Netflix has become one of the premiere streaming sites for carrying both existing and original content from across Asia. This is especially true when looking at Korean movies and original series (such as Mask Girl and Song of the Bandits), often dominating the rating charts. Continuing on our #tributetonetflix, we wanted to highlight some of the best films on the platform you can watch right now. Here are the best Korean movies currently available for streaming on Netflix.
*The following applies to the availability in the US
1. The Wailing (2016) by Na Hong-jin
“The Wailing” features many grotesque scenes. Cannibalism, violent killings, people acting like zombies, the terribly depicted skin infection, the cock killing ritual, and the amounts of blood all point towards an extreme horror film. The same applies to Hyo-jin's behavior, which is very hard to watch, particularly during the ritual scene. The sequences involving the dog and the interior of the Japanese man's house also move in the same direction.
However, Na Hong-jin manages to “hide” this grotesqueness, as the other more artful elements of the film are the ones that dominate in the end. The intricate script with the deep and meaningful allegory, the well-analyzed characters, the fitting pace, and the elaborate cinematography that presents images of extreme beauty, alongside those of extreme grotesqueness, succeed in making the film watchable by anybody. The sporadic humor also moves in this direction, and this along with the aforementioned elements make “The Wailing” a great combination of artistry, meaningfulness, and entertainment, which even applies to fans of the extreme. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
2. Forgotten (2017) by Jang Hang-jun
“Forgotten” succeeds in striking a near-perfect balance between both revelation and suspense. There may be flaws, such as the score feeling ever so slightly too light and hollow at times, but minor critiques such as those do not belittle what is so evidently an attentive piece of cinema. The true triumphs are in the understated moments; the straining cuts on Ji-seok's battered feet, the supposed straight-edge brother cockily smoking, and the forlorn gazes of suicidal hopelessness in the dismal final scene. Ergo, “Forgotten” is a movie part intriguing, part shocking, but nonetheless a stunningly told thriller which explores just how far one will drive them-self to find answers. (Nathan Sartain)
3. The Call (2020) by Lee Chung-hyun
“The Call” manages to be wholly entertaining. One of the best attributes is the engaging start-up that offers a fantastic mystery to look into. The frantic quest to find the missing phone leads nicely from the mysterious calls inquiring about someone who doesn't live there, to the discovery of the boarded-up room inside the house. Getting to see how it happened with the incident in the past, with the burning room to the phone conversations here comes off in a novel manner as the girl realizes the hidden connection they have with each other. This factor starts the film in a rather impressive manner.
A fun and quite chilling thriller for most of its running time, “The Call” has an impressive amount of likable qualities with just a few minor issues to hold it back. Most fans of the thriller or Korean genre cinema, in general, would be very impressed and enjoy this one immensely. (Don Anelli)
4. Oldboy (2003) by Park Chan-wook
“Oldboy” includes a number of truly shocking scenes and concepts. From the abduction of Dae-su, to his imprisonment for 15 years, to the actual reason behind it, and everything between, are rather shocking. The scene of him eating the octopus, the various bloody fights, the sex scene with his daughter, and the entirety of the ending sequence, definitely provide a shock element, which the spectator does not easily overcome.
However, Park managed to inject his distinct, dark, and ironic sense of humor, in this otherwise onerous setting. During the corridor scene, when Dae-su asks the thugs for their blood type before he hands them a member of their team he had previously hurt. The whole concept of the character, with Dae-su acting like a caricature throughout the majority of the film. His interactions with his kidnapper, in a sequence mocking everything presented on screen concerning this kind of relationship. This very dark sense of irony finds its apogee in the very end, with Dae-su asking the hypnotist to make him forget that Mido is actually his daughter, in order to return to a relationship he knows is incestuous. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
5. Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021) by Kim Sung-hun and Park Eun-hee
This special episode begins a few decades before the events in “Kingdom”, when trouble was brewing between Joseon and the Jurchen people, their enemies across Manchuria, who are led by the powerful Pajeowi tribe. We are introduced to young Ashin and her people, the Seongjeoyain, who are originally Jurchen but have lived long enough in the bordering village in Joseon to be ostracised as traitors by them. When a large group of Jurchen are found dead, likely murdered, the Joseon send Ashin's father to tell them that they were mauled by a tiger in order to not anger them and start a war.
The biggest question on many people's mind prior to its release was, “Is this special episode really necessary?” Before seeing it, the answer could well have been “No”, because fans of the show would of course like the story to focus on the original characters and setting. Having seen it now though, many would surely change their mind because “Kingdom: Ashin of the North” not only embalms the people's demands to see more “Kingdom”, but also increases anticipation for what's to come for the character and just how troublesome she's going to be for Crown Prince Lee Chang and company in subsequent seasons. (Rhythm Zaveri)
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