You must see these five South Korean films

The South Korean film industry has been one of the purveyors of pitch-black top cinema for years. We list five acclaimed films from the country that you should see at least once. We are mainly used to watching films from the United States. That’s not surprising, because Hollywood pumps out one spectacle after another. However, for viewers who do not necessarily have to see English acting on their screen, there is still a whole world of film entertainment to explore. One of the countries that has been delivering one classic film after another for years is South Korea. The country has a vibrant film industry. While in recent decades, especially avid film fans have enjoyed all the wonderful things that the country has to offer in terms of film, South Korean cinema is also gaining more and more of a foothold among the general public. The gourmet will already be familiar with most of the films below, but for anyone who wants to take a first dive into what the South Korean film industry has to offer, we have listed five absolute viewing tips. Keep in mind that nerves of steel and a tolerance for intense film violence are in many cases a requirement.

Old boy

The absolute classic that has been mentioned in the same breath as South Korean cinema for years is Oldboy, the film directed by Park Chan-wook and released in 2003. In it we follow Oh Dae-su (played by acclaimed actor Choi Min-sik), who is held captive for fifteen years without knowing who or why. At the beginning of the film we see how Oh Dae-su slowly but surely goes crazy during his captivity. When he is suddenly released after fifteen years, he seeks revenge. Armed with a hammer and any other objects he can find, he fights his way to his captor. He only has five days to do so, because the kidnapper claims that he will commit suicide after five days so that Oh Dae-su never finds out his identity. The plot twist at the end of the film is legendary! Oldboy has been remade by Hollywood, but the South Korean version is much better. So make sure you grab it. The film can be rented on Videoland and Pathé Thuis.

Train to Busan

South Korea is also great for making zombie films. What’s called: This 2016 film by Yeon Sang-ho is considered one of the best modern zombie films. The approach here is original: most of the film takes place on a train on the Korean high-speed network from Seoul to Busan. When a zombie outbreak suddenly occurs because a single woman with an injury boards the train, complete chaos breaks out. Train to Busan can be rented from Amazon Prime Video and Pathé Thuis.

Parasite

In recent years, many people know South Korean cinema mainly from Parasite. That is not surprising: in 2020, Parasite was the first non-English film to win the Oscar for best film. Parasite therefore criticizes capitalism and the modern caste system in a wonderfully exciting and at the same time humorous way. In the film we follow the couple Kim Ki-taek and Chung-sook, who live with their son and daughter in a tiny basement apartment in Seoul. When a family friend offers the son the opportunity to work as a secondary school teacher for a wealthy family, his parents slowly but surely infiltrate the family’s very expensive house, with all the consequences that entails. One moment you’re biting your nails watching what unfolds on the screen, while the next moment you can’t suppress a surprised laugh. Parasite is an impressive experience. Parasite can be seen via HBO Max and Videoland.

I Saw the Devil

Korean films and revenge: name a more iconic duo. Like Oldboy, I Saw the Devil is also about revenge. In it we see how the fiancée of NIS agent Kim Soo-hyun (played by Lee Byung-hun) is brutally murdered. Soo-hyun does everything he can to find the killer of his loved one. What follows is an intense cat-and-mouse game in which you more than once doubt which of the two is really the bad guy. Just like so many Korean films, a strong stomach is occasionally required to endure this exciting sit. I Saw the Devil is currently not available on Dutch film services. The DVD is available for purchase in various online stores.

No Other Choice

Well, another film by Park Chan-wook (the director of Oldboy). No Other Choice is his most recent achievement, and the film, released last year, combines, like so much South Korean cinema, that typical humor with the necessary violence. With a focus on unemployment, the film is also extremely relevant in today’s society. No Other Choice revolves around Man-su, who has enjoyed working at a paper company for years and enjoys the necessary luxury with his family. However, when the paper company is taken over by an American company, jobs are cut, including Man-su’s. He soon discovers that it is almost impossible to find new work, until he gets an idea: he tracks down the other applicants who respond to vacancies and tries to kill them so that he is the best candidate. No Other Choice can be rented or purchased via Apple TV. Of course, this is just a small selection of the gigantic selection of South Korean film hits. From Memory of Murder and The Host to Sympathy for Lady Vengeance and The Handmaiden: after the above five films, there is still plenty of interesting stuff to watch. Enjoy it!