9 Korean films to watch on Netflix: From Byeon Woo Seok-Kim Yoo Jung’s 20th Century Girl to Park Seo Joon-IU’s Dream

With the myriad of films available to watch on multiple OTT platforms, picking one becomes a tougher choice than the red pill, blue pill question. Here’s a list of the top 9 Korean films to check out on Netflix this weekend.

1. 20th Century Girl

Set in 1999, the film follows the lives of Na Bo Ra and Yeon Du, two high school best friends, among whom the latter, a heart condition patient, pushes back her plans to visit the US for surgery after falling for someone named Baek Hyun Jin, and the former promises to find all details about him to email, sending her off. What follows is a sinister twist of fate as Na Bo Ra falls for his buddy Poong Woon Ho, whom Yeon Du actually liked.
 

• Cast: Kim Yoo Jung, Byeon Woo Seok, Park Jung Woo, Roh Yoon Seo
• Director: Bang Woo Ri
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Coming-of-age, Romantic, Drama
• Release Date: October 21, 2022

2. Dream

Football player Hong Dae is appointed the coach for a special national soccer team comprising homeless people, as a punishment for an incident. He is joined by Lee So Min, a videographer who is filming a documentary based on their coaching sessions, turning the team into a superstar before their Homeless World Cup appearance.

• Cast: Park Seo Joon, IU, Kim Jong Soo, Ko Chang Seok, Jung Seung Gil, Lee Hyun Woo, Yang Hyun Min, Hong Ahn Pyo, Heo Joon Seok
• Director: Lee Byeong Heon
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Sports, Comedy
• Release Date: April 26, 2023 

3. Tune in for Love

Set across multiple years, the story is about an ex-convict, Cha Hyun Woo, who receives a job at Kim Mi Soo’s bakery, and how they find their way back to each other come rain or shine. With his past knocking on his door at every moment, it remains to be seen whether they can end up together. 

• Cast: Kim Go Eun, Jung Hae In, Kim Gook Hee, Jung Yoo Jin, Kwon Eun Soo, Park Hae Joon, Kim Hyun
• Director: Jung Ji Woo
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Romance, Drama
• Release Date: November 5, 2019

4. Unlocked

An unlocked phone and a mastermind hacker become the downfall of a part-time worker named Na Mi, who comes across Joo Yeong and gets roped into his devious plan. Over the course of more investigations, many victims are revealed as the culprit’s own father, a detective, begins suspecting his son of the crime. 

• Cast: Chun Woo Hee, Yim Si Wan, Kim Hee Won, Park Ho San, Kim Ye Won, Oh Hyun Kyung, Kim Joo Ryong, Gil Hae Yeon
• Director: Kim Tae Joon
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Psychological Thriller
• Release Date: February 17, 2023

5. My Name Is Loh Kiwan

Based on the 2019 fictional novel I Met Loh Kiwan by author Cho Hae Jin, it follows a North Korean defector who travels to Belgium for refuge and comes across Marie Lee, a former athlete who has lost all hope in her life. The two end up becoming each other’s solace in the testing world. 

• Cast: Song Joong Ki, Choi Sung Eun, Kim Sung Ryung, Seo Hyun Woo, Lee Sang Hee, Jo Han Chul, Lee Il Hwa
• Director: Kim Hee Jin
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Drama
• Release Date: March 1, 2024

6. Pavane

One of the newest releases in this list, Pavane, is about a group of department store workers who are each outcasts in their own sense. Finding their way to each other, they build an unlikely group of friends and discover love in its various forms. 

• Cast: Go Ah Sung, Moon Sang Min, Byun Yo Han, Lee E Dam, Han Yu Eun, Shin Jung Eun, Park Hae Joon, Lee Bong Ryun
• Director: Lee Jong Pil
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Romance, Drama
• Release Date: February 20, 2026

7. Okja

A teenage girl named Mija and her super pig Okja are sent through testing times as the animal is used as everything from a marketing tool to a bait and more while the young one tries everything in her power to keep her pet from being slaughtered ruthlessly by a big corporation.

• Cast: Ahn Seo Hyun, Byun Hee Bong, Yoon Je Moon, Choi Woo Shik, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Shirley Henderson, Daniel Henshall, Devon Bostick, Giancarlo Esposito, Jake Gyllenhaal
• Director: Bong Joon Ho
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
• Release Date: June 29, 2017

8. Wonderland

An artificial intelligence system that lets people talk to their loved ones via simulated video calls. As many fates get intertwined, with the fear of confronting contradicting personalities rising with the users, chaos waits to be called upon. 

• Cast: Tang Wei, Bae Suzy, Park Bo Gum, Jung Yu Mi, Choi Woo Shik
• Director: Kim Tae Yong
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Science Fiction, Romance, Drama
• Release Date: July 26, 2024

9. Blackpink: Light Up the Sky

K-pop fans, we've got you. There’s something for everyone, including all BLACKPINK enthusiasts. In the 2020 documentary covering the girl group’s story as one of the most celebrated K-pop acts ever, from their group promotions to solo work, recording of their debut album The Album, and their first performance at Coachella (2019). 

• Cast: Kim Jisoo (Jisoo), Jennie Kim (Jennie), Roseanne Park (Rosé), Lalisa Manoban (Lisa), Teddy Park
• Director: Caroline Suh
• Language: Korean
• Genre: Documentary
• Release Date: October 14, 2020

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