The 11 Best Korean Movies of 2021
Compared to before coronavirus, South Korean cinema was in a less illustrious state during 2021, with theaters closed for much of the year due to local outbreaks. Despite this, some Korean films still managed to debut.
You might be wondering: what are the Best Korean Movies of 2021?
Cinema Escapist‘s staff have curated this list of the top 11 Korean films from 2021 to satisfy your curiosity. We chose these 11 Korean movies based on their narrative craft, entertainment value, and societal significance. We’ve also included streaming links when movies are available on global platforms like Netflix.
Our selections include films from genres including comedy, action, romance, horror, and more. K-celebrity trackers will also find titles featuring top stars like Seo Ye-ji, Im Yoon-ah (Yoona), Byun Yo-han, Jo In-sung, and Jeon Yeo-been.
Let’s dive into 2021’s best Korean movies!
11. Hard Hit
Korean title: ë°œì‹ ì œí•œ | Director: Kim Chang-ju | Starring: Lee Jae-in, Ji Chang-wook, Jin Kyung | Genre: Thriller
One day, the head of a bank branch in Busan gets a restricted phone call that warns him that a bomb will go off under his car seat and kill him if he stops the car. Thus begins the 2021 Korean thriller movie Hard Hit, which stars Jo Woo-jin as the aforementioned bank head.
Not that many thriller films came out in Korea during 2021, which likely helped Hard Hit gain significant traction with Korean audiences. It hit #1 at the box office upon its release, and is the fifth highest grossing Korean movie of 2021. With pumping background music and high stakes, Hard Hit does create a dynamic atmosphere that should get you excited at least for its first portions.
10. Spiritwalker
Korean title: ìœ ì²´ì´íƒˆìž | Director: Yoon Jae-geun | Starring: Yoon Kye-sang, Park Yong-woo, Lim Ji-yeon | Genre: Action, Mystery, Fantasy
Fantasy-action movie Spiritwalker centers on a man who’s lost his memory and awakens in a new body every twelve hours, forced to rediscover his identity each time. Soon, he meets a woman who says she recognizes him—and begins to realize that a mysterious organization is chasing after him.
Filled with dynamic action sequences tinged with comedic elements, Spiritwalker feels like an intriguing blend between Memento and The Beauty Inside. Korean audiences gave the film a warm reception upon its theatrical release in November 2021; Spiritwalker topped Korea’s box office for two weeks in a row.
9. Waiting for Rain
Korean title: 비와 ë‹¹ì‹ ì˜ ì´ì•¼ê¸° | Director: Jo Jin-mo | Starring: Kang Ha-neul, Chun Woo-hee, Kang Sora | Genre: Romance, Melodrama
Waiting for the Rain chronicles the romance of a man named Young-ho and a woman named So-hee. The two meet by chance through the mail, and begin to develop a connection through the regular exchange of handwritten letters.
With this mail-based premise, Waiting for the Rain distinguishes itself from other Korean romances. It does a good job of tracing the evolution of a relationship over time and distance, as opposed to serving up romance in a hurried saccharine explosion. Furthermore, the film’s ability to evoke nostalgia is worth noting; it’s actually somewhat reminiscent of top Chinese tragi-romances like Us and Them.
8. On the Line
Korean title: ë³´ì´ìŠ¤ | Directors: Kim Gok, Kim Sun | Starring: Byun Yo-han, Kim Mu-yeol, Park Myung-hoon | Genre: Crime, Action, Mystery
Phone scams afflict people all over the world, South Korea included. 2021 action movie On the Line imagines what might happen if victims of such scams decided to take revenge.
The film stars Byun Yo-han (famous for his role in K-drama Mr. Sunshine) as a former detective named Seo Joon, who now runs a construction site. When phone scammers target him and his fellow workers, he vows retribution. Seo manages to track down the head of the syndicate (played by Kim Mu-yeol) who targeted him, and unravels a bigger operation than he had even imagined.
There are many Korean movies involving ex-cops taking revenge, so On the Line treads on established territory. However, its premise about phone scams and fast pace should satisfy many audiences, just as YouTube videos of people getting revenge on scammers often go viral. Indeed, On the Line did quite well at South Korea’s box office during 2021, ranking fourth overall for earnings. Read More…
