5 Best Korean Movies to Watch While Waiting for 'No Other Choice' (No 'Parasite')
These movies confirm Korea's status as one of the strongest film industries of our time.
Following the resounding success of Parasite, a new and exciting era has dawned in Korean cinema.
The release of another Korean hit, No Other Choice, provides the perfect opportunity to explore the rich history of South Korean cinema, which is renowned for much more than just Bong Joon Ho.
1. 'A Taxi Driver', 2017
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
From May 18 to 27, 1980, protests took place in Gwangju. The authorities labeled the protests communist and brutally suppressed them. Most of the protesters were students from the local university.
Representatives from neighboring countries were aware of the horrific events. Jürgen Hinzpeter, a German journalist living in Japan, was the only foreign media representative who managed to reach Gwangju.
He was assisted by a Seoul taxi driver. Hinzpeter later recounted the events of May in a book that became the source for the movie's script.
2. 'The Handmaiden', 2016
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
The 1930s, Korea is under Japanese occupation. A con man nicknamed the Count plans to impersonate a wealthy man, marry the wealthy Hideko, and then take her to Japan and lock her up in a mental hospital.
To help him, the con man recruits a poor girl named Sook-hee. She is to become Hideko's maid and help her fall in love with the Count. However, a major flaw in the plan quickly emerges.
3. 'Memories of Murder', 2003
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
A serial killer emerged in the small Korean town of Hwaseong in the mid-1980s. His victims were all women.
Eager to catch the killer and become famous nationwide, provincial police officers began investigating. Their methods were experimental at best – they interrogated each suspect with extreme force and brutality.
As time passed, new victims appeared, and an experienced detective arrived from Seoul to assist his colleagues.
4. 'Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring', 2003
IMDb Score: 8.0/10
A Buddhist temple sits on a large raft in the middle of a magical lake. The lake is surrounded by forests and mountains. It seems like civilization will never reach this place.
An elderly monk and his young apprentice live in the temple. The seasons change. A sick girl who must be healed by prayer joins the two men.
The student has grown up and is committing sins with a new acquaintance. The elderly monk watches all this calmly, but he will eventually have to retire. The most important thing is to find a replacement.
5. 'Burning', 2018
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
Lee Jong-su recently graduated from college and aspires to be a writer. For now, he is researching his first book and working for a delivery service. One day, at a shopping mall, he bumps into his childhood friend, Hae-mi.
They quickly become romantically involved, but then Hae-mi leaves for Africa. When she returns to Korea, she is not alone – she has brought a guy named Ben with her. He drives a Porsche and has a luxurious apartment in a prestigious neighborhood.
Lee Jong-su has no chance against him. Ben also has a strange hobby – he periodically burns down other people's greenhouses. Then, Hae-mi disappears.
