For many years now, South Korea continues to delight us with new and new projects of different genres. And every time these films and series become hits, bringing their creators an incredible amount of money. In this list you will find the best Korean films 2020 which will not leave indifferent any fan of Asian cinema.
Kol
- Rating IMDB – 7.1
- Genre: Thriller, fantasy, crime
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $8,000,000
- Directed by Lee Chung-hyun
- Cast: Park Shin-hye, Jung Jong-seo, Kim Sung-nyeon, Lee El, Park Ho-sang, Oh Jung-se, Lee Dong-hwi, Um Chae-young, Cho Kyung-suk, Kim Min-ha
A Call from the Past is a South Korean thriller with sci-fi elements, appearing in 2020 on the streaming platform Netflix. The plot of the film takes us to 2019 and introduces us to a young woman So-yeon, who has returned to her native village. Her father is long dead and her mother, with whom she never got along, is in the hospital.
Soon after returning to her paternal home, So-yeon begins to receive frightening phone calls from a girl begging for help. Soon she discovers that the stranger is also living in the house, but in 1999.
The original title of the tape can be translated as The Call.
Jipuragirado japgo sipeun jimseungdeul
- Rating IMDB – 7.1
- Genre: Thriller , crime , drama
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Worldwide gross: $5,707,415
- Director Kim Yong-hoon
- Cast: Jung Do-young, Jung Woo-sung, Bae Sung-woo, Yoon Yo-jung, Jung Man-shik, Jin Kyung, Shin Hyun-bin, Jung Ga-ram, Park Chi-hwan, Kim Joon-han
A crime drama about a bathhouse worker who one day finds a bag with an enormous amount of money. The hero decides to take the bag to the warehouse of forgotten things, but soon he remembers that he has nothing to pay for his daughter’s education, and his dementia-stricken mother drives his wife crazy every day.
Meanwhile, a customs officer is confronted by debt collectors harassing his wife over debts.
A young prostitute woman decides to enlist the help of her lover to kill her tyrant husband.
And soon the fates of all these people will intertwine into one, leading to unbelievable consequences.
Daman akeseo guhasoseo
- Rating IMDB – 6.8
- Genre: Action, thriller, crime
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $12,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $34 897 506
- Directed by Hong Won-chan
- Cast: Hwang Jong-min, Lee Jong-jae, Park Jung-min, Park So-yi, Choi Hee-so, Park Myeong-hoon, Oh Dae-hwan, Song Young-chang, Lee So-hwan, Shim Young- un
A 2020 Korean crime film about a former secret service officer named In-nam. At the moment the hero works as a hitman, constantly facing the gravest dangers. After killing another criminal mastermind, the mercenary decides to go to Panama and start life with a clean slate.
However, the situation abruptly changes when the hero’s ex-girlfriend is killed by unknown assailants. Also, it soon becomes clear that the girl has left behind a young daughter who ended up in the hands of her nanny. Without thinking twice, In-nam pulls all his connections and starts his own investigation. At the same time he is hunted by another assassin who wants to avenge his brother’s death.
Namsanui bujangdeul
- Rating IMDB – 6.9
- Genre: Biography, history, drama, thriller
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $17,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $37,387,683
- Director Woo Min-ho
- Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Lee Sung-min, Kwak Do-won, Lee Hee-jun, Kim So-jin, Seo Hyun-woo, Chi Hyun-jun, Park Sung-geun, Park Chi-il, Lee Tae- hyung
The director of South Korean intelligence assassin kills the country’s president, shocking millions of people. Forty days before the incident, former intelligence agent Park Yong-gak addresses the American government about a high-profile political scandal.
The head of state instructs his successor Kim to go to the United States, meet with Park and make sure no living soul learns of the existence of his memoirs.
Despite the historicity of the film, the names of the actors do not correspond to the real ones, and some scenes were even invented by the screenwriters.
Seungriho
- Rating IMDB – 6.5
- Genre: Fantasy, comedy, adventure, action
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $21,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $41,639
- Directed by Cho Sung-hee
- Cast: Song Joong-gi, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Sung-kyu, Yoo Hae-jin, Richard Armitage, Park Ye-rin, Kim Moo-yeol, Oh Ji-yul, Nas Brown, Kevin Dokri
A fantastic story that takes us to the world of the future. Because of Earth’s pollution, a leading space company decides to create colonies on Mars. But the problem is that only a tiny fraction of the population will be able to travel to the surface of the red planet.
Tae-ho is a simple junkman who travels with his team through the cosmic expanses and is always getting into trouble. His life changes when he meets a robot girl who has the power to destroy all of humanity. Without thinking twice, Tae-ho and his friends decide to sell the girl for big money and thus ensure themselves a decent future.
Seungriho was the first South Korean film about space.
Seobok
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Fantasy, drama, action
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $14,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $6,778,823
- Directed by Lee Yeon-joo
- Cast: Gong Yoo, Park Bo-gum, Cho Woo-jin, Jang Yong-nam, Park Byeong-eun, Young Jae-wook, Kim Jae-gon, Lee On-jeong, Andrea Paciotto, Na Gwang-hoon
Seobok is a sci-fi drama about a former spy named Min Ki-ho, who has to take on a serious mission. Thus, the hero meets the world’s first cloned human, possessing immortality and a number of other unique abilities.
Together the guys go in search of a secret bunker, but halfway through the convoy is attacked by local bandits. Will the heroes be able to overcome all obstacles and reach their destination? And what will the clone do when he learns that this world is woven of endless suffering and torment?
It is known that the screenwriters were inspired by the biography of Xu Fu, a court sorcerer who devoted his life to the search for the elixir of immortality.
Dolmengi
- Genre: Drama, detective
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $900,000
- Directed by Kim Jung-shik
- Cast: Kim Dae-myung, Song Yoon-ah, Kim I-sung, Jung Chae-eun, Kim Gwang-hyun, Lee Jin-hee, Lee Joon-ok, Kwak Min-suk, Kim Gi-cheon, Kim Young- Jae
A detective drama about an underage girl from a small town. The girl is convinced that her parents just don’t care about her, which is why there are constant quarrels and scandals in their house. At one point the heroine simply decides to run away, which leads her to the countryside.
Here fate introduces a teenager to a man who suffers from mental retardation and constantly finds himself in ridiculous situations. And suddenly the guys become good friends, which becomes the cause of unbelievable events. Will the new friends be able to find their place in this world and gain confidence in the future?
Sorido eopsi
- Rating IMDB – 6.4
- Genre: Drama, crime
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $1,200,000
- Worldwide gross: $3,215,297
- Director Hong Yi-jeong
- Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Jae-myung, Moon Seung-ah, Kim Ja-young, Yoo Sung-ju, Lee Hae-woon, Lim Gang-sung, Kim Han-na, Jang Sung-yul, Cho Ha- juice
A crime drama introducing the audience to two unusual characters. The first one is lame and the second one is dumb, but this does not prevent the guys from working for a criminal organization. The men’s duties include preparing places for “interrogations” and disposing of corpses, which takes up a lot of their energy and time.
One day the boss orders the boys to look after the kidnapped girl until her father agrees to pay the criminals a ransom. So the little girl from the rich family goes with the hapless bandits to the village house, which is in a very unfortunate state.
Nakwonui bam
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Drama, crime
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Director Park Hoon-jung
- Cast: Um Tae-gu, Jung Yeo-bin, Cha Seung-won, Lee Gi-young, Park Ho-sang, Hyun Bong-shik, Cho Dong-in, Cha Soon-bae, Jang Yong-nam, Ahn Se -bin
A crime movie about a criminal named Tae-goo who one day receives a lucrative offer from the boss of a rival gang. Not wanting to become a traitor, the man refuses, and soon after, he loses his sister and little niece. Blinded by rage, the hero immediately sets out on a path of revenge, which leads to a full-scale war.
But suddenly his boss orders Tae-goo to go to a small island where he meets a beautiful but terribly depressed girl named Chae-yen. Can the young people find common ground and hope for a happy future?
Chimipja
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Thriller, detective
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $5,300,000
- Worldwide gross: $5,098,819
- Directed by Song Won-pyeong
- Cast: Kim Moo-yeol, Song Ji-hyo, Ye Soo-jung, Choi Sang-hoon, Park Min-ha, Heo Joon-seok, Seo Hee-jeong, Lim Seong-woo, Choi Young-woo, Kim Seung- bi
A South Korean thriller about a once-happy architect named So-jin. The hero’s life turns into a nightmare when he loses his beloved wife. Thus, the widower is left alone with his young daughter, completely deprived of all hope for a normal future.
The situation changes abruptly when So-jin receives a call from the orphanage. It turns out that some people were able to find his little sister, whom So-jin lost about twenty years ago. The parents accept their daughter with great joy, but very soon So-jin begins to suspect something. Is So-jin really who she says she is? Or is she just a con artist, ready to steal from her “relatives” at the first opportunity?
Domangchin yeoja
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Drama, comedy
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Worldwide gross: $139,089
- Directed by Hong Sang-soo
- Cast: Kim Min-hee, Seo Yong-hwa, Song Sung-mi, Kim Sae-byo, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Seok-ho, Ha Sung-guk, Darcy Packet
A dramatic comedy about a woman named Kam-hee who one day decides to visit three longtime girlfriends. So she finds herself in the suburbs of Seoul and discovers that her friends never managed to achieve the happiness she desired.
It seems that only Kam-hee was lucky. She really managed to make all her dreams come true, becoming a successful and confident person. But is this really the case? And what happens when her friends help her look at her life from a new perspective?
Shortly after its premiere, the film won the Silver Bear Award for Best Director at the Berlin Film Festival.
Yucheitalja
- Rating IMDB – 6.2
- Genre: Action, fantasy, detective
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $8,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $6,633,363
- Director Yoon Jae-geun
- Cast: Yoon Kye-sang, Park Yong-woo, Lim Ji-young, Yoo Seung-mok, Park Chi-hwan, Lee Sung-uk, Hong Gi-jun, Seo Hyun-woo, Kwon Hyuk-pom, Woo Gang- min
A sci-fi action film from South Korea, introducing us to an unusual man. After opening his eyes, the hero finds himself at the scene of a terrible accident, in an unknown body, and without the slightest clue as to who he is. Seeing no other way out, the hero decides to start his own investigation and uncover all the secrets of his identity.
Thus, he manages to meet a woman who allegedly once saw him. Deeper and deeper into this intricate story, the man learns about the existence of a certain organization, which, apparently, has declared a hunt for him. Will the man be able to uncover all the secrets and deal with his pursuers?
Geomgaek
- Rating IMDB – 6.8
- Genre: History, аction
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Worldwide gross: $1,516,150
- Director Choi Jae-hoon
- Cast: Jang Hyuk, Kim Hyun-soo, Joe Taslim, Jung Man-shik, Lee Na-kyung, Lee Min-hyuk, Choi Jin-ho, Chi Seung-hyun, Ji Gun-woo, Gong Sang-ah
A historical action film that takes us back to early seventeenth-century Joseon. Soon after the overthrow of the emperor, the inhabitants of the country are faced with a mad chaos that could turn the future of the nation into an endless nightmare.
Years later, soldiers from a neighboring empire arrive in Joseon and begin to turn desperate peasants into helpless slaves. The leader of the army begins to search for a man who would be a worthy opponent for a sword fight. At the same time, a local girl begins searching for a cure to save her blind father.
To better get into the role, one of the actors had to practice blindfolded.
#saraitda
- Rating IMDB – 6.3
- Genre: Horror, аction
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Worldwide gross: $14,437,812
- Director Cho Il-hyun
- Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Park Shin-hye, Jung Bae-soo, Lee Hyun-wook, Oh Hye-won, Kim Hak-sung, Seo Hee-jung, Joo Bo-bi, Jung Woon-jung, Lee Chae- gene
A horror movie that introduces us to a typical slacker and pro-lifer named Oh John-woo. All day long, all the guy does is play video games, with absolutely no thought for the future.
Everything is turned upside down when a virus that turns people into zombies begins to spread in Seoul. When Oh Jeong-woo realizes that something really scary is happening outside his window, he decides to barricade himself in his apartment. However, after a while, the boy discovers a beautiful girl also hiding in a nearby house. Will he dare come to her rescue?
Interestingly, the film was the first film from South Korea to break into the international top of Netflix popularity.
Haechijianha
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Comedy
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $8,300,000
- Worldwide gross: $10,117,951
- Directed by Song Jae-gon
- Cast: Ahn Jae-heon, Kang So-ra, Park Yong-kyu, Kim Seong-oh, Jeong Yeo-bin, Park Hyuk-kwon, Seo Hyun-woo, Jang Seung-jo, Park Hyun-soo, Kim Soo- gin
Haechijianha is a funny comedy about a lawyer named Kang Tae-su. One day, the management entrusts the guy with a task that could bring him a long-awaited promotion. So, the guy becomes the director of a loss-making zoo on the verge of bankruptcy. In addition, he finds out that all popular animals were taken away due to debts, so he has to ask for help from the remaining employees.
After buying realistic animal costumes, the guys start doing everything they can to bring the zoo back to its former popularity. Will they be able to outsmart the visitors and make some money?
Miseuteo Ju: sarajin VIP
- Rating IMDB – 5.6
- Genre: Comedy, thriller, detective, fantasy
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Worldwide gross: $4,832,518
- Director Kim Tae-yoon
- Cast: Lee Sung-min, Ingu, Shin Ha-kyun, Kim So-hyun, Bae Jong-nam, Kal So-won, David Lee McInnis, Yoo In-na, Kim Soo-mi, Lee Sung-kyun
A comedic detective story about a secret service officer named Chu, who agrees to become a guard for a panda. The man seemed to be able to transport the animal to the zoo in the shortest possible time, but unexpectedly the panda is kidnapped by unknown assailants, and Chu himself is badly beaten in the head.
After opening his eyes, the agent is surprised to discover that he can now understand the language of animals. Combining efforts with the service sheepdog, the hero begins his own investigation. Will they be able to find the stolen panda and deal with the kidnappers? Or will failure follow them every step of the way?
Bando
- Rating IMDB -5.5
- Genre: Horror, аction
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $17,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $43,468,684
- Directed by Yong Sang-ho
- Cast: Kang Dong-won, Lee Jong-hyun, Lee Rae, Kwon Hae-hyo, Kim Min-jae, Goo Kyo-hwan, Kim Do-yoon, Lee Ye-won, Kim Gyu-baek, Jang So-yeon
Four years ago, the people of South Korea faced a terrible infection that turned a good half of the country into bloodthirsty zombies. Once majestic cities have been reduced to ruins, and the survivors struggle daily for their future.
Jong-seok is an ex-military man who decides to go to a restricted area in search of a truckload of money. Thus, the hero finds himself in a crazy world that can drive even the most resilient person crazy. Will Jeongseok be able to overcome all of his challenges? And what will happen when fate confronts him with madmen playing survival games?
Sanyangui sigan
- Rating IMDB – 6.3
- Genre: Action, crime, fantasy
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $7,000,000
- Director Yoon Sung-hyun
- Cast: Lee Jae-hoon, Ahn Jae-heon, Choi Woo-shik, Park Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Lee Han-na, Seung Yi-yeol, Song Yeo-sep, Bae Jae-gi, Cho Sung- Ha
A sci-fi action film that takes us to South Korea in the not-too-distant future. Because of the financial crisis, the country is plunged into chaos and the lives of ordinary people have been turned into a nightmare. A released man named Chun-seok decides to leave the country and move to Taiwan, but soon it turns out that he needs a lot of money to do so.
Joining his friends, Chun-seok manages to rob an underground casino, for which he is hunted by the brutal killer Han. Will Chun-seok be able to cope with the mercenary, realize his dreams and start a new life?
Keullojet
- Rating IMDB – 5.7
- Genre: Horror
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Worldwide gross: $9,920,400
- Directed by Kim Gwang-bin
- Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Kim Nam-gil, Ho Yul, Kim Si-ah, Park Sung-woon, Park Ji-ah, Shin Hyun-bin, Kim Soo-jin, Kim Mi-hwa, Kang Shin-chul
In the past, Sang-won was a happy man who was genuinely envied by everyone around him. The death of his beloved wife turns everything upside down, forcing him to plunge into depression. After a while, Sang-won manages to pull himself together and moves to a new house with his eleven-year-old daughter.
In the new place, her father fully immerses himself in his work, and young Yi-na begins to enjoy life again. Soon, however, the girl simply disappears, forcing Sang-won to seek help from a man who has devoted himself to fighting the dark forces. Will the men be able to bring Yi-na back? And have they really encountered something otherworldly?
Hiteumaen
- Rating IMDB – 6.3
- Genre: Comedy, аction
- Production South Korea / 2020
- Budget: $8,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $18,841,968
- Director Choi Won-seop
- Cast: Kwon Sang-woo, Jung Joon-ho, Hwang Seul-hye, Lee Yi-kyung, Lee Ji-won, Heo Sung-tae, Jo Woon, Heo Dong-won, Lee Joon-hyuk, Lee Joon-ok
A sharp comedy about a secret agent named Chun, who one day decides to change his life drastically. After faking his death, he moves to a new place, starts a family and becomes an artist, something he could only dream of before.
However, it soon becomes clear that his artwork is of no use to anyone, which pushes the man to take an ambiguous step. The ex-agent creates a comic book based on his personal experiences, and his wife puts it all on the Internet. And who would have thought that this would lead to the craziest consequences, capable of turning the family’s measured life upside down?
This is director Choi Won-sop’s second career film, his first being the melodrama Bultaneun nae maeum
