30 Korean Thriller Movies on Netflix That'll Keep You up All Night
All the twists and turns, right this way.
It should come as no surprise that South Korean movies are truly top-notch. After all, the country’s films and television shows include the Oscar-winning Parasite and world-wide obsession Squid Game. By now, you’ve probably already watched all the best Korean dramas the internet has to offer, streamed all the best Korean movies you can find, and are probably working on catching up on the best Korean movies of 2023. But even after all that, if you’re sleeping on Korean thriller movies, you’re really missing out.
From spy thrillers and supernatural mysteries to sci-fi flicks and some serious Black Mirror type ish, there are Korean thrillers for everyone, and luckily for you, we've got all the best ones you can stream on Netflix at this very moment. Don't worry...you can thank us later!And, thanks to Netflix’s growing catalog of Korean cinema, you don’t have to go far to find them. From classics like Oldboy (Park Chan-wook’s film that set the tone for the modern era of Korean thrillers), to newer films like #Alive, Netflix has ‘em all. And you can consider this your official invitation to start watching the best Korean thriller movies available right now. Like, as soon as you read through these options. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
Oldboy (2003)
A modern classic, Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy is a uniquely violent and thrilling story of revenge. The film follows Oh Dae-Su (Choi Min-sik), a man who is set free after being abducted and held prisoner for 15 years. Seeking revenge on his captors, Oh Dae-Su goes on the hunt to find the man responsible, and learns some devastating truths along the way.
Ballerina (2023)
Revenge once again takes center stage in Ballerina, an action movie about a woman, Jang Ok-ju (Jeon Jong-seo), grieving the loss of her best friend, a ballerina. She finds purpose in her best friend’s dying wish: that Ok-ju get revenge on the sex trafficker that exploited her friend.
Unlocked (2022)
In this suspenseful thriller, a woman's life is turned upside-down when a dangerous man gets a hold of her lost cell phone and uses it to track her every move.
Yaksha: Ruthless Operations (2022)
Starring Squid Game's Park Hae-soo, this spy thriller takes place in Shenyang, China, following an espionage agency's Black Ops team and the former prosecutor who's tasked with inspecting them.
Space Sweepers (2021)
Set in the year 2092, this sci-fi drama (which is considered the first-ever Korean space blockbuster) revolves around four misfits who attempt to trade a young little humanoid, only to discover that she may actually be a deadly weapon in disguise.
Night in Paradise (2021)
In this K-drama, a mobster hiding out in Jeju Island following a tragedy starts to develop a relationship with a woman...though he doesn't realize that she happens to be battling some demons of her own.
The 8th Night (2021)
In this supernatural mystery thriller, a young monk sets out to stop the resurrection of an evil spirit, which has been locked up for 2,500 years and will continue tormenting and possessing humans if successfully awakened.
The Call (2020)
This psychological thriller tells the story of a young woman who—after returning to the house where she once lived—discovers a mysterious phone, which allows her to talk to the person who lived in the same house 20 years earlier. Oh, and that person happens to be a serial killer.
#Alive (2020)
Hellbound's Yoo Ah-in stars in this zombie thriller as a gamer who finds himself struggling to survive amid a gruesome zombie apocalypse in Seoul. The only thing keeping him going: a mysterious fellow survivor living in the opposite apartment building.
The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (2022)
This sequel to 2014's The Pirates takes place during the Joseon dynasty, following a crew of pirates as they attempt to hunt down a collection of royal treasures that have supposedly disappeared without a trace.
Time to Hunt (2020)
Time to Hunt is a dystopian action thriller revolving around a group of friends (including Parasite's Choi Woo-shik) who manage to pull off an ambitious heist...but then find themselves pursued by a mysterious assassin (played by Park Hae-soo).
Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019)
In this occult thriller, a Buddhist monk (played by Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae) is hired to look into a cult group known as Deer Mount. At the same time, a police captain investigates a murder case that he suspects is tied to a member of the Deer Mount cult.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021)
This special movie-length episode of Netflix's popular K-drama Kingdom serves as a prequel to the series, telling the story of Ashin, a former spy for the Joseon kingdom who's introduced at the end of season two. Tbh, even if you've never seen Kingdom, it's still a fun watch.
Steel Rain (2018)
In this action thriller, a North Korean special forces agent decides to defect to the south with an injured leader during a coup in order to keep the leader alive...oh, and also to prevent a nuclear war.
Lucid Dream (2017)
Love sci-fi thrillers? Then you'll love this flick, which revolves around a young investigative journalist and single father who—after unsuccessfully searching for his abducted son for three years—attempts to track down his missing child through lucid dreams (hence the title).
The Fortress (2017)
Set in the 17th century during the Qing invasion of Joseon, this historical drama follows the real-life story of King Injo and his retainers as they hold down Namhansanseong fortress and debate whether to fight or keep peace with the Qing dynasty.
The Battleship Island (2017)
Another thrilling historical drama, The Battleship Island takes place during Imperial Japan's occupation of Korea during World War II, telling the story of a forced labor camp on Hashima Island and the daring escape attempt made by a group of prisoners.
The Unjust (2010)
In this action crime flick, a police captain is put in an impossible situation after the lead suspect in a high-profile serial murder case is killed. His mission: Set up a fall guy to take the blame instead.
The Drug King (2018)
Parasite's Song Kang-ho stars in this crime drama as real-life drug smuggler Lee Hwang-soon, who built up his drug empire in Busan during the 1970s and accumulated HUGE amounts of wealth in the process.
Forgotten (2017)
In this psychological thriller, a young man named Jin-seok witnesses his older brother getting abducted soon after moving into their new home...and though the brother returns to their family 19 days later, it becomes clear to Jin-seok that his brother is no longer the same person.
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