My TOP 5 Korean movies

This are my TOP 5 picks of Korean movies, in order and through all the genres. I can honestly say, that my first pick is really a masterpiece and my favorite movie through all the productions around the world.

If you have some spare time to dedicate to movies, I highly suggest to watch this 5 picks.

In this article, each movie includes a short Summary, Trailer, and Storyline in few words. To avoid SPOILERS don't watch trailers and read the Storylines. Trailers have smaller/vague spoilers so checking it out, won't affect your view of the movies.

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1. Oldboy aka Oldeuboi (2003)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

IMDb:8.4

Summary

After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must find his captor in five days.

Storyline - CONTAINS SPOILERS

Abducted on a rainy night in 1988, the obnoxious drunk, Oh Dae-Su, much to his surprise, wakes up locked in a windowless and dilapidated hotel room, for an unknown reason. There, his invisible and pitiless captors will feed him, clothe him and sedate him to avoid committing suicide, and as his only companion and a window to the world is the TV in his stark cell, the only thing that helps Oh Dae-Su keep going is his daily journal. But then, unexpectedly, after fifteen long years in captivity, the perplexed prisoner is deliberately released, encouraged to track down his tormentor to finally get his retribution. Nevertheless, who would hate Oh Dae-Su so much he would deny him of a quick and clean death?

2. Memories of Murder aka Salinui chueok (2003)

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama

IMDb: 8.1

Summary

In a small Korean province in 1986, three detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.

Storyline - CONTAINS SPOILERS

In 1986, in the province of Gyunggi, in South Korea, a second young and beautiful woman is found dead, raped and tied and gagged with her underwear. Detective Park Doo-Man and Detective Cho Yong-koo, two brutal and stupid local detectives without any technique, investigate the murder using brutality and torturing the suspects, without any practical result. The Detective Seo Tae-Yoon from Seoul comes to the country to help the investigations and is convinced that a serial-killer is killing the women. When a third woman is found dead in the same "modus-operandi", the detectives find leads of the assassin.

3. I Saw the Devil aka Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)

Genre: Action, Drama, Horror

IMDb: 7.8

Summary

A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.

Storyline - CONTAINS SPOILERS

Jang Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik) is a dangerous psychopath serial killer. He has committed infernal serial murders in diabolic ways that one cannot even imagine and his victims range from young women to even children. The police have chased him for a long time, but were unable to catch him. One day, Joo-yeon, daughter of a retired police chief becomes his prey and is found dead in a horrific state. Her fiancé Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-hun), a top secret agent, decides to track down the murderer himself. He promises himself that he will do everything in his power to take bloody vengeance against the killer, even if it means that he must become a monster himself to get this monstrous and inhumane killer. 

4. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance aka Boksuneun naui geot (2002)

Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

IMDb: 7.7

Summary

A recently laid off factory worker kidnaps his former boss' friend's daughter, hoping to use the ransom money to pay for his sister's kidney transplant.

Storyline - CONTAINS SPOILERS

In Seoul, Ryu, a deaf worker has a sister who needs a kidney transplant. He tries to donate his own kidney to his sister, but his blood type is not compatible with hers. When Ryu is fired from Ilshin Electronics, he meets illegal dealers of organs, and the criminals propose that he give them his kidney plus ten millions Won to obtain a kidney suitable for his sister. Ryu accepts the trade, but he does not have money to pay for the surgery. His anarchist revolutionary girlfriend Cha Young-mi convinces him to kidnap Yossun, the daughter of his former employer Park, who owns Ilshin Electronics. However, a tragedy happens, generating revenge and a series of acts of violence.

5. The Handmaiden aka Ah-ga-ssi (2016)

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

IMDb:8.1

Summary

A woman is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, but secretly she is involved in a plot to defraud her.

Storyline - CONTAINS SPOILERS

1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl (Sookee) is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress (Hideko) who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle (Kouzuki). But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until Sookee and Hideko discover some unexpected emotions.

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If you agree or disagree with my picks or have better suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

In my next post, I will create a TOP 5 list of a specific genre from Korean production. The genre will be decided from comments suggestions.