Ranking the best Korean movies on Prime Video

So, you’re ready to open your eyes to the world of Korean cinema, but you don’t know where to start. There are so many great movies out there, after all, from internationally acclaimed directors to local household names.

If you’re struggling to pick what to watch first, let me make it easier for you. Whatever’s at the bottom of this list is still a must-watch. Treat this like a guide if you don’t have a definitive watchlist yet. Here are the best Korean movies on Prime Video.

10. Parasite (2019)

It goes without saying—if you haven’t watched Parasite by now, then you absolutely should. It’s not just an “eat the rich” and honor the have-nots type of movie. Interestingly, it doesn’t directly answer who the titular parasite is. It’s just how the system works—both the wealthy and the underprivileged feed off each other for their survival.

The Kim family has unemployed parents. Ki-woo, who was in high school, was recommended by a friend to take on a private tutoring job for the Park family. This quickly turns into a scheme for the Kim family to offer their services to the Park family.

9. The Handmaiden (2016)

The Handmaiden wasn’t supposed to be romantic, especially when Sook-hee intended to swindle her love interest, Hideko, right from the start. The relationship between Sook-hee and Hideko is outright a red flag, and they just can’t help but outdo each other’s toxicity.

If you think this is a movie about two repressed women, let me assure you there’s more to it than meets the eye. Other people will probably have told you to watch this, too, so take this as a sign to watch it now.

8. Mood of the Day (2016)

Soo-jung is dissatisfied with her ten-year relationship, and she’s on a business trip heading to Busan. Next to her is a charming sports manager named Jae-hyun. What could possibly go wrong when two people are stuck on a train for 24 hours? Mood of the Day is like Before Sunrise if the two leads never went their separate ways.

7. The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil (2019)

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil may seem odd, but you’ll be surprised when you realize it’s based on a true story. Dong-soo is a Cheonan gang boss, while Tae-seok is a detective. These two unlikely characters put their differences aside to form an alliance to catch an elusive serial killer named ‘K.’

6. Midnight Runners (2017)

Midnight Runners is perfect for someone who just needs a laugh. What would two police academy recruits do when a woman is kidnapped before their eyes? Obviously, they tell the police.

Unfortunately, the police don’t take the case seriously. Instead of pushing the police further, Ki-joon and Hee-yeol take matters into their own hands and help the woman themselves. You won’t be able to keep your eyes off Ki-joon and Hee-yeol’s unlikely yet effective crime-busting duo.

5. House of Hummingbird (2018)

House of Hummingbird masterfully blends pain with a coming-of-age story. 14-year-old Eun-hee is a girl from Seoul who comes from an abusive household. Eun-hee is neglected, so she often wanders around the neighborhood in search of new sights and people.

It’s gutwrenching to watch as Eun-hee is neglected to the point that she gets physically sick. Despite having a terrible home life, Eun-hee finds others outside her household who are more than willing to understand her. Sometimes, a house is just a roof that shelters a group of strangers.

4. The Killer (2022)

Here’s a trope movie villains never seem to learn from: never mess with retired assassins. Ui-gang is an ex-assassin who has settled down with his wife. He agrees to watch over the daughter of his wife’s friend, Yoon-ji.

What Ui-gang didn’t know was that taking this babysitting assignment would lead him into scuffles with human traffickers and the Russian mob. He may have been reluctant about Yoon-ji, but when she was kidnapped, he searched high and low for her like Liam Neeson in Taken.

3. Be With You (2018)

Be With You is tragic because the main character you root for is doomed by the narrative.

Soo-ah, who recently died, fulfills her promise to her husband to return to him on a rainy day. She comes back to life but has no memories. Throughout the movie, you’ll see glimpses of the past between Soo-ah and Woo-jin and how they fell in love. It’s wholesome and sweet, and it’s a great movie to watch if you don’t mind sobbing by the end.

2. The Host (2006)

I’ll never stop recommending this movie, and it just so happens to be available on Prime Video. The Host came out in 2006, but many of the problems it portrays in the movie persist in South Korean society.

A monster accidentally created by chemicals dumped by American military personnel emerges from the Han River. This monster begins eating people. Unable to rely on the government or the military, Gang-du and his family take matters into their own hands to kill the beast.

1. Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 (2019)

The novel Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 was considered controversial in South Korea. Anti-feminists often hunted idols and other people who openly read the book. Even Jung Yu-mi and Gong Yoo, the leading actors in the film, got backlash for starring in the adaptation.

Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 follows a stay-at-home mother named Ji-young. The film details her experience of sexism, from childhood up to her working years. She now suffers from depression as a stay-at-home mother and yearns to have a career again.