Skip to main content
Watchlist

Films from South Korea

Best Movies from South Korea

Explore South Korea's cinema on Celluloid — ranked by Celluloid Score with critic consensus, audience ratings, and expert reviews.

Quick Answer

The highest-rated South Korea film on Celluloid is Parasite (2019) with a 92% Celluloid Score — Celluloid Pick.

11
Films indexed
84%
Avg. Celluloid Score
1
Languages
11
Critic reviews

Guide to South Korea Movies on Celluloid

Each film from South Korea in our catalog includes aggregated scores from five sources, unique synopsis and consensus text, and linked critic reviews where available.

Titles are indexed by original language and country of production for easier discovery.

Essential South Korea Picks

Top 5 by Celluloid Score
Parasite 2019 · Bong Joon Ho · Korean

Bong Joon Ho's class satire made history as the first non-English film to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

92%
Celluloid Score Celluloid Pick
Memories of Murder 2003 · Bong Joon Ho · Korean

Bong Joon Ho's procedural masterpiece pairs dark humor with mounting dread and a devastating final shot.

88%
Celluloid Score Recommended
The Handmaiden 2016 · Park Chan-wook · Korean

Park Chan-wook's erotic thriller is sumptuous, twisty, and brilliantly performed by its entire ensemble.

88%
Celluloid Score Recommended
Minari 2020 · Lee Isaac Chung · Korean

A tender immigrant story that won Oscars and hearts with its grandmother, its soil, and its grace.

86%
Celluloid Score Recommended
No Other Choice 2025 · Park Chan-wook · Korean

Park Chan-wook turns the anxiety of unemployment into pitch-black comedy, with Lee Byung-hun gleefully unraveling as a company man who'll stop at nothing to stay employed.

86%
Celluloid Score Recommended

South Korea Movie Reviews

All reviews →

Full critic reviews with answer-engine summaries — each review answers whether the film is worth watching, what it is about, and where to stream it.

Parasite (2019) ★★★★★

Parasite (2019) Review: A South Korea Classic

Bong Joon Ho's Parasite (2019) endures as a defining thriller landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
Memories of Murder (2003) ★★★★½

Memories of Murder (2003) Review: A South Korea Classic

Bong Joon Ho's Memories of Murder (2003) endures as a defining crime landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
The Handmaiden (2016) ★★★★½

The Handmaiden (2016) Review: A South Korea Classic

Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden (2016) endures as a defining romance landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
Minari (2020) ★★★★☆

Minari (2020) Review: A South Korea Classic

Lee Isaac Chung's Minari (2020) endures as a defining drama landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
No Other Choice (2025) ★★★★½

No Other Choice Review: Park Chan-wook's Unemployment Nightmare

Lee Byung-hun gleefully unravels as a laid-off company man in Park Chan-wook's pitch-black comedy — unemployment anxiety turned into a musical nightmare.

Dark, daring, and darkly funny.
Oldboy (2003) ★★★★½

Oldboy (2003) Review: A South Korea Classic

Park Chan-wook's Oldboy (2003) endures as a defining thriller landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Strongly recommended — a staple of its national cinema.
Train to Busan (2016) ★★★★½

Train to Busan (2016) Review: A South Korea Classic

Yeon Sang-ho's Train to Busan (2016) endures as a defining horror landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
Burning (2018) ★★★★½

Burning (2018) Review: A South Korea Classic

Lee Chang-dong's Burning (2018) endures as a defining drama landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
Decision to Leave (2022) ★★★★☆

Decision to Leave (2022) Review: A South Korea Classic

Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave (2022) endures as a defining romance landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
The Host (2006) ★★★★☆

The Host (2006) Review: A South Korea Classic

Bong Joon Ho's The Host (2006) endures as a defining horror landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.
I Saw the Devil (2010) ★★★★½

I Saw the Devil (2010) Review: A South Korea Classic

Kim Jee-woon's I Saw the Devil (2010) endures as a defining thriller landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

Strongly recommended — a staple of its national cinema.

Popular Genres

Thriller 5 Drama 4 Horror 3 Romance 2 Action 2 Crime 1

All South Korea Movies

Ranked by Celluloid Score

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best movies from South Korea?

Browse our South Korea catalog sorted by Celluloid Score — the highest-rated films appear first with critic and audience ratings on every card.

How does Celluloid rate films from South Korea?

Celluloid Score averages critic reviews, audience ratings, Metascore, Letterboxd, and IMDb into a single percentage, paired with written consensus and critic reviews.