By Arrow S. Morgan
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With the release of Kill Boksoon, Netflix added yet another to the slew of great Korean crime films. The film follows Gil Boksoon (Jeon Do-yeon), a middle-aged single mother by day and the top hired assassin in all of South Korea by night; her teenage daughter struggles to reveal her LGBT identity to Boksoon, while Boksoon herself longs to return to a life of normalcy from the violent one she lives.
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After watching Kill Boksoon, it's almost a guarantee that audiences will want more Korean assassin-action thrills; fortunately, one of South Korean cinema's primary fixations, over the years, has been the life and work of the assassin, and there are plenty of fantastic movies to choose from in order to get your taste of Korean-language neo-noir about hired killers plying their trade.
Kill Boksoon
15 'A Company Man' (2012)
Directed by Lim Sang-yoon
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In this action-thriller, after a highly skilled assassin is tasked with eliminating his young partner and falls in love with the man's widow, he must choose between his relationship and his loyalty to his comrades.
A Company Man starts with a bang, and never lets up. Constantly ratcheting up the tension through its tight runtime, the film has drawn positive comparisons to the works of John Woo and Kim Jee-woon. While the film is more serious than the action-comedy bent of Boksoon, it's sure to offer audiences a solid dose of action to whet their appetites.
A Company Man
Action
Crime
Drama
- Release Date
- October 11, 2012
- Director
- Lim Sang-Yun
- Cast
- So Ji-sub , Lee Mi-yeon , Kwak Do-won , Kim Dong-jun , Lee Kyung-young , Han Bo-bae , Yoo Ha-bok , Jeon Kuk-hwan , Kim Seo-won , Heo Dong-won , Hong Kyeong-yeon , Lee Jae-yoon , Jung Young-ki , Lee Chae-eun , Yu Na-mi , Hwang Seok-jeong , Jeong Gi-seop , Ha Soo-ho
- Runtime
- 96 Minutes
14 'The Villainess' (2017)
Directed by Jung Byung-gil
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A young girl witnesses her father's death, not seeing the killer's face and only hearing him whistle a particular tune. Trained to be a killing machine, she seeks revenge, only to be captured by the South Korean intelligence services and press-ganged into service to their own ends, uncovering a web of deception beyond anything she could have ever expected.
This action movie received large amounts of buzz upon its initial American release for its stylish visuals, hyperkinetic choreography, and twisting, non-linear plot. The opening first-person-POV fight scene, in particular, received heavy praise. While certainly more dark and serious than Boksoon,The Villainess offers more than enough thrills and twists to satisfy any viewer.
The Villainess
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13 'The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion' (2018)
Directed by Park Hoon-jung
When a high school student (Kim Da-mi) suffering from frequent migraines demonstrates the ability to levitate a microphone with her mind, she finds herself pursued by the government. Upon finding out that she was given superhuman abilities in an attempt to create a perfect human weapon, she turns against her would-be masters and fights back.
The Witch drew praise upon release for its stylish action and inventive concept. While the film sometimes shakes under the weight of all the concepts it stacks upon itself, it moves at a quick enough clip to prevent itself from collapsing. With the film's superhuman fight scenes, it certainly holds more than enough appeal for any fan of Korean action cinema.
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12 'The Yellow Sea' (2010)
Directed by Na Hong-jin
A struggling taxi driver in China is offered a large sum of money to travel to South Korea and assassinate a specific man. Upon completing the task, the driver finds out he's been set up, and must fight for his life against both the police and the forces of the man who hired him.
With some of the most brutal knife fights in cinematic history, The Yellow Sea is a must-see for anyone who loves Korean action cinema. The film drew strong praise, with an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes, for its bone-crunching brutality and surprisingly touching tone. While certainly darker and more overtly noir-tinged than Boksoon, any viewers who loved that movie owe it to themselves to watch this one.
The Yellow Sea
R
Drama
Thriller
Crime
- Release Date
- December 2, 2011
- Director
- Na Hong-jin
- Cast
- Ha Jung-woo , Kim Yoon-seok , Cho Seong-ha , Lee Cheol-min , Kwak Do-won , Im Ye-won , Tak Sung-eun , Lee El
- Runtime
- 141 Minutes
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11 'No Tears for the Dead' (2014)
Directed by Lee Jeong-beom
When a professional hitman botches a job and kills a young girl, he's tasked with eliminating the girl's mother, as well, in order to clean up the loose end. Traumatized by the young girl's death, he finds himself conflicted, and resolves to instead protect his mark, betraying his comrades.
This cold, brooding film may seem like a shock of cold water compared to the relatively comic bent of Boksoon, but No Tears for the Dead makes it worth it. The film wowed audiences with a memorable turn from Brian Tee (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift's "Drift King") and a surprising amount of emotional depth, in addition to its gritty, ultraviolent action sequences.
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No Tears For The Dead
Action
Thriller
Drama
- Release Date
- June 20, 2014
- Director
- Lee Jeong-beom
- Cast
- Jang Dong-gun , Kim Min-hee , Brian Tee , Kim Min-jae , Jun Kim , Kim Hee-won , Jeon Bae-soo , Byun Yo-han , Lee Young-lan , Kang Ji-woo , Anthony Dilio , Alexander Wraith , Rich Ting , Dana Lee , Angela Bullock , Kim So-jin , Kang Han-na , Park Ji-Yeon , Park Byung-eun , Jang In-sub , Moon Lee Ho , Minae Noji , Jennifer Buttell , Choi Seung-Il , Lee Dong-hwi , Ben Lepley , Todd Haberkorn , Skoti Collins , Alessandro Cuomo , Min Sung-wook , Lee Jae-in , Kim Na-hee , Go Woo-rim , Kim Ji-seong , Kim Won-beom , Kim Geu-lim
- Runtime
- 117 Minutes
Watch on Amazon Prime
10 'The Man from Nowhere' (2010)
Directed by Lee Jeong-beom
A quiet pawn shop owner attempts to ply his trade in Seoul, befriending a young girl living next door to him. When the young girl is kidnapped by opium traffickers, the pawn shop owner springs into action, revealing himself to be a former South Korean intelligence agent and highly trained assassin, as he tears a bloody swath of revenge through every single person involved.
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This action film became an instant classic upon release, drawing positive comparisons to Luc Besson's Leon: The Professional. The film won numerous awards upon release in South Korea, including several at the prestigious Grand Bell Awards (the rough Korean equivalent to the Oscars), and was an immediately obvious influence on the John Wick franchise. For anyone seeking more Korean assassin thrills, The Man from Nowhere is sure to whet their appetite.
The Man From Nowhere (2010)
R
Action
Thriller
Crime
- Release Date
- August 4, 2010
- Director
- Lee Jeong-beom
- Cast
- Won Bin , Kim Sae-ron , Kim Tae-hun , Kim Hee-won , Kim Sung-oh , Lee Jong-pil , Thanayong Wongtrakul , Kim Hyo-seo , Song Young-chang , Baek Su-ryeon , Nam Kyung-eup , Jeong Do-won , Kwak Do-won , Jo Hyun-wu , Son Sang-kyung , Lee Jae-won , Hwang Min-Ho , Han Chul-woo , Kwon Seong-deok , Jo Jae-yun , Jeong Min-sung , Sun Ho-jin , Kim Hyo-min
- Runtime
- 119 Minutes
9 'Asura: The City of Madness' (2016)
Directed by Kim Sung-su
A dirty cop in crime-ridden Seoul finds himself caught between the corrupt mayor he acts as an assassin for, and a prosecutor attempting to blackmail him in order to take the mayor down. As the protagonist attempts to balance his loyalties, he finds himself caught in a bloodbath beyond anything he could have predicted.
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While tonally almost polar opposite to Boksoon,Asura is an extremely strong crime thriller sure to impress any fans of Korean cinema. Hwang Jeong-min (of The Wailing fame) puts in an incredible, twisted performance as the corrupt mayor that almost singlehandedly carries the movie on its own. Audiences may want to have a stiff drink handy for this one, but Asura is a descent into hell sure to please any action lover.
Asura: The City of Madness (2016)
Action
Crime
Thriller
- Release Date
- September 28, 2016
- Director
- Kim Sung-soo
- Cast
- Jung Woo-sung , Hwang Jung-min , Ju Ji-Hoon , Kwak Do-won , Jeong Man-sik , Kim Won-hae , Kim Jong-soo , Kim Hae-gon , Yoon Ji-hye , Oh Yeon-ah , Choi Byung-mo , Yoo Jeong-ho , Park Hyeok-min , Hyun Bong-sik , Mi-nam Jeong , Cho Joon , Jung Hyung-suk , Park Yu-mil , Jeong Dong-gyoo , Kim Soo-jin , Kim Hyun-bin , Park Jeong-hak , Yoon Je-moon , Yoon Dae-yeul , Lee Ga-kyung , Yum Dong-hun , Hwang Byeng-gug , Choi Seong-won , Anupam Tripathi
- Runtime
- 136 Minutes
Rent on Amazon
8 'New World' (2013)
Directed by Park Hoon-jung
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In this action epic, an undercover cop must balance his loyalty to his handler (Oldboy's Choi Min-sik) with his rising status in South Korea's largest crime syndicate. Caught between the two, he finds himself in a web of assassinations, conspiracy and intrigue that threatens to swallow up all in its path, cop and criminal alike.
While somewhat less bloody and hyperkinetic than most Korean action cinema, New World makes up for it in spades with depth. At times, the film feels almost more akin to Goodfellas or Infernal Affairs than it does to John Wick. However, to the patient lover of explosions and gunfire, the film is exceptionally rewarding, and anyone hoping for a slower breather after Kill Boksoon will be pleased with this one.
New World (2013)
Not Rated
Crime
Drama
Thriller
- Release Date
- March 22, 2013
- Director
- Park Hoon-jung
- Cast
- Lee Jung-jae , Choi Min-sik , Hwang Jung-min , Park Sung-woong , Song Ji-Hyo , Kim Yoon-sung , Na Kwang-hoon , Park Seo-yeon , Choi Il-hwa , Ju Jin-mo , Jang Gwang , Kwon Tae-won , Kim Hong-pa , Lee Kyung-young , Ryoo Seung-bum , Ma Dong-seok , Kim Byeong-Ok , Woo Jung-kook , Park In-Soo , Jung Young-ki , Park Sang-gyu
- Runtime
- 134 Minutes
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7 'Luck-Key' (2016)
Directed by Lee Gae-byok
When a professional assassin slips and hits his head in the sauna, losing his memory, an aspiring actor swaps keys (and lives) with him. The assassin, however, finds his memory returning after he lands a role as an action hero, and chaos ensues.
While more overtly comedic than the vast bulk of Korean crime cinema, Luck-Key is funny enough to carry itself and then some. Hae-jin Yoo is hilarious as the assassin-cum-actor, and the script gives him plenty of opportunities to flex his comedic muscle. Anyone looking for something with similar comedic energy to Boksoon is in for a treat with this film.
Luck-Key (2016)
Action
Crime
Comedy
- Release Date
- October 13, 2016
- Director
- Lee Kae-byeok
- Cast
- Yoo Hai-jin , Lee Joon , Jo Yoon-hee , Lim Ji-yeon , Go Joon , Cha Soon-hyeong , Jo Han-chul , Cha Yeob , Kim Min-sang , Kim Ji-an , Seong Byeong-suk , Park Seoung-tae , Lee Yong-nyeo , Lee Sung-wook , Jung Hee-tae , Lee Dong-yong , Song Yo-sep , Geum Gwang-san , Lee Seung-chul , Kim Han-gyu , Cho Han-na , Lee Dong-hwi , Anupam Tripathi , Jang Hyuk-jin
- Runtime
- 112 Minutes
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6 'The Killer' (2022)
Directed by Choi Jae-hoon
A retired assassin finds himself taking care of a teenage girl while his wife goes on vacation. After saving her from a group of delinquents, the killer finds himself pitted against a human trafficking ring run by the Russian mafia.
Not to be confused with John Woo's inimitable 1989 classic, The Killer is a slice of action cinema sure to please anyone who likes them bloody, brutal, and no-frills. Best described as a Korean take on John Wick or Taken, the film barely stops to breathe as Jang Hyuk's Ui-gang shoots and slashes his way through the Korean underworld. At a tight, effective 90 minutes, this film is a perfect treat for anyone who came away from Kill Boksoon wanting more Korean assassinations.
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The Killer (2022)
Action
Crime
Thriller
- Release Date
- July 13, 2022
- Director
- Jae-Hoon Choi
- Cast
- Jang Hyuk
- Runtime
- 95 minutes
Watch on Amazon Prime
5 'No Mercy' (2019)
Directed by Im Kyung-taek
Titled Eon-ni (Older Sister) in Korean, No Mercy tells the story of In-Ae, an ex-army-turned-bodyguard who goes to prison for saving her autistic, 18-year-old sister Eun-hye, from an assaulting politician. After her sentence, In-Ae returns home and reunites with her sister, but is unaware of the teenager’s miserable life. One day, when Eun-hye doesn’t come home from school, In-Ae discovers that her younger sister has been suffering violence and abuse from the school bullies, and sets out to seek revenge and find her sister all on her own.
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Even though No Mercy is a Korean film with a very disturbing plot, and has a lot of gore and violence, it is not out of context and has some well-thought-out action pieces like Kill Boksoon. While you might find the plotlines and character arcs to be a bit clichéd, the film stays true to its title and genre and delivers a hard-hitting revenge thriller. – Maddie P
No Mercy (2019)
Crime
Action
Thriller
Adventure
- Release Date
- January 1, 2019
- Director
- Kyeong-Taek Lim
- Cast
- Lee Si-young , Park Se-wan , Lee Jun-hyuk , Lee Hyeong-cheol , Choi Jin-ho , Kim Ki-moo , Hye-ryeong Koo , Kwak Min-seok , Lee Sang-hoon , Yoon Song-a , Kim Won-hae , Min Ye-ji , Seo Yoon-ha
- Runtime
- 93 Minutes
4 'Lady Vengeance' (2005)
Directed by Park Chan-wook
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Directed by Park Chan-wook, Lady Vengeance (also titled Sympathy for Lady Vengeance) is a neo-noir psychological thriller featuring a lot of slick action, and strong characters such as Kill Boksoon. Lady Vengeance follows a woman, Lee Geum-ja (Lee Young-ae), who is falsely framed for the murder of a six-year-old boy, which she did not commit. After serving a 13-year sentence when Geum-ja is released, she sets out to seek revenge on the man responsible for the crime and framing her.
Lady Vengeance marks the third and final installment in Chan-wook’s Vengeance trilogy, following 2002’s Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and 2003’s Oldboy. Even though the film has no connection to the previous two films in the series, they are thematically linked and deal with themes of revenge, violence, morality, and salvation. Lady Vengeance is essentially a dark revenge thriller with stylish, slick, but gruesome violence, all of which can be said to be distinctive to Chan-wook’s narrative style. – Maddie P
Lady Vengeance
R
- Release Date
- July 29, 2005
- Director
- Chan-wook Park
- Cast
- Yeong-ae Lee , Min-sik Choi , Tony Barry , Anne Cordiner , Su-hee Go , Hye-jeong Kang
- Runtime
- 110
- Main Genre
- Crime
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3 'Unstoppable' (2018)
Directed by Kim Min-ho
Not to be confused with the Denzel Washington-starrer 2010 disaster film or the 2024 sports biopic of the same, this 2018 South Korean film is directed and written by Kim Min-ho and tells the story of a notorious former gangster and his crusade to rescue his missing wife. Unstoppable follows Dong-Chul, a retired gangster-turned-seafood distributor and lives a happy married life with his wife, Ji-Soo. But when one day he returns home to find his wife missing and the house in disarray, Dong-Chul decides once again to resort to his old ways and sets out to save his wife from a human trafficking ring and seek revenge on the kidnappers.
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Unstoppable is a good example of a well-made revenge thriller and is very much like Kill Boksoon in depicting a lone ranger on a mission. The thrilling story with hard-hitting, bloody action is only enhanced by the indomitable Dong-Chul, played by Don Lee/Ma Dong-Seok, an award-winning South Korean actor, known for films like Train to Busan, Badland Hunters, and MCU’s Eternals. – Maddie P
Unstoppable (2018)
Not Rated
Action
Crime
Thriller
- Release Date
- November 30, 2018
- Director
- Kim Min-Ho
- Cast
- Ma Dong-seok , Song Ji-Hyo , Kim Sung-oh , Kim Min-jae , Park Ji-hwan , Jung Hae-kyun , Il-joo Hong , Choi Hong-il
- Runtime
- 116 Minutes
Watch on Amazon Prime
2 'Ballerina' (2023)
Directed by Lee Chung-hyun
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Another slick and gory revenge thriller on this list, Ballerina is written and directed by Lee Chung-hyun, a South Korean filmmaker best known for making his feature debut with the 2020 Netflix film The Call. Ballerina tells the story of Jang Ok-ju (Jeon Jong-seo), a former bodyguard, who finds her best friend, Choi Min-hee (Park Yu-rim), brutally killed in her home and a note she left behind for Ok-ju. Grieving the loss of a loved one and high on rage, anger, and pain, Ok-ju sets out to fulfill her best friend’s last wish and seeks revenge for the death of Min-hee.
Ballerina’s premise of revenge with a great twist and ample thrill makes it more like No Mercy or Unstoppable thrilling, but it can also be called a more serious version of Kill Boksoon, with Ok-ju’s character of the ice-cold angel of death being the film’s biggest highlight. The critically acclaimed film also has elements of South Korean films from the 2000s, which also makes it quite thrilling and entertaining. – Maddie P
Ballerina (2023)
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1 'Midnight' (2021)
Directed by Kwon Oh-seung
A psychological thriller, Midnight follows a young, mute woman, Kyeong-mi, who witnesses a serial killer, Do-sik , stabbing her younger sister. When Kyeong-mi also becomes a target of Do-sik, her younger brother, Jong-tak, a security guard, and their deaf mother, set out to protect her. Written and directed by Kwon Oh-Seung, Midnight stars Jin Ki-Joo, Wi Ha-joon, Park Hoon, and Kim Hye-yoon.
While Midnight is nothing like Kill Boksoon, there’s a certain sophistication about the storytelling that’s common in both. Midnight’s main characters with hearing and speech disabilities and their dangerous hide-and-seek chase from a psychopathic killer is sure to remind you of Mike Flanagan’s Hush, starring Kate Siegel in a similar role. The film has been well-acclaimed by critics, who praise the film’s contrasting narrative, where the stillness of its deaf and mute victims balances the fast-paced chase, making it a gripping thriller. The film also won the Silver Audience Award for Best Asian Film at the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival. – Maddie P
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Midnight (2021)
Crime
Thriller
- Release Date
- April 5, 2022
- Director
- Kwon Oh-seung
- Cast
- Jin Ki-joo , Wi Ha-jun , Park Hoon , Kil Hae-yeon , Kim Hye-yoon , Lee Sang-hee , Park Ji-hoon , Eun-Woo Bae
- Runtime
- 103 Minutes
Watch on Amazon Prime
NEXT: The Best Korean Movies on Netflix Right Now
- Movie
- The Killer (1989)
- New World
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