The Korean wave in cinema
How South Korean film went from a protected local industry to winning the Palme d'Or and the Oscar for Best Picture, and what makes Korean movies so distinctive.
What "Hallyu" means
The Korean wave, or Hallyu, is the term used since the late 1990s for the global spread of South Korean popular culture: television dramas, pop music, food, beauty, games and film. Cinema is one of its most acclaimed parts. In barely two decades, Korean directors went from being little known outside Asia to winning the top prizes at Cannes and the Academy Awards.
From golden age to renaissance
Korean cinema has a long history. The late 1950s and 1960s are often called its first golden age, when films such as Kim Ki-young's psychological thriller The Housemaid (1960) were made. Later decades were harder, with strict censorship and limited budgets.
The modern revival began in the late 1990s, helped by several changes:
- Screen quota. South Korea required cinemas to show domestic films for a set number of days each year, which protected local producers while they grew.
- New investment. Large companies and venture investors began financing films, building modern production and distribution businesses.
- Loosened censorship in the 1990s, giving filmmakers far more freedom.
- A festival showcase. The Busan International Film Festival, first held in 1996, became Asia's leading film festival and a launchpad for Korean and Asian talent.
- Support bodies such as the Korean Film Council, which funds production and promotes films abroad.
The action thriller Shiri (1999) proved Korean blockbusters could beat Hollywood imports at the home box office, and the renaissance was under way.
Landmark films
| Film | Year | Director | Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiri | 1999 | Kang Je-gyu | Domestic blockbuster that beat Hollywood titles locally |
| Oldboy | 2003 | Park Chan-wook | Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 |
| The Host | 2006 | Bong Joon-ho | Monster film that became a huge local hit |
| Train to Busan | 2016 | Yeon Sang-ho | Zombie thriller that became an international success |
| Burning | 2018 | Lee Chang-dong | Widely acclaimed literary mystery |
| Parasite | 2019 | Bong Joon-ho | Palme d'Or, then the first non-English-language Best Picture Oscar |
| Decision to Leave | 2022 | Park Chan-wook | Best Director at Cannes |
At the Academy Awards ceremony in February 2020, Parasite won four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film.
What makes Korean films distinctive
Korean cinema is famous for traits that surprise audiences used to Hollywood formulas:
- Genre mixing. A single film can shift from comedy to thriller to tragedy. Parasite starts as a con-artist comedy and becomes something much darker. See our genre guide for how conventions usually work.
- Class and family. Many stories examine the gap between rich and poor and the pressures on families.
- Polished craft. Precise cinematography, striking production design and confident editing are hallmarks of the leading directors.
- Intense thrillers. Revenge stories, crime dramas and horror and thrillers are a particular strength.
- Willingness to end hard. Endings are often bittersweet or shocking rather than tidy.
Streaming and series
Streaming has carried the wave further. Squid Game (2021) became one of the most-watched series in streaming history, and Korean dramas now reach global audiences within hours of their local broadcast. Many film directors and actors move between cinema and series, so the line between the two has blurred.
Watch Korean films with subtitles rather than dubbing when you can. Bong Joon-ho famously described subtitles as a "one-inch-tall barrier" that, once overcome, opens up a world of films.
Where to start
Begin with Parasite, then Train to Busan for pure entertainment, Memories of Murder (2003) for a gripping crime story, and The Housemaid (1960) for a classic. Compare the story of Korea's rise with India's Bollywood, another industry that kept its home audience loyal.
