Korean Movies To Watch

Iliya Kim and his choice of Korean movies.

Here I will write Korean films that lovers of Korean culture would like. This article is written for those who want to get acquainted with Korean cinema. The criteria for choosing a film are the most famous and only the best-made films I have seen. The list of these films is based on my subjective opinion, but I am sure that many will like them.

The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014)

This is a film about the Korean admiral who defeated the Japanese predecessors. The movie concretely describes the sea battle broke out in the Myeongnyang Strait where 13 Joseon Navy and Japanese 133 Navy joined. It was such a implausible victory that even when historians say 'smashed up on the face', the public believes this and distorts hypotheses.

Admiral Yi Sun-sin appears as the legendary hero who saved the Joseon Dynasty from collapse. The admiral had 12 ships, the Japanese empire had 133. An ingenious strategy for positioning ships allowed to bomb this armada.

I recommend this film to all lovers of historical films.

Taegukgi (2004)

This film was shot from a historical event that was just recently. Namely, about the Cold War and its consequences. This is the story of two brothers who were divided by ideology. The story of a nation divided by capitalism and socialism.

As you might have guessed, this is a film about the Korean War that took place in 1950. At the moment, there are 2 nations on the Korean peninsula, one is the Republic of Korea, the other is the DPRK. A touching story as fate turned their backs and they had to go through the difficult path of the struggle for freedom.

It makes us think what we are fighting for.

New World (2013)

The film is about brotherly friendship and honor. An intrigue unfolds among the Korean mafia, where two members of this organization intercede for each other. At first it might seem like an ordinary crime movie, but there is a deeper meaning.

The film asks a question about good and evil, where everything is black or white, but in fact it is all a mirage. The police are meaner than the mafia, and the members of the mafia were much more humane and more loyal than the same cops.

The film says that the world is not divided into black and white, but states that the world is gray. There is no absolute good and no absolute evil. I recommend the film to anyone who loves the genre of forensics.

Oldboy (2003)

 The film is a psychological thriller with an action movie genre. It describes the theme of revenge, where the main character tries to take revenge on his enemy for isolating the hero in prison for 15 years. The most important idea of this film is the idea of an evil language, you need to follow what you say to people. Since one bad word can lead to tragic results.

The film makes you think about the naivety and stupidity of people, about the mistakes that we make every day, without even realizing it.

Train to Busan (2016)

This is a zombie action movie. The plot consists of an attempt by the protagonist to travel to the city of Busan by train and at the same time protect his daughter from zombies. It may seem like this is another zombie movie, but it's not true. This is a very high-quality action film with elements of drama. This film is interesting not only for the wonderful play of the actors, but also for illustrating the human nature. How selfish people can be in extreme situations and how we do not appreciate what is now, considering it appropriate.

The first Korean blockbuster is a zombie movie, I promise a lot of emotions and a great time.

So, we reviewed the top 5 Korean films, which I recommend to watch for all students and not only students.

Text by
Iliya Kim