2022 was finally the year that the Korean box office, after the pandemic, was defibrillated back to life. Producers and distributors were finally confident that the time was right for big budget, blockbuster projects, that had long been queueing up for a release, to start making their way to the theatres. After having to resort to OTT streaming and generally smaller scale films, the audience too was hungry to see high-value productions, entertainment and their favorite stars on the big screen and thronged to the theatres, lapping up these releases. So much so that 2022 saw four new films make their way into the 100 highest grossing Korean films of all tie at the domestic box-office, with Ma Dong-seok's “The Roundup” even rolling comfortably into the top 10.
2023 too began strongly, with the long-in-production “The Point Men” starring Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin and the Sol Kyung-gu led ensemble spy thriller “Phantom” opening the year strong. But it still has many joys to bring forth, both on the big screen and via exclusive original productions from OTT platforms. Without further ado, let's take a look at 23 Korean films that should be anticipated eagerly by fans in 2023.
(Note: This list is of a speculative nature, based on where we know a project is in its production or post-production stage and release dates are subject to change. Postponed titles already mentioned in our previous lists of 2022 and 2021 and which are likely to see release this year have not been mentioned here again.)
1. Kill Boksoon (dir. Byun Sung-hyun)
Byun Sung-hyun may not be a name that fills me with confidence, but “Kill Boksoon” has enough talent in its castlist to make it a must-watch. Firstly, the lead superstar pairing of Jeon Do-yeon and Sol Kyung-gu reteams for the third time after “I Wish I Had a Wife” and “Birthday”, with Jeon playing a single mother who also happens to be an ace contract killer trained by Sol's character who finds herself in a kill or be killed situation. Joining up are also man-of-the-moment Koo Kyo-hwan and Esom, as well as none other than Hwang Jung-min in an important, extended cameo appearance. Here's hoping Hwang Jung-min and Jeon Do-yeon get to share screen space for the first time in 18 years since “You are My Sunshine”. “Kill Boksoon” will stream worldwide on Netflix starting March 31st, 2023.
2. In Water (dir. Hong Sang-soo)
Three things in life are certain: death, taxes and a Hong Sang-soo film premiering at the Berlin International Film Festival! For the fourth consecutive year, Hong brings a new film to the German film festival, this time with “In Water”. Little else is known about the project, except that it is once again produced by his partner, actress Kim Min-hee, with Kim herself likely not featuring on-screen. The film will premiere this month at the Berlinale, which runs from February 16th to February 26th.
Check also this interview
3. Road to Boston (dir. Kang Je-gyu)
Kang Je-gyu, the director who effectively brought forth the Korean New Wave with his blockbuster film “Shiri” returns to direction after 8 years with the much-delayed “Road to Boston”. The film is a rousing tale of the Korean athletes who ran the 1947 Boston International Marathon, the first international marathon held since World War II and stars Ha Jung-woo, who is set to have a big year this year, with Im Si-wan, Bae Sung-woo and Park Eun-bin.
4. Noryang: Sea of Death (dir. Kim Han-min)
Kim Han-min aims to complete his trilogy on much loved and revered national hero Admiral Yi Sun-shin this year with his latest feature “Noryang: Sea of Death”. Where he took eight years between “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” and “Hansan: Rising Dragon”, which released last year to a good reception from the audience and critics, he has fast-tracked production on the final part, which will once again see Yi Sun-shin being played by a different actor. Kim Yoon-seok follows Choin Min-sik and Park Hae-il in portraying the man responsible for inventing the famed turtle ships. “Noryang: Sea of Death” was initially planned to follow “Hansan: Rising Dragon” by releasing in the tail end of 2022, but certain delays meant that the film will now eye a December 2023 release, to coincide with the time of the year when the actual battle of Noryang took place.
5. Handsome Guys (dir. Nam Dong-hyub)
Billed as a horror comedy, “Handsome Guys” is directed by Nam Dong-hyub, who makes his directorial debut with this after working as an assistant director for years on a number of projects. A story about a group of friends visiting a mountain resort in the Gangwon Province where exorcism used to happen, “Handsome Guys” stars Lee Sung-min and Lee Hee-jun in the lead, both of who have previously worked closely together in “The Man Standing Next”. The project is produced by High Corp Media, who have previous hits such as “Deliver Us from Evil” and “The Man Standing Next” under their belt.
6. The Roundup: No Way Out (dir. Lee Sang-yong)
When the sequel to the largely popular “The Outlaws” was announced, not many would have predicted the box-office juggernaut that the project, now titled “The Roundup” would prove to be, with the feature, as mentioned above, making its way into the top 10 highest grossing film of all time the Korean box-office. Of course that was going to mean that further sequels would be greenlit and sure enough, not one but two features in the series, both going into production one after the other, with the third part “The Roundup: No Way Out” finishing production last year, with an aim of releasing at some point this year. Ma Dong-seok of course leads as beast cop Ma Seok-do, and after two memorable antagonists played by Yoon Kye-sang and Son Suk-ku, the bad guy responsibilities fall on the shoulders of Lee Joon-hyuk. What's interesting here is that the Japanese yakuza play a big part of the narrative, which allows for actor extraordinary Jun Kunimura to make an appearance in his second Korean film.
7. Escape (dir. Lee Jong-pil)
My appreciation for Lee Je-hoon is no secret. The fact that he is joined in a project by Koo Kyo-hwan, an actor who is just going from strength to strength with each project, only makes me more excited for “Escape”, a film that sees both actors playing North Korean soldiers, with Lee Je-hoon's Im Kyu-Nam being chased by Koo Kyo-hwan's Ri Hyun-sung after attempting to cross the DMZ and flee the country in dreams of a better life down South. “Escape” is directed by Lee Jong-pil, whose last film “Samjin Company English Class” was also well received.
8. Following (dir. Kim Se-hwi)
With the rise in popularity of influencers all over the world, it was only a matter of time that they become a popular subject in film and tv as well. Having worked largely as a scriptwriter on films such as “Stand By Me” and “Manhole”, Kim Se-hwi takes the directorial step with “Following”. Byun Yo-han plays a man who breaks into the house of a social media influencer, played by Shin Hye-sun, only to find her murdered. Lee El joins up as the detective assigned to the case.
Check also this video
9. A Normal Family (dir. Hur Jin-ho)
Melodrama supremo Hur Jin-ho, who has for his last couple features taken to historical dramas, embarks on uncharted territory with “A Normal Family”. Based on the international bestseller “The Dinner” by Dutch author Herman Koch, which has already seen feature film adaptations in Netherlands, Italy and America, Hur Jin-ho's adaptation is a suspenseful drama that follows two brothers, played by Sol Kyung-gu and Jang Dong-gun, and their wives, played by Kim Hee-ae and Claudia Kim, getting together at a dinner and coming across a terrible secret.
10. Virus (dir. Kang Yi-hwan)
Bae Doona and Kim Yoon-seok are two superstars known for their uniquely interesting project choices who've oddly never featured together and who rarely work in romantic films, with Kim's last film in the genre being the time-travelling “Will You Be There?” in 2016 while Bae Doona hasn't acted in one since “Do You Like Spring Bear?” all the way back in 2003. This makes “Virus” a pretty intriguing project. The film, starring the two, is a mystery romance about a fatal virus which kills if someone doesn't fall in love in five days, is spreading out in the world. The host of the virus, a woman and a man who is developing a cure, also fall in love.
The article continues on the next page
