5 Korean Historical Movies You Must Watch

Writer: Lavanya Sukumaran (Vadodara, Gujarat, India)

Editor: Arpita Jena (Baripada, Odisha, India)

This article features carefully chosen must-watch historical Korean films, which will surely take you all on a captivating journey through historical times. These films are the best combination of compelling stories and fascinating settings of culture. The filmmakers, because of their great cinematographic skills, make certain characters the most memorable ones in the eyes of the audience.  

Every film acts as a window into an older time when honor, traditions, and humanity coexisted. These silver screen treasures offer a mystifying and thought-provoking vision of Korea’s history. Whether the storyline is about investigating the epic sagas of ancient dynasties or touching tales of survival in times of uncertainty, Korean filmmakers always stick to their word. Here are some historic films you can watch that will surely take you on a Time-Traveling adventure.

1. MASQUERADE

IMDb Rating – 7.8/10

Masquerade is a South Korean period drama film. It was directed by Choo Chang-min and written by Hwang Joo-yoon. The film was then released in the year 2012, where it sold 12.3 million tickets and bagged several awards, such as the 49th Grand Bell Awards. 

This movie is the 9th highest-grossing South Korean film. The cast of such a masterpiece includes Lee Byung – hun, Ryu Seung-ryong, and Han Hyo-joo.  

The storyline of the film revolves around the life of the 15th ruler of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, King Gwang-hae, who, to protect himself from assassination, hires a body double named Ha-seon to replace him at times of danger.  The film is the perfect blend of drama, comedy, and suspense. 

2. THE TIGER

IMDb Rating – 7.2/10

The Tiger is a South Korean historical action film released in 2015. It was written and directed by Park Hoon-jung. The story did justice to the theme because of the great cinematography. The cast of the film includes Choi Min-Sik, Jung Man-sik, Kim Sang–ho, and many others. 

Choi Min-sik did an exceptional job in the film and provided a power-packed performance all along. The film revolves around times when the Japanese occupied Korea in 1925, the Japanese officials hired a hunter named Chun Man–duk played by Choi Min-shik, to kill the one last tiger that was alive, as it was the strongest of all in Mt. Jirisan and was a threat to the Japanese authorities. 

The story tells us more about the life of the hunter and the challenges that he faces during the hunt because of the Japanese authorities and his ambiguous relationship with the tiger. 

3. THE ADMIRAL: ROARING CURRENTS

IMDb Rating – 7.1 /10

The Admiral: Roaring Currents is an epic historical action war South Korean film released on 30th July 2014. It was co-written and directed by Kim Han-min. The film became the most-watched and highest-grossing film of all time in South Korea by surpassing Avatar’s record of 13 million viewers.

The film is applauded for bringing attention to a very crucial chapter in Korean history and honoring the heroic deeds of Admiral Yi. The cast includes Choi Min-sik as Yi Sun-sin, Ryu Seung-ryong as Kurushima Michifusa, Cho Jin-woong as Wakisaka Yasuharu, and Kim Myung-gon as Tōdō Takatora.

The film is based on the famous historical Battle of Myeongnyang, which is an important naval conflict of 1597, which took place during the Japanese invasion in Korea. The film’s central character is Admiral Yi Sun-sin, who with his great naval tactics and leadership skills commanded the 13 small battleships against 300 Japanese enemy ships. The Japanese ships were commanded by Admiral Kurushima Michifusa and the battle took place in the currents of Myeongnyang Strait. 

4. THE GREAT BATTLE

IMDb Rating – 7 /10

The Great Battle is a historical epic action South Korean film directed by Kim Kwang-sik. It was released on September 19^th, 2018. The film was well-praised by the audience for its historical accuracy and impressive battle sequences. 

The film stars Zo In-sung, Nam Joo-hyuk, and Park Sung-woong. Every character in the film worked efficiently and gave their best and strongest performances. One of its actors, i.e., Nam Joo-hyuk who played the role of a soldier in the movie, received the Best New Actor award from the 38th Korean Association of Film Critics’ Awards.

The story is based on the great battle that took place between the Tang Dynasty and the Goguryeo troops of Yang Manchun for the Ansi fortress. It is an epic eighty–eight–day battle that was fought between them. Although with fewer soldiers and inefficient artillery weapons, Goguryeo Troops finally was able to save their place from the Tang Dynasty’s expansion. 

5. RAMPANT

IMDb Rating – 6.3/10

Rampant is a period post-apocalyptic action horror South Korean film released on October 25^th, 2018. It was directed by Kim Sung-hoon. The film stars Hyun Bin and Jang Dong-gun. The film combines historical drama with the modern-day zombie apocalypse. 

The movie is set in the Joseon Dynasty’s 19th century, when a young prince, played by Hyun Bin, comes back to his kingdom after ending his studies abroad. When he comes back, he faces several challenges, be it politically for the throne or survival because of the zombies.

When he is busy protecting his throne and as well as his kingdom from this apocalyptic situation, the corrupt minister of war, Kim Ja-joon, played by Jang Dong-gun, is ready to stir up yet another difficulty for him. 

What are your favorite movies among these? Let us know all about it in the comments below!