15 Best Korean Movies on Amazon Prime (March 2024)

With the advent of streaming services like Amazon Prime, it has become easier for viewers to broaden their horizons and delve into international cinema. While Hollywood continues to expand and strengthen its reach, there is another country that has expanded its viewer base exponentially- Korea. Korean movies have garnered interest due to their fresh material, a different culture for exploration, and new stories. If you are in the mood to watch something that is not produced in Hollywood, Korean films are highly suggested. And thanks to streaming platforms, they are now at our fingertips.

15. The Killer (2022)

This film, also known as ‘The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves to Die,’ is just about a guy looking for a little girl in the signature Korean action style that never gets old. Former assassin Bang Ui-gang (Jang Hyuk) gets involved in a murder conspiracy and investigation after 17-year-old Kim Yoon-ji (Lee Seo-young), his wife’s friend’s daughter, is kidnapped while under his care. With a human trafficking gang and the Russian mafia involved, Ui-gang has to put his skills to good use if he wants to rescue Kim Yoon-ji. How he does that is what we are subjected to in this action-packed Choi Jae-hoon directorial. You can stream it here.

14. Train to Busan (2016)

Set amidst a devastating zombie outbreak in South Korea, ‘Train to Busan‘ revolves around hedge fund manager Seok-woo and his daughter, Soo-an, as they travel from Seoul to the coastal city of Busan. Meanwhile, a chemical spill in a different part of the city starts a horrifying zombie outbreak and has citizens scurrying to find a way out of the massacre. However, when an infected person manages to get on the train Seok-woo and Soo-an are traveling on, every passenger is thrust into a fight for survival against time as the virus spreads like wildfire from one carriage to the next. You can watch the movie here.

13. The Roundup (2022)

Directed by Lee Sang-yong, this crime action drama is a standalone sequel to ‘The Outlaws’ (2017). Ma Dong-seok, aka Don Lee, stars as Ma Seok-do, Lieutenant of the Major Crimes Unit at Geumcheon Police Station, Seoul, South Korea. After arriving in Vietnam to extradite a suspect, he comes to know about a vicious serial killer named Kang Hae-sang (played brilliantly by Son Suk-ku) who kills for money. How Ma and Captain Jeon Il-man (Choi Gwi-hwa) track down this slippery guy is what follows in this fast-paced action flick garnished with comedy. Filled with twists and hard hits underscored by brilliant action sequences, ‘The Roundup’ is one of Don Lee’s best action films, if not the best. You can watch it here.

12. The Swordsman (2020)

Directed by Choi Jaehoon, this fast-paced period action drama follows a retired Joseon swordsman, Tae Yool (Jang Hyuk), who is slowly losing his eyesight. However, when Gurutai (Joe Taslim), a member of the imperial Qing family, has Tae Yool’s daughter Tae Ok (Kim Hyun-Soo) taken in the aftermath of Qing’s invasion of Joseon, Tae Yool picks up the sword again to rescue his daughter. Will a father with weak eyesight be able to rescue his daughter while being targeted in a conflict? To find out, you can watch the film here.

11. The Handmaiden (2016)

One of the best Korean movies across any OTT platform, ‘The Handmaiden’ is a historical erotic thriller directed by Park Chan-Wook. It is based on the 2002 novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters but while the events of the book take place in the Victorian era, the events in the film take place in Japan-ruled Korea.

In the film, we have a pick-pocket named Nam Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) who is hired by a con man posing as a Count, Count Fujiwara. Sook-hee’s job is to infiltrate the estate of Japanese heiress Izumi Hideko as her handmaiden and convince her to marry the Count. Once the deed is done, the Count, who is a con man, shall send her to an asylum and rob the heiress of all her fortune. However, things get complicated when Sook-hee and Hideko develop feelings for each other. Erotic, thrilling, and intriguing, ‘The Handmaiden’ is a must-watch. You can do so right here.

10. A Taxi Driver (2017)

Based on actual events and set in 1980, ‘A Taxi Driver’ follows Man-seob, a taxi driver in Seoul. A father of one, Man-seob struggles to survive and passes his days living hand to mouth. However, fate seems to smile on him when he learns of a foreign national who is willing to pay good money for a ride to Gwangju City. Unknown to the taxi driver, the foreigner in question is a German reporter with a hidden agenda. As they travel into the city, they get entangled in a tussle between the government and citizens during a student protest, leaving Man-seob’s fate in the balance. You may watch ‘A Taxi Driver’ on here.

9. The Flu (2013)

With a pandemic now a reality, we can relate to any film that deals with it much better. In Kim Sung-su’s ‘The Flu,’ we see what now seems to be a premonition of the coronavirus pandemic: a deadly airborne virus, people in masks, the affected ones falling sick, a drastic rise in the death toll, hospitals running out of beds, quarantine zones and a city shut down. Set in Bundang, Seoul, the movie shows the horror that we all have been through and yet doesn’t fail to give us the chills. While the government decides to kill the infected, a rescue worker tries to find the blood serum that will help develop a vaccine. The cast includes Jang Hyuk, Soo Ae, Ma Dong-seok, and Park Jung-min. You can watch the movie here.

8. No Tears for the Dead (2014)

‘No Tears for The Dead’ follows professional hitman Gon, who accidentally shoots and kills a little girl while carrying out a hit in the United States. Although Gon tries to get drunk and forget the incident, his boss soon orders him to South Korea and murder the girl’s mother to tie up all loose ends. Wracked with guilt, Gon makes his way over to South Korea but is unable to deliver the killing blow. However, his act forces the boss to send another assassin behind the woman, and once Gon comes to know of it, he readies himself to fight for the mother of the girl he killed. You can stream the movie here.

7. Tunnel (2016)

‘Tunnel’ revolves around car salesman Lee Jung-soo, who is in a hurry to reach home and celebrate his daughter’s birthday. However, when passing through a mountain tunnel, the structure collapses on his vehicle, trapping the car salesman inside. Although Jung-soo can call home and ask for help, he soon realizes that he might not be rescued for a while, and with just two bottles of water and a birthday cake in the car, survival might not be the easiest. Nevertheless, he clings on to dear life and communicates with his loved ones while the authorities mount a rescue operation. However, with the rescue operation halting work on a second tunnel, citizens begin debating on whether saving a single life is worth the effort and money. You may stream ‘Tunnel’ here.

6. The Last Princess (2016)

‘The Last Princess’ follows Deok-hye, the last princess of the Joseon Dynasty, as she is forced to leave a Japan-occupied South Korea and move to Japan. Life in the foreign country is pretty harsh, and although Deok-hye struggles to maintain her dignity, the life of luxury she was accustomed to seems a far cry from her present state. The princess tries her best to return home plenty of times, but her efforts are always in vain. However, when Deok-hye comes across her childhood sweetheart, Jang-han, the pair decide to take one last chance at returning to the place they used to call home. You can watch the movie on Amazon Prime Video here.

5. Midnight (2021)

What happens when a deaf witness becomes the target of a serial killer? ‘Midnight’ is a Kwon Oh Seung-directed psychological thriller that addresses this question. A normal night turns into a life-threatening one for Kyeong-mi (Jin Ki-Joo), a deaf sign language counselor, after she witnesses a murder. Serial killer Do-sik (Wi Ha-joon) doesn’t want to leave any witnesses and thus chooses her as his next target. Whether and how Kyeong-mi escapes and brings the killer to justice is what the movie entails. No less than a horrifying experience, ‘Midnight’ is a gripping flick that you can watch here.

4. Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017)

‘Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds’ is a take on there being more to life than death, or rather, life goes on even after death. Directed by Yong-hwa Kim, the movie shows firefighter Ja-hong dying on duty and being guided in the afterlife by three guardians. Over 49 days, Ja-hong will have to successfully pass the seven trials through Hell to be given the green light for reincarnation. But there’s more to Ja-hong’s earthly actions than just rescuing people that may affect King Yeomra’s decision, including his strained relationship with his mother and brother. Will he be able to pass the tests? The cast of ‘Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds’ includes Ha Jung-woo, Kim Hyang-gi, Cha Tae-hyun, and Ma Dong-seok. You can watch the film here.

3. The Great Battle (2018)

While the advancement in technology has led to the development of weapons, we cannot deny the grandeur that swords, daggers, bows, and arrows have. ‘The Great Battle,’ directed by Kim Kwang-sik, showcases the historical event of the Battle of Ansi and its siege, fought between the forces of the Goguryeo kingdom of Korea and the Tang Dynasty of China. An epic action flick, ‘The Great Battle’ stars Jo In Sung, Nam Joo-hyuk, Park Sung-woong and Park Byung-Eun. You can experience the epic right here.

2. The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)

From director Won-Tae Lee comes this high-octane action thriller starring Ma Dong-seok, aka Don Lee, Kim Sung-kyu, and Kim Moo-Yul. It revolves around the capture of a serial killer who attacks ganglord Jang Dong-Soo (Lee). While his men think that the attack was planned by a rival gang, Dong-Soo believes that it’s not. Then, he reluctantly agrees to join forces with detective Jung Tae-suk (Moo-Yul) to track down the killer. To know how they do it, you can stream the movie here.

1. Unstoppable (2018)

Directed by Kim Min-ho, the movie shows Don Lee, aka Ma Dong-seok’s character Dong-Chul, a former gangster and a fighter, going into “unstoppable” mode after his wife is kidnapped by Gi-tae, a guy involved in human trafficking. The movie is bound to get the viewers to react to every punch that Dong-Chul lands on those who stand in the way of finding his wife. Min-ho makes full use of Don Lee’s undeniable swagger to give us an action-packed thriller motivated by love. You can watch the movie here.

Read More: Best Korean Movies of All Time

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