Gone are the days when only cinephiles admired Korean movies, with the Korean wave (or Hallyu) having well and truly taken over. Slowly permeating through media with K-pop, K-dramas, and indeed, K-cinema, Hallyu offers an alternative to the Western dominance on culture.
The recent success of KPop Demon Hunters (celebrating Korean folklore and history), now the most-watched title on Netflix, is a testament to the same.
Presenting the five highest-rated Korean films, per their IMDb rating in descending order, and where you can watch them as of 2025.
1. Parasite (2019)
IMDb Score: 8.5/10
Streaming On: Netflix
Director:Bong Joon-ho
Plot: The first non-English film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, along with the Cannes highest prize, Palme d'Or, and many other accolades, Parasite takes a critical look at inequality, labor, and brings forth a very interesting question- who is actually leaching off the other? With interesting use of levels and spaces, the cinematography, crisp screenplay, and an unimaginable twist, it is obvious why this Bong Joon-ho movie takes the top spot.
3. Hope (2013)
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
Streaming On: OnDemandKorea & Amazon Video (Rent)
Director: Lee Joon-ik
Plot: A surprise Best Film winner at the 2013 Blue Dragon Film Awards, Hope is the heartbreaking story of So-won (wish in Korean), who is abducted and brutally molested by a drunk man on her way back from school. Focusing on the aftermath of the attack, Hope touches upon the toll that an unimaginable incident takes on the victim, and by extension, their family.
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