For those who’re inquisitive about South Korean cinema that mixes distinctive course, significant themes, fascinating narratives, and breathtaking visuals, then you definately shouldn’t miss these highest-grossing Korean motion pictures.
On the forefront of the listing are ground-breaking hits like Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winner Parasite and Yoon Je-kyun’s 2014 masterpiece Ode to My Father, which managed to realize international acclaim with their distinctive storylines. The previous made box-office historical past by turning into the primary South Korean Oscar-winning movie to take residence 4 Academy Awards — Greatest Image, Greatest Director, Greatest Unique Screenplay, and Greatest Worldwide Characteristic Movie, on the 92nd Academy Awards. In the meantime, the latter, starring widespread actor Hwang Jung-min, turned the eleventh highest-grossing Korean film to surpass 10 million ticket gross sales after its launch on 17 December 2014.
In the meantime, drawing inspiration from the Korean Joseon dynasty Buddhist work and early Buddhist texts of the Ten Kings of Hell is the Ha Jung-woo starrer Together with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017). One of many highest-grossing motion pictures in South Korean cinema historical past, the fantasy thriller topped the field workplace with over USD 2.9 million gross on its first day, experiences the Korean Movie Council.
These highest-grossing Korean motion pictures are a must-watch
Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Forged: Tune Kang-ho, Lee Solar-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-sik, Park Search engine optimization-joon
Whole Gross: USD 263.1 million
Synopsis: The poverty-stricken Kims cunningly locations themselves within the service of the rich Park household to make ends meet. What they’re unaware of is that the obscenely wealthy family harbours darkish secrets and techniques of their basement.
Concerning the film: One of many highest-grossing South Korean movies, Parasite is impressed by the 1960 traditional The Housemaid and the Christine and Léa Papin incident within the Thirties. Moreover, the script is predicated on Bong’s personal supply materials from a play written in 2013.
Directed by: Kim Han-min
Forged: Choi Min-sik, Ryoo Seung-ryong, Cho Jin-woong, Jin Goo
Whole Gross: USD 138.3 million
Synopsis: It’s 1597 Korea and the specter of the Japanese invasion is looming massive. To win the upcoming battle, Admiral Yi Solar-sin (Choi) has to be sure that they will preserve the 12 ships underneath their command, unhurt. Will the closely outnumbered Korean military have the ability to defeat the hundred ships of the Japanese navy?
Concerning the film: This top-grossing movie starring Korean actor Choi Min-sik is the primary instalment in director Kim’s trilogy based mostly on Admiral Yi Solar-shin’s three nice battles. The opposite two are Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022) and Noryang: Lethal Sea (2023).
Directed by: Lee Byeong-hun
Forged: Ryoo Seung-ryong, Lee Ha-nee, Jin Solar-kyu, Lee Dong-hwi
Whole Gross: USD 120 million
Synopsis: A workforce of detectives, together with Chief Go (Ryoo), Jang (Lee), Ma (Jin), Younger-ho (Lee) and Jae-hoon (Gong), makes an attempt to take down a drug cartel. They go undercover and begin working at a hen restaurant. Nonetheless, the rising reputation of the restaurant poses a menace to their mission.
Directed by: Kim Yong-hwa
Forged: Ha Jung-woo, Cha Tae-hyun, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Hyang-gi
Whole Gross: USD 109.4 million
Synopsis: After his demise, Kim Ja-hong (Cha) is left to navigate the afterlife together with his guardian Kang Rim (Ha). Ja-hong should now meet the gods and face trials over 49 days. Nonetheless, with an evil spirit wreaking havoc in the true world, the plans of Rim getting Ja-hong to the afterlife change into difficult.
Concerning the film: One of many highest-grossing motion pictures to observe, it’s a Korean adaptation of the 2010 webcomic Singwa Hamgge by Joo Ho-min.
Directed by: Lee Sang-yong
Forged: Ma Dong-seok, Son Suk-ku, Choi Gwi-hwa, Park Ji-hwan
Whole Gross: USD 101.1 million
Synopsis: After exposing a ruthless mortgage shark, Detective Ma Suk-do (Ma Dong-seok) is as soon as once more appointed to steer a mission in Vietnam. Upon reaching there, Suk-do is as a substitute entangled within the grotesque homicide of a number of Korean vacationers by a vicious killer named Kang Hae-sung (Son).
6
/10
Ode to My Father (2014)
Directed by: Yoon Je-kyun
Forged: Hwang Jung-min, Kim Yunjin, Oh Dal-su, Jung Jin-young
Whole Gross: USD 99.3 million
Synopsis: Yoon Deok-soo (Hwang) has been experiencing the painful phases of South Korean historical past for the reason that Fifties. Be it the Hungnam evacuation, the federal government’s determination to dispatch nurses and miners to West Germany within the Nineteen Sixties, or the Vietnam Conflict, Deok-soo endures all of it.
Directed by: Yeon Sang-ho
Forged: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an
Whole Gross: USD 98.5 million
Synopsis: Seok-woo (Gong) is on his strategy to Busan alongside together with his daughter Soo-an (Kim) aboard Seoul’s KTX prepare. As their journey begins, a lethal virus begins to unfold in Seoul. When an contaminated particular person escapes into the prepare to save lots of herself, she finally ends up turning right into a zombie and infecting others. With your entire prepare in danger, will Seok-woo make it out to security together with his little daughter?
Concerning the film: Gong was the Greatest Actor nominee for the movie on the 2017 Asian Movie Awards.
Awards gained: This zombie horror film gained awards for Greatest Director and Greatest Particular Results on the 2016 Sitges Worldwide Improbable Movie Pageant in Spain.
Directed by: Kim Yong-hwa
Forged: Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Hyang-gi, Ma Dong-seok
Whole Gross: USD 92.5 million
Synopsis: Angels of demise Gang Rim (Ha), Hae Received-maek (Ju) and Duk Choon (Kim) are appointed to participate in deceased Soo-Hong’s (Kim) afterlife trial. Within the course of, the three angels meet God of Home (Ma) and find yourself navigating their 1,000-year-old previous.
Concerning the film: This Korean film is predicated on the webtoon of the identical title by acclaimed artist Joo Ho-min.
Directed by: Ryoo Seung-wan
Forged: Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Yu Hae-jin, Jung Woong-in
Whole Gross: USD 92 million
Synopsis: Whereas investigating the suicide of truck driver Bae (Jung), Detective Search engine optimization Do-cheol (Hwang) discovers that the sadistic inheritor to the highly effective conglomerate Sinjin Group, Jo Tae-oh (Too), had assaulted Bae. Do-cheol additionally learns that Bae left a son behind. He then vows to place the perpetrator behind bars for the sake of Bae and his son.
10
/10
Assassination (2015)
Directed by: Choi Dong-hoon
Forged: Gianna Jun, Lee Jung-jae, Ha Jung-woo, Park Byung-eun
Whole Gross: USD 90.9 million
Synopsis: It’s the Thirties, and Korea is underneath Japanese occupation. Korean resistance fighter Yeom Seok-jin (Lee), expert snipper An Okay-yoon (Gianna) and some others plan to assassinate a extremely ranked Japanese common Kawaguchi (Park).
Awards gained: Greatest Movie on the thirty sixth Blue Dragon Movie Awards and 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards.
(All whole gross figures are from Field Workplace Mojo as of 19 January 2024.)
(Hero and featured picture: Courtesy IMDb)
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Steadily Requested Questions (FAQs)
– Which is the highest-grossing Korean film?
A few of the highest-grossing motion pictures to come back out of South Korea are Parasite, Prepare to Busan, Together with the Gods: The Two Worlds, Ode to My Father and Excessive Job.
– Which is the No.1 Korean film?
A few of the high Korean motion pictures are Parasite, Prepare to Busan, Exit, Ode to My Father, Kill Boksoon, Excessive Society, Pandora, The Negotiation, Silenced, Oldboy and Burning.
– Which is the highest-grossing home South Korean movie?
A few of the highest-grossing home South Korean movies are The Admiral: Roaring Currents, Excessive Job, Together with the Gods: The Two Worlds, Ode to My Father, Veteran and The Thieves.
– Who’s probably the most well-known Korean film actor?
A few of the most well-known Korean film actors are Lee Jung-jae, Hwang Jung-min, Ma Dong-seok, IU, Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Jung Yu-mi, Gong Yoo, Jun Ji-hyun, Choi Min-sik, Ju Ji-hoon, Yeon Sang-ho and Lee Byung-hun.
