[KREW Says] Korean Horror/Thriller Movies to watch this Halloween

Boo! It’s finally the spooky season! 👻

I know some of you are looking for good scares this Halloween and of course, I’m here to supply you with some worth-watching Korean horror and thriller movies that will make your heart race and will definitely give you chills!

Now get cozy, grab your popcorn, relax, and enjoy the movies! 🍿

1. THE CALL (콜), 2020

Directed by: Lee Chung-hyun
Plot: Connected by phone in the same home but 20 years apart, a serial killer puts another woman’s past — and life — on the line to change her own fate.
Cast: Park Shin-Hye, Jeon Jong-Seo

 

 

What if you accidentally talk to someone in the past using an old telephone? Will it help you change your future? The first time I saw this on Netflix, I thought that this is not your typical horror movie. I loved the plot and the flow of the story. There are also some unexpected twists in the end!  Also, Jeon Jong-Seo is such an effective villain! You’re missing out if you haven’t watched this yet.

 

2. #ALIVE (살아있다), 2020

Directed by: Il Cho
Plot: As a grisly virus rampages a city, a lone man stays locked inside his apartment, digitally cut off from seeking help and desperate to find a way out.
Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Park Shin-Hye

 

What would you do if one day you were just casually playing computer games not knowing there’s a zombie apocalypse? Will you be able to survive? As a homebody himself, watch this to know what Oh Joon-Woo (Yoo Ah-In) did to survive. That’s why we should be prepared for the zombie apocalypse! Just kidding. Watch this if you’re in the mood for some heart stopping scenes!

 

3. A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (장화, 홍련), 2003

Directed by: Kim Jee-woon
Plot: A recently released patient from a mental institution returns home with her sister, only to face disturbing events between her stepmother and the ghosts haunting their house- all of which are connected to a dark past in the family’s history.
Cast: Im Soo-Jung, Moon Geun-Young

 

I know this has been in every must-watch list of Korean horror movies out there but to be honest, it is really that good. You’re probably missing out if you haven’t seen this even once. An amazing classic Korean horror movie with lots of twists and you’ll possibly end up having lots of questions after watching this. This psychological horror movie is actually inspired by a folktale from the Jeoson Dynasty Era entitled “Janghwa Hongryeon jeon” hence, the alternative Korean title. Okay while we’re at it, brb rewatching this!

4. DOOR LOCK (도어락), 2018

Directed by: Lee Kwon
Plot: Kyung-min lives alone in a one-room apartment. One day, she finds traces of a stranger breaking into her room and soon a mysterious murder case begins to unravel.
Cast: Gong Hyojin, Kim Ye-won

 

This was recommended to me by my Korean student awhile back when I asked what’s her favorite Korean horror movie. I literally double-checked all my doors if it’s locked before I went to sleep the day I watch this movie! If you live alone, you’ll never normally live the way you do now after you watch this movie. Make sure to lock your doors!

5. FORGOTTEN (기억의 밤), 2017

Directed by: Jang Hang-jun
Plot: Seoul, South Korea, 1997. When the young but extremely anxious student Jin-seok, his parents and his successful older brother Yoo-seok move to a new home, mysterious and frightening events begin to happen around them, unexplained events that threaten to ruin their seemingly happy lives. Unable to understand what is happening, Jin-seok wonders if he is losing his mind.
Cast: Kang Haneul, Kim Moo-yul

 

This is a personal favorite. One of the reasons why I love Korean cinema is because they know how to write and make “not your typical” plots, and Forgotten is one of those. I always recommend this movie to my friends and now I am recommending it to you, so please watch it now! Aside from Kang Haneul’s superb acting, this is a must watch if you’re into psychological thrillers!

 

6. GONJIAM: A HAUNTED ASYLUM (곤지암), 2018

Directed by: Jung Bum-shik
Plot: The crew of a horror web series travels to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast, but they encounter much more than expected as they move deeper inside the nightmarish old building.
Cast: Wi Hajoon, Park Jihyun

 

This one is also a personal favorite. I bet you know who Wi Hajoon is. Yes, he is the policeman that disguised in a red tracksuit in Squid Game. Of course, before Squid Game, he starred in this horror movie. I remember watching this at the cinema without watching the trailer, I thought that this would be one of those cliché documentary style movies but I was wrong. I literally didn’t expect this movie to be that good, and with many jump scares. I’m really into horror movies, but this one made me cover my eyes from the unexpected spooky scenes. And I bet you will too!

 

Got more amazing horror movies to share? Comment down below!

Happy Halloween everyone! Have a good one! 👻

 

Sources:
http://www.letterboxd.com
http://www.youtube.com

 

Words by KREW Member Sarah Delluta