IMDb, the world’s most popular movie website, features a famous “Top 250” list that is dynamically updated with ratings from registered users worldwide. Among the countless masterpieces on this prestigious list, only four Korean films currently hold a place. Here are the films that have made the cut.
Ranked 34: Parasite (2019)
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Starring: Song Kang Ho, Lee Sun Kyun, Cho Yeo Jeong and more
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
This masterpiece by director Bong Joon Ho swept awards from the 2019 Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or to Academy Awards for Best Director, Original Screenplay, International Feature, and Best Picture. A black comedy thriller, it follows the impoverished Kim family as they scheme their way into working for the wealthy Park household. With razor-sharp social satire and an unpredictable plot, the film captivated audiences around the world.
Ranked 78: Oldboy (2003)
Director: Park Chan Wook
Starring: Choi Min Sik, Yoo Ji Tae, Kang Hye Jeong and more
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
This is a representative work by director Park Chan Wook, which follows Oh Dae Su as he seeks revenge on his captor after being imprisoned for 15 years without knowing why. With its intense visuals and shocking twists, it is still hailed by global film fans as ‘the textbook of revenge thrillers.’
>> Son Ye Jin and Lee Byung Hun’s ‘No Other Choice’ Wins International People’s Choice at TIFF
Ranked 193: Memories of Murder (2003)
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Starring: Song Kang Ho, Kim Sang Kyung and more
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
This film is based on the Hwaseong serial murders that occurred in Gyeonggi Province in the late 1980s. A local detective and a Seoul detective pursue the case using different methods, but the investigation descends into a labyrinth without any clear leads. Capturing human helplessness and the terror of the era, this movie represents the pinnacle of ‘Korean-style crime thrillers.’
Ranked 240: The Handmaiden (2016)
Director: Park Chan Wook
Starring: Kim Min Hee, Kim Tae Ri, Ha Jung Woo and more
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Set during the Japanese colonial period in the 1930s, this is a tale of conspiracy and desire that begins when Sook Hee, a pickpocket, becomes a handmaiden to the Japanese noblewoman Hideko. With its intricate narrative, lavish mise-en-scène, and the actors’ intense performances, the film is considered a quintessential example of director Park Chan Wook’s stylish direction.
Although only four Korean films are listed on the IMDb TOP 250, they all represent significant milestones in Korean cinema history and shine brightly within global film history. These masterpieces, created by directors Bong Joon Ho and Park Chan Wook, will undoubtedly remain in the memories of audiences worldwide for a long time to come.
>> Kim Min Hee and Hong Sang Soo Spotted Outdoors With Their Newborn Son
Source (1)
