Best of South Korea: Drama Movies
by d_smojver | created - 29 Nov 2012 | updated - 1 week ago | PublicSouth Koreans have several great social drama (most of them directed by Lee Chang-dong) and art drama (most of them directed by Kim Ki-duk)! Besides that, they have pretty good history drama: The King and the Clown, Masquerade, Untold Scandal, A Frozen Flower... There are also family drama, crime drama, sport drama and other types of drama on my list.
Kim Ki-duk is the director with the most titles here, which is reasonable, because that's his main genre and he is one of the greatest Korean and Asian filmmakers.
My other lists:
Best of South Korea: Action/Adventure Movies
Best of South Korea: Anime
Best of South Korea: Comedies
Best of South Korea: Crime Movies/Thrillers
ck]Best of South Korea: Horror Movies ck]
Best of South Korea: Romance Movies
Best of South Korea: War/Military Movies
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1. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)
R | 103 min | Drama, Romance
A boy is raised by a Buddhist monk in an isolated floating temple where the years pass like the seasons.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Kim Ki-duk, Oh Yeong-su, Jong-ho Kim, Kim Young-min
Votes: 84,413 | Gross: $2.38M
2. Parasite (2019)
R | 132 min | Drama, Thriller
Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-sik
Votes: 837,123 | Gross: $53.37M
3. The Handmaiden (2016)
Not Rated | 145 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
A woman is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, but secretly she is involved in a plot to defraud her.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong, Moon So-ri
Votes: 154,378 | Gross: $2.01M
4. Mother (2009)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl's horrific murder.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Hye-ja Kim, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Je-mun Yun
Votes: 66,832 | Gross: $0.55M
5. Poetry (2010)
TV-PG | 139 min | Drama
A sixty-something woman, faced with the discovery of a heinous family crime and in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, finds strength and purpose when she enrolls in a poetry class.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Yun Jeong-hie, Lee Da-wit, Kim Hee-ra, Ahn Nae-sang
Votes: 12,748 | Gross: $0.36M
6. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
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.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Shin Ha-kyun, Bae Doona, Ji-Eun Lim
Votes: 71,345 | Gross: $0.05M
7. Burning (2018)
Not Rated | 148 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Jong-su bumps into a girl who used to live in the same neighborhood, who asks him to look after her cat while she's on a trip to Africa. When back, she introduces Ben, a mysterious guy she met there, who confesses his secret hobby.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Soo-Kyung
Votes: 68,462 | Gross: $0.72M
8. Castaway on the Moon (2009)
PG-13 | 116 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A failed suicide attempt leads a heartbroken man to live a life in the wilderness.
Director: Lee Hae-jun | Stars: Jae-yeong Jeong, Ryeowon Jung, Yeong-seo Park, Mi-kyeong Yang
Votes: 18,880
9. Silenced (2011)
Not Rated | 125 min | Drama
Based on real events, this film depicts the story of a school for the hearing-impaired where young deaf students were sexually assaulted by the faculty members over a long period of time.
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk | Stars: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Hyeon-soo Kim, Jee-Young Kim
Votes: 18,640
10. Peppermint Candy (1999)
Not Rated | 129 min | Drama
Following a man's suicide, time traverses back to reveal six chapters of his life on why he committed suicide.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Yeo-jin, Moon So-ri, Se-beom Park
Votes: 9,949
11. Marathon (2005)
117 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
An autistic boy discovers he has a talent for running and with the help of the mother participates in a major marathon.
Director: Yoon-Chul Jung | Stars: Cho Seung-woo, Kim Mi-sook, Lee Ki-young, Sung-Hyun Baek
Votes: 2,417
12. Secret Sunshine (2007)
Not Rated | 142 min | Drama
A woman moves to the town where her dead husband was born. As she tries to fit in, another tragic event overturns her life.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Jeon Do-yeon, Song Kang-ho, Lee Dong-yong, Lee Hee-joon
Votes: 8,767
13. The King and the Clown (2005)
PG-13 | 119 min | Drama, History
Two clowns living in Korea's Chosun Dynasty get arrested for staging a play that satirizes the king. They are dragged to the palace and threatened with execution but are given a chance to save their lives if they can make the king laugh.
Director: Joon-ik Lee | Stars: Woo-seong Kam, Jin-young Jung, Seong-Yeon Kang, Lee Joon-Gi
Votes: 5,766
14. Thirst (2009)
R | 134 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Through a failed medical experiment, a priest is stricken with vampirism and is forced to abandon his ascetic ways.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Kim Ok-bin, Hee-jin Choi, Seo Dong-soo
Votes: 48,854 | Gross: $0.30M
15. The Way Home (2002)
PG | 80 min | Drama
Seven-year-old Sang-woo is left with his grandmother in a remote village while his mother looks for work. Born and raised in the city, Sang-woo quickly comes into conflict with his ... See full summary »
Director: Jeong-hyang Lee | Stars: Yoo Seung-ho, Eul-boon Kim, Hyo-hee Dong, Kyung-hyun Min
Votes: 5,664 | Gross: $0.44M
16. Once Upon a Time in High School: The Spirit of Jeet Kune Do (2004)
Not Rated | 116 min | Action, Drama, History
By "Fist of Fury", Kim Hyun-Soo (Sang-Woo Kwone) addicted to Bruce Lee. Year 1978. Hyun-Soo moved to KangNam, Seoul. Hyun-Soo transferred to JungMoon High, Maljuk Street, Kangnam, Seoul. He... See full summary »
Director: Ha Yoo | Stars: Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Jung-Jin, Ga-in Han, Hyo-jun Park
Votes: 2,658
17. Painted Fire (2002)
Unrated | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
In a time of political and social unrest in nineteenth-century Korea, an uncouth, self-taught painter explores his natural talent amidst the repressive world around him.
Director: Im Kwon-taek | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Sung-Ki Ahn, Ho-jeong Yu, Kim Yeo-jin
Votes: 2,754 | Gross: $0.06M
a.k.a. Drunk on Women and Poetry
18. Hope (2013)
Not Rated | 122 min | Drama
Story of an 8 year old girl coping with a gruesome rape damaging her internally and affecting emotionally, trying to overcome all obstacles in the aftermath of the incident with a good support from those around her.
Director: Joon-ik Lee | Stars: Re Lee, Sol Kyung-gu, Uhm Ji-won, Kim Hae-sook
Votes: 8,380
19. A Taxi Driver (2017)
Not Rated | 137 min | Action, Drama, History
A widowed father and taxi driver who drives a German reporter from Seoul to Gwangju to cover the 1980 uprising, soon finds himself regretting his decision after being caught in the violence around him.
Director: Hun Jang | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Hae-Jin Yoo, Ryu Jun-Yeol
Votes: 26,618 | Gross: $1.53M
20. Masquerade (2012)
Not Rated | 131 min | Drama, History
A look-alike commoner is secretly hired to take the place of a poisoned king to save his country from falling into chaos.
Director: Chang-min Choo | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Seung-ryong Ryu, Han Hyo-joo, Kim In-kwon
Votes: 7,044 | Gross: $0.92M
21. Sunny (2011)
PG-13 | 124 min | Comedy, Drama
Seven girls become good friends in high school, then events pull them apart for 25 years. When one of the friends lies dying in a hospital, she wishes to see each of them one last time.
Director: Hyeong-Cheol Kang | Stars: Ho-jeong Yu, Shim Eun-kyung, Hee-kyung Jin, Min-yeong Kim
Votes: 6,156
22. Ode to My Father (2014)
Not Rated | 126 min | Drama, War
Amid the time of Korean War, a young boy's vow to take care of his family marked the beginning of a lifelong promise spanning 60 years.
Director: JK Youn | Stars: Hwang Jung-min, Yunjin Kim, Dal-su Oh, Jin-young Jung
Votes: 5,618 | Gross: $2.30M
23. 1987: When the Day Comes (2017)
Not Rated | 129 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In 1987 Korea under an oppressive military regime, the unlawful interrogation and death of a college student ignite ordinary citizens to fight for the truth and bring about justice.
Director: Joon-Hwan Jang | Stars: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Hae-Jin Yoo, Kim Tae-ri
Votes: 5,920
24. The Attorney (2013)
Not Rated | 127 min | Drama
An ambitious tax attorney decides to represent an old friend in court.
Director: Woo-seok Yang | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Kwang Soo Cha, Kwak Do-won, Han Gi-Joong
Votes: 6,941 | Gross: $0.56M
25. Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? (1989)
Not Rated | 137 min | Drama
About three monks in a remote monastery; an aging master, a small orphan and a young man who left his city life to seek Enlightenment.
Director: Yong-Kyun Bae | Stars: Yi Pan-Yong, Sin Won-Sop, Hae-Jin Huang, Su-Myong Ko
Votes: 1,388
26. Breathless (2008)
Not Rated | 130 min | Crime, Drama
A bitter loan shark strikes a friendship with a troubled schoolgirl as he faces his own troubled past with his abusive father.
Director: Yang Ik-joon | Stars: Kkobbi Kim, Hwan Lee, Yang Ik-joon, Jeong-soon Park
Votes: 5,415
27. Crossing (2008)
106 min | Drama
About a young boy in North Korea who wants to find his father who is forced to become a refugee in South Korea.
Director: Tae-gyun Kim | Stars: In-pyo Cha, Myeong-cheol Shin, Young-hwa Seo, In-gi Jeong
Votes: 1,243
28. A Brand New Life (2009)
92 min | Drama
Young Jinhee is taken by her father to an orphanage near Seoul. He leaves her there never to return, and she struggles to come to grips with her fate. Jinhee desperately believes her father will come back for her.
Director: Ounie Lecomte | Stars: Kim Sae-ron, Do Yeon Park, Ko Asung, Park Myung-shin
Votes: 2,431
29. Friend (2001)
Not Rated | 113 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Four childhood friends go their separate ways, two go off to college while the others become rival gangsters.
Director: Kyung-taek Kwak | Stars: Oh-seong Yu, Jang Dong-Gun, Tae-hwa Seo, Un-taek Jeong
Votes: 5,157
30. Crying Fist (2005)
134 min | Action, Drama, Sport
Tae Sik, a troubled middle aged man and Sang Hwan, a troubled youth will meet in the ring with their respective mission. To change their life.
Director: Seung-wan Ryu | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Seung-beom Ryu, Jeong-ah Bae, Kim Byeong-Ok
Votes: 3,062
31. The Net (2016)
114 min | Drama
A North Korean fisherman breaks his boat engine by accident and drifts down to South Korea. After enduring brutal investigations in the South, he eventually gets sent back to North Korea.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Seung-beom Ryu, Lee Won-geun, Kim Young-min, Gwi-hwa Choi
Votes: 3,996
32. Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 (2019)
118 min | Drama
Kim Ji-yeong, an ordinary woman in her 30s, suddenly shows signs of being inhabited by others such as her late mother and older sister, and the stories of the people connected to her.
Director: Kim Do-Young | Stars: Jung Yu-mi, Gong Yoo, Kim Mi-Kyung, Kim Sung-cheol
Votes: 3,874
33. On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate (2002)
115 min | Drama
Actor Kyung Soo leaves Seoul to visit an old classmate. The reunion with his friend does not amount to much, but the trip does lead to some romantic encounters. He gets involved with two ... See full summary »
Director: Hong Sang-soo | Stars: Sang-mi Choo, Ji-won Ye, George Georgiou, Jeon Guk-hyang
Votes: 1,374
34. Take Care of My Cat (2001)
112 min | Drama
In the port city of Icheon, five female friends struggle to stay close while forging a life for themselves after high school. When one of the group, upwardly-mobile Hae-ju, moves to Seoul, ... See full summary »
Director: Jae-eun Jeong | Stars: Bae Doona, Yo-won Lee, Ji-young Ok, Eung-ju Lee
Votes: 2,481 | Gross: $0.00M
35. Pieta (2012)
Not Rated | 103 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A loan shark is forced to reconsider his violent lifestyle after the arrival of a mysterious woman claiming to be his long-lost mother.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Min-soo Jo, Lee Jung-Jin, Ki-Hong Woo, Eunjin Kang
Votes: 15,075 | Gross: $0.02M
36. Broker (2022)
R | 129 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Boxes are left out for people to anonymously drop off their unwanted babies.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, Ji-eun Lee
Votes: 10,451
37. The Isle (2000)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama, Thriller
Working at a fishing resort in an idyllic location, but surrounded by various facets of human unpleasantness, a young mute woman falls in love with a man on the run from the law for committing murder.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Jung Suh, Yu-seok Kim, Jae-Hyun Cho, Hang-Seon Jang
Votes: 14,237 | Gross: $0.02M
38. Tunnel (2016)
TV-14 | 126 min | Drama, Thriller
A man is on his way home when the poorly constructed tunnel he is driving through collapses, leaving him trapped.
Director: Seong Hun Kim | Stars: Ha Jung-woo, Bae Doona, Dal-su Oh, Shin Jeong-geun
Votes: 9,432
39. Sea Fog (2014)
Not Rated | 111 min | Drama, Thriller
A fishing-boat crew takes on a dangerous commission to smuggle a group of illegal immigrants from China to Korea.
Director: Sung-bo Shim | Stars: Kim Yoon-seok, Yu Chun Park, Yeri Han, Moon Sung-Keun
Votes: 3,678
40. On the Beach at Night Alone (2017)
101 min | Drama
An actress wanders around a seaside town, pondering her relationship with a married man.
Director: Hong Sang-soo | Stars: Kim Min-hee, Young-hwa Seo, Jae-yeong Jeong, Moon Sung-Keun
Votes: 4,304 | Gross: $0.04M
41. Bad Guy (2001)
Not Rated | 100 min | Drama, Romance
An unfeeling gangster seeks to ruin the life of a young girl who rejected him. He forces her into prostitution and spies on her regularly, then he soon begins to fall for her.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Jae-Hyun Cho, Won Seo, Yun-tae Kim, Choi Deok-moon
Votes: 10,169
42. The Face Reader (2013)
PG-13 | 140 min | Drama
About Nae-kyung who is able to assess the personality, mental state and habits of a person by looking at his face. Because of his abilities, he gets involved in a power struggle between Prince Sooyang and Kim Jong-Seo.
Director: Han Jae-rim | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Lee Jung-jae, Yun-shik Baek, Jo Jung-Suk
Votes: 2,649 | Gross: $0.52M
43. The Woman Who Ran (2020)
77 min | Drama