away.
Korean Horror Movies and Thrillers
Rampant
Hangul: 창궐
Released: 2018
Director: Sung-hoon Kim
Genre: Action, horror
Exiled Prince Lee Chung and Minister of War Kim Ja-joon go head-to-head in a fight for power… all against a backdrop of zombie infections thanks to a European ship.
If you love zombie movies, especially “K-Zombie” movies, you’ll enjoy this film. And an even bigger plus if you’re a Crash Landing on You or Memories of the Alhambra fan — Prince Lee Chung is played by Hyun Bin! (My personal favorite Korean actor!)
Lucid Dream
Hangul: 루시드 드림
Released: 2017
Director: Joon-Sung Kim
Genre: Sci-fi, thriller
An investigative journalist named Dae-ho is trying to track down his son who was abducted — three years ago.
Losing hope of finding his son, he tries a new form of therapy using lucid dream techniques. This therapy allows Dae-ho to retrace what happened on the day his son was kidnapped.
Finding a new evidence trail, he teams up with Detective Song to try and find the truth about his son’s whereabouts.
Call
Hangul: 콜
Released: 2020
Director: Chung-Hyun Lee
Genre: Horror, Thriller
In two different times – 20 years apart – one phone call connects two women. As the women end up changing the past (and thus the present), they unleash a pandora’s box of death.
This movie stars megastar Park Shin-hye!
#Alive
Hangul: #살아있다
Released: 2020
Director: Il Cho
Genre: Horror, Action
#Alive is another horror film starring Park Shin-hye.
The story centers around video gamer live streamer, Joon-woo, who’s forced to stay isolated in his apartment while trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. He connects with a fellow survivor, Yoo-bin, and together they try to stay alive until rescue comes… if it can.
The Chase
Hangul: 반드시 잡는다
Released: 2017
Director: Hong-seon Kim
Genre: Drama, Action, Thriller
Sim Deok-soo, a grumpy landlord of an apartment complex, discovers his tenants are disappearing.
When a retired detective comes knocking, they team up to track down a serial murderer who seems to have returned after 30 years.
Korean Romantic Movies and Comedies
Tune in For Love
Hangul: 유열의 음악앨범 (Literally: Yu-yeol’s Music Album)
Released: 2019
Director: Ji-woo Jung
Genre: Romance, drama
During the Asian financial crisis (IMF crisis) of 1997, two teens meet at a bakery during Christmas break. As they fall in love, they continue to try to meet over the years, but it never seems to be good timing.
The movie follows the two over 10 years, filled with longing, secrets, and love. But the biggest highlight of this movie is the incredible, beautiful soundtrack!
The Bros
Hangul: 부라더
Released: 2017
Director: You-jeong Jang
Genre: Comedy, fantasy
Two estranged brothers who haven’t seen each other since their mother’s funeral — where they caused chaos and drama — come together again at their father’s funeral. On the way, they hit a mysterious woman with their car, who then gets amnesia.
Despite starting out selfishly, the brothers discover family secrets and work to come together.
Korean Drama Movies
These dramas range from independent coming-of-age stories to international co-productions.
If Korean dramas are your thing, our Korean TV guide gives you more titles and a way to study short scenes.
High Society
Hangul: 상류사회
Released: 2018
Director: Hyuk Byun
Genre: Drama
How far would you go to become part of the upper elite? One married, upper-middle-class couple will do anything.
Oh Su-yeon, the wife, is a curator of a chaebol-funded art gallery who aims to become the director. (By the way, chaebol are huge family-owned conglomerates in South Korea. They play a big role in politics as well.)
Her husband, Jang Tae-ju, is an economics professor at Seoul National University. He’s running for the National Assembly, South Korea’s legislature.
Together, they try to work their way up the social ladder and become accepted in high society.
Seoul Searching
Released: 2015
Director: Benson Lee
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Seoul Searching is primarily in English, with some Korean, German and Spanish. Korean-American filmmaker Benson Lee based it on a 1986 South Korean summer programme for young people of Korean heritage. It premiered at Sundance in 2015.
The film follows young people of Korean heritage at one of those programmes as they explore identity, family and belonging.
It is a useful choice for cultural context, but not a Korean-language listening resource in the same way as the Korean-language films elsewhere in this guide.
Burning
Hangul: 버닝
Released: 2018
Director: Chang-dong Lee
Genre: Drama, mystery
Based on renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s short story, Barn Burning, comes this mystery thriller.
Jong-su meets a woman who used to live in his neighborhood, Hae-mi, who asks him to watch her cat while she goes to Africa. (Strange, I know.)
But it gets weirder — she comes back with a strange guy named Ben, who tells Jong-su he likes burning abandoned greenhouses.
Next thing you know, Hae-mi has disappeared, and Jong-soo begins to investigate.
Okja
Released: 2017
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Director Bong Joon-ho also made Parasite and Snowpiercer. Okja is a South Korean-American co-production in both Korean and English, so it is better for comparing languages or studying selected Korean scenes than for Korean-only listening practice.
A powerful, international company called the Mirando Corporation has been breeding “super pigs”. They’ve been sending them around the world to farmers so they can raise them. One such super pig, Okja, has been raised for years by a young girl named Mija.
When Okja is titled the best super pig, Mija finds out she’s going to lose her friend because the corporation wants to bring him to New York to be studied. So, she begins her adventure to save her friend — while also learning of extreme corruption.
Korean Movies for Kids and the Whole Family
If you’re looking for a family film that may introduce children to Korean, check its age rating, content guidance and available audio options in your region first.
Children’s programmes may have familiar settings and repeated language, but they can still include fast speech, jokes or vocabulary a beginner does not know. Use a short, age-appropriate scene and check comprehension rather than assuming it is easy.
Tayo – Mission: Ace
Tayo – Mission: Ace (2016; Korean: 극장판 꼬마버스 타요의 에이스 구출작전) is directed by Ryu Jung-woo.
It is a film from the Tayo the Little Bus franchise. Check whether your local service offers the original Korean audio, subtitles or a dub before choosing it for study.
The movie follows Duri, who’s searching for his favorite race car and ends up in a magical land filled with toys that have been lost or thrown away.
Miniforce: New Heroes Rise
Miniforce: New Heroes Rise (2018; Korean: 극장판 미니특공대X) is directed by Lee Young-joon. It follows the Miniforce team as they face the Lizard Army.
It is a prequel to the television series. Check the local classification and Korean-audio availability before using it with children or as a study resource.
Go Ahead — Enjoy Some Guilt-Free Binge-Watching with Korean movies!
Choose one film, confirm where it is legally available in your region and start with a short scene. First follow the situation, then replay with Korean subtitles and retrieve two useful expressions before checking them again.
Watching Korean films isn’t enough to learn Korean on its own. So why not learn some practical Korean phrases for your first Korean conversation? Or try learning the 101 core Korean words you need to learn first.
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