Korean films about historical events

List of the best Korean films about historical events according to the audience: A Taxi Driver, The Crossing, Mr. Sunshine, My Annoying Brother, The Flu, To My Star , Painted Fire, Veteran, Manhole, The Net.

In the top there are new films of 2022, a plot description and trailers for films that have already been released.

Country
Markimdb: 7.9
Genredrama, biography, history
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:50

May, 1980. Man-seob is a taxi driver in Seoul who lives from hand to mouth, raising his young daughter alone. One day, he hears that there is a foreigner who will pay big money for a drive down to Gwangju city. Not knowing that he’s a German journalist with a hidden agenda, Man-seob takes the job.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genremelodrama, drama, military, history
CountryChina, Japan, South Korea, USA
Duration02:08

During the Chinese Revolution in 1949, three couples flee from China to an island of Taiwan.

Markimdb: 8.8
Genremelodrama, drama, history
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:25

Based in Shinmiyangyo, or the U.S. expedition to Korea in the late 19th century, Mr. Sunshine tells the story of a Korean boy born into a family of a house servant running away to board an American warship, later to return to his homeland as a U.S. marine officer. He ironically falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter and discovers the dark scheme to colonize the country that he once ran away from.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genrecomedy, drama, sport
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:17

Doo-Sik (Jo Jung-suk) gets paroled from prison thanks to his younger brother (Do Kyung-Soo) Doo-Young. Doo-Young is a promising judo athlete. After 15 years, Doo-Sik (Jo Jung-suk) suddenly appears in front of Doo-Young and they begin to live together. Doo-Young becomes involved in an accident before the selection for the national team.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrefantastic, action, thriller
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:02

A case of the flu quickly morphs into a pandemic. As the death toll mounts and the living panic, the government plans extreme measures to contain it.

Markimdb: 8.1
Genremelodrama, drama
CountrySouth Korea

After his career takes a turn for the worse, superstar actor Kang Seo Joon is afraid he’s hit rock bottom. But after a chance meeting brings the talented chef Han Ji Woo into his life, Seo Joon is certain his luck is about to change.

Markimdb: 7.2
Genredrama, biography, history
CountrySouth Korea

The struggles of an artist. Jang Seung-up (1843-1897), also called Owon, focusing on the years 1882 to 1897, when Korea was in political upheaval, caught between China and Japan, the conservative dynasty dying, and peasant revolt at hand. Jang, born poor, has genius; a merchant, Kim, becomes his patron, finding him a teacher. Jang must convince others that a commoner can have talent, then move beyond his ability to copy old masters and find his own style. He's bedeviled by a temper and alcohol, arguments with patrons as he seeks commissions, and relationships with kisaeng, particularly Mae-hyang, that start and stop. It's the life of a restless spirit producing great art.

Markimdb: 7
Genreaction, comedy, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration00:59

When an old collaborator gets severely injured, a veteran policeman tries to figure out the way to bring to justice the ultimately suspected aggressor, a spoiled young executive, heir to a mega corporation, who believes he is above the law.

Markimdb: 5.1
Genrethriller, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:41

A young girl is kidnapped by a serial killer. The serial killer uses manholes to kidnap and kill his victims. The young girl's older sister tries to save her before it's too late.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genredrama
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:12

A poor North Korean fisherman finds himself an accidental defector, and is groomed to be a spy by an ambitious South Korean military officer.

Markimdb: 6.1
Genreaction, thriller, fantasy, detective
CountrySouth Korea

A teenage girl who has the ability to bring death by using Hanja (Chinese characters), names, photos, and belongings; and a just social issues reporter, fighting against the massive evil hidden behind an IT conglomerate. The film for the series "The Cursed".

Markimdb: 7
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:20

A man receives a wedding invitation from his first love who he met in high school.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genredrama, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:08

Born in a poor family, Tae-su learns that the power is the most important thing in life and decides to become a prosecutor, the biggest symbol of power in the 90’s. After entering the most prestigious law school, experiencing democratic resistance in Korea, Tae-su finally reaches his goal of becoming a prosecutor but his life is no better than a salary man. By chance, he joins a clique of the powerful prosecutors with wealth and authority. He finally gets a taste of a life of the top hierarchy, but as he enjoys the sweetness of supremacy, he also sees the cruel side of it.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genrefantasy, drama, adventure, detective
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:35

Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days follows the journey of 3 Afterlife Guardians and Su-hong as they journey through their 49th trial in order to gain their reincarnations and how the Guardians slowly recover their forgotten memories through Household God in the living world.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrehorror
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:31

An internet broadcaster recruits a handful of people for their 'experience the horror' show at Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, a place selected as one of the '7 freakiest places on the planet'. They are to explore the haunted asylum and stream it live on their online show.

Markimdb: 8.5
Genrethriller, comedy, drama
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:07

All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genrefantasy, comedy, melodrama
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:54

A magician meets a weird girl and offers her to work together in his magic show. It's only until a year later that he starts to know her personally and develops a feeling towards her despite her own problems.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama, crime, detective
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:59

Based on the series by the popular Japanese novelist Keigo Higashino, this is a mystery drama that 'faithfully but freely' adapts the 3rd part in the series, . The story revolves around 3 characters: a woman who unwittingly killed her husband, a math genius next door who sets up a perfect alibi for her out of his attraction toward her, and a detective who closely traces her, finding the alibi suspicious.

Markimdb: 7.6
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:15

An undercover cop has his loyalties tested when the boss of the corporate gang he's spent years infiltrating dies.

Markimdb: 8.2
Genredrama, family
CountrySouth Korea

A life-changing story of a man who has lived as a loner his entire life. Jae Shik begins to live together with a child with a hearing-visual disability, as they change each other's lives and try to find a way to communicate.

Markimdb: 7.2
Genreaction, thriller, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:24

Ma Seok-do works as a detective squad chief. His team struggles to bust a criminal ring who originally came from Yanbian, China and led by Jang Chen.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountrySouth Korea

The destinies of hard-luck lowlifes slowly converge and come crashing down: Jung-man barely gets by working at a sauna and taking care of his sick mother until he finds a bag full of cash in the locker room; Tae-young is in trouble after his girlfriend runs away with the money he borrowed from a loan shark. Soon, a dead body mysteriously turns up; Mi-ran, caught between her husband’s violence and a dead-end job as a bar hostess, she finds a young lover, Jin-tae who offers to kill her husband… And now their dog-eat-dog game starts.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genreaction, drama, military, history
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:04

In this true story from 2002, South Korean patrol boats engaged in a deadly battle with North Korean patrol boats who crossed the maritime border known the Northern Limit Line and attacked.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genreaction, thriller
CountrySouth Korea

When an illicit arms deal goes bad, North Korean spy Pyo Jong-seong finds himself targeted not just by the South Koreans but also his own bosses.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrehorror, action
CountrySouth Korea

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.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genredrama, crime, biography
CountrySouth Korea

Busan, South Korea, 1970s. Lee Doo-sam is a small-time smuggler. After helping a drug gang to smuggle meth, he falls into the dark crime world. Quick-witted and full of ambition, he eventually takes over the drug underworld and starts to lead a double life: a good community leader during the day but an infamous drug lord during the night.

Markimdb: 7.4
Genrethriller, crime, detective
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:50

Jin-seok, 21-year-old, moves into a new house with his family. He suffers from a slight schizophrenia but he carries an ordinary life under the warm care of the family. His older brother Yu-seok is a decent college student, a mentor, and role model for Jin-seok. One night, his beloved brother is kidnapped by unidentified assailants before Jin-seok’s eye. Jin-seok can’t recognize their faces, but can remember only the VIN that matches with no car. After long silence of 19 days, suddenly Yu-seok returns home, but remembers nothing which had happened in the meantime. And soon Jin-seok feels Yu-seok is a total stranger…

Markimdb: 6.7
Genreaction, drama, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:56

Gon, a Korean hitman bred in the United States where he works for a Chinese triad, usually flawless in taking out his targets, makes a terrible mistake in fulfilling a mission. Swamped by feelings of regret, Gon no longer wants to be a hitman, but, in order to tie up loose ends, his boss forces him to do another job in Korea.

Markimdb: 7
Genrethriller, drama, biography, history
CountrySouth Korea

In the 1970s, Korea is under the absolute control of the President Park who controls the KCIA, the organization with an edge over any branch of government. The director of KCIA, KIM Gyu-pyeong, is the seemingly most prospective second-in-command. In the midst of reign of fear, a former KCIA director, PARK Yong-gak who knows all about the government’s obscure operations, exiles to the U.S. where the investigation of ‘Koreagate’ is underway. As the tension escalates, the stifling political maneuvering by the all second-in-command’s unfolds.

Markimdb: 7.7
Genredrama, history
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:07

In the early 1980s, South Korea is torn by student protests over the lack of representation in the government. Song Woo-Seok is a successful attorney in Busan specializing in tax law. His views regarding civil liberties are changed by student activist Park Jin-woo. When Jin-Woo is brutally tortured and put on trial for his activism, Woo-seok decides to defend Jin-woo as his client.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genredrama
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:28

A three-tiered story centered on a trio of French tourists visiting the same seaside resort.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genreaction, thriller, melodrama, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:12

A young girl is raised as a killer in the Yanbian province of China. She hides her identity and travels to South Korea where she hopes to lead a quiet life but becomes involved with two mysterious men.

Markimdb: 7.8
Genredrama, military, history
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:06

Korea, 1950. A child's vow to take care of his family marks the beginning of a lifelong promise spanning sixty years.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genrethriller, drama
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:40

South Korea, 1993. An agent of the National Intelligence Service is sent to Beijing with the assignment of infiltrating a group of North Korean officials with the ultimate goal of obtaining information about the North Korean nuclear program.

Markimdb: 7
Genreaction, comedy
CountrySouth Korea

When an unknown toxic gas strikes Seoul in an unprecedented act of terror, Yong-nam has just met Eui-ju from college by chance at his mother's birthday banquet. The city falls under sudden noxious gas attack and together, they must escape the panic-stricken city.

Markimdb: 7
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:14

A corrupt customs official joins forces with a vicious gangster to form the most powerful crime partnership in Busan.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrecomedy, melodrama, drama
CountrySouth Korea, USA

Jang-bu was an ordinary boy except his special talent; To see every moving thing like a slow motion video. As friends teased him by calling ‘monster eyes’, he decided to stick at home and not to go out. Television has been his only friend. Time passes by, and now grown-up Jang-bu works at the CCTV control center which is the best job for him. When he sees people’s life through camera, he feels he’s sharing their ordinary life that he’s never had. This new job opens his heart to the world and Jang-bu starts to make some friends out of the control center. With his dear friends he receives sense of himself and finally decides to propose a girl that he loved for long from CCTV…

Markimdb: 7.3
Genreaction, drama, military, history
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:13

In 1951 ceasefire is declared, but two remaining armies fought their final battle on the front line Towards the end of the Korean War, a South Korean battalion is fiercely battling over a hill on the front line border against the North in order to capture a strategic point that would determine the new border between two nations. The ownership of this small patch of land would swap multiple times each day. Kang is dispatched to the front line in order to investigate the tacit case that’s been happening there. But he gets spiraled into the war that’s more terrifying than death itself when he meets his friend Kim, who has transformed into a war machine, and his unit. As the countdown for ceasefire begins, both sides become more vicious, resulting in deaths of countless lives until the last man could claim the land.

Mark
Genredrama
CountrySouth Korea

Seong-cheol is a high school student who grew up neglected. In order to make money in a harsh society that abandoned him, he teamed up with Gi-joon, who is two years younger than him, to use his status as a minor to make money and seek a big blow. A father who left home, a sick brother and a mother whose cares for him. Seong-cheol, who was abandoned in hellish reality, starts a desperate survival in his own way.

Markimdb: 7
Genrethriller, drama, biography, history
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:50

On September 4, 1984, democracy movement leader Kim Jong Tae (Park Won Sang) is arrested and taken to an infamous interrogation facility in Namyeong-dong. For the next 22 days, he would be cruelly and continuously tortured in all manners by interrogators intent on forcing him to confess to communist collaboration.

Markimdb: 6.1
Genreaction, thriller, crime, detective
CountrySouth Korea

Chief of the ‘Special Crime Unit’, OH Gu-tak, looks for the former gangster, PARK Woong-chul, whom he had worked with before, and recruits a con artist, KWAK No-soon, and a convicted cop, KO Yoo-sung in the new team. With new blood, the ‘Bad Guys’ have become stronger and tougher. As they dig deeper into the case, they sense that a much bigger crime organization is behind it all and they begin the hunt for bad guys…

Markimdb: 6.9
Genrethriller, drama
CountrySouth Korea

After a terror incident occurs mid-flight, a passenger jet declares an emergency.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genreaction, thriller, drama
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:11

Amid a coup, a North Korean agent escapes south with the country's injured leader in an attempt to keep him alive and prevent a Korean war.

Markimdb: 5.1
Genreaction
CountrySouth Korea

Thrown straight into a dangerous mission with none of his memories intact, a man must escape death while trying to figure out who he is, how he ended up here, and who is the mysterious voice in his ear calling him "Carter"?

Markimdb: 6.5
Genreaction, thriller, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:12

A son to a high-ranked official in North Korea commits a series of murders going across the countries around the world. The movie depicts the following events as South Korea, North Korea and Interpol start chasing down after him.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genreaction, thriller, crime, detective
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:22

In Cheonan, a serial murder case takes place, but the case becomes more and more of a mystery. Only Tae-suk, a cop, immediately senses that all the cases are by the same killer and starts investigation. One day, Dong-soo, a gang boss, got attacked by a suspicious man, and Tae-suk realizes that this man is the serial killer, K. Now, Dong-soo becomes the only witness and a survived victim from K.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genreaction, drama, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration02:05

A transgender cop's retirement plans are interrupted by a gang seeking revenge for their arrest.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genrethriller, crime, detective
CountrySouth Korea

A man becomes a fugitive from the police after he kills one of the men who raped and murdered his daughter.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genrecomedy, drama
CountrySouth Korea

A group of people meet for the first time in a long time and play a game that reveals each other's secrets.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genreaction, thriller, crime
CountrySouth Korea
Duration01:32

A shady cop finds himself in over his head when he gets caught between Internal Affairs and the city’s corrupt mayor, in this scintillating crime drama from Korean maestro Kim Sung-soo (The Warrior).




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