Halloween is approaching and you will probably be building your list of scary movies to watch over the Halloween weekend! In Korea Halloween isn’t celebrated like it is in the UK as decorations and trick-or-treating is predominantly only seen in schools, campuses and apartment buildings. But that isn’t to say you won’t see any decorations! Halloween celebrations are gradually becoming more popular and more businesses are putting up decorations.
Despite this Korean Cinema has some extremely scary horror movies for you to watch this Halloween! The character development and pushing the boundaries of typical western horror films make them even more unpredictable and terrifying.
The Horror Classic – A Tale of Two Sisters
If you search for Korean Horror movies online you will likely see this movie be number one on the list. Full of jump scares and tragic events this has everything you want from a Halloween film while also digging deep into your emotions and get inside your head.
Su-Mi (the protagonist) is just released from a mental hospital and returning to the countryside with her father, stepmother and younger sister. Strange things are happening in the house and Su-mi is haunted by nightmares of her dead mother.
Director – Kim-Jee-woo
Vampires – Thirst
A deadly virus is spreading across the world killing many people, Sang-hyun a priest working at the local hospital volunteers for a secret vaccine in order to test it’s effectiveness against the disease. To try and save his life he is given a blood transfusion accidently containing vampire blood!
He abandons his current life and is forced to lead a very different path, this film is very violent however also has strong themes of romance.
Director – Park Chan-wook
Found Footage Horror – Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum
If you are a fan of found footage horror, then this is for you. Set in the Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital. Rumors have it that the director of the hospital killed all the patients before going missing.. A group of people investigate the hospital for a horror web series for the publicity.
When this film was released it was the third most watched horror film in Korean cinemas as well as winning multiple awards. Even if you wouldn’t usually watch a found footage horror we would recommend giving this a try as it is just as intense and scary as other horror films.
Director – Bum-shik Jung
Zombies – Train To Busan
Unless you have been living under a rock with no internet you are likely to already have heard of Train to Busan! If you haven’t seen it yet this Halloween is the perfect time.
The protagonist Seo Seok-woo is a workaholic and divorced farther who hasn’t got much time for his daughter Su-an. She wants to spend her birthday with her mum in Busan however a chemical lead at a biotech plant causes the start of a zombie apocalypse! This spreads across South Korea meanwhile they are stuck on a train full speak to Busan.
Director – Yeon Sang-ho
Martial Arts Fighting – The Divine Fury
A horror film with an MMA champion and a priest fighting evil? What more could you ask for? Yong Hoo’s father dies in an accident leading him to distrust and resent people as well as being very very angry.
Combining some horror films classics and a few exorcisms the plot twists and turns as they kill any demon in their sight. If you are looking for intense action rather than the slow burn of a jump scare thriller, this is your film for you.
Director – Kim Joo-hwan
Monsters Eating People! – Monstrum
Monstrum is a South Korean period action film set in 1527. A plague is spreading through Joseon (The Korean dynastic kingdom lasting 5 centuries). A mysterious creature called “Monstrum” is roaming the country eating anyone in it’s way.
We can honestly say you will not be wanting to walk around in the dark immediately after watching this film!
Director – Huh Jong-ho
Revenge Thriller – Oldboy
Kidnaped and imprisoned for 15 years without knowing the cause, the captor and no idea for any motives whatsoever. One day he is released and has five days to work out who imprisoned him for such a long time.
A brutal revenge film you will not want to miss. Even if you aren’t generally a fan of the horror genre the investigation will keep you watching. But be warned! This thriller has many twists and turns in the madness of the protagonist and the situation he finds himself in.
Director – Park Chan-wook
Korean Cinema 