There's something fascinating about what scares the people of a particular culture. Monsters, the undead, aliens, people driven to madness, all seem to haunt humanity in general, but every culture on Earth has its spin on the horrors that haunt their imagination.
When South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's Parasite won four Academy Awards at the 2019 Oscars, all eyes turned to that particular nation's thriving cinema culture. Savvy fans, however, already knew that some of the most interesting, creative, and terrifying horror films came out of the nation. The first Korean horror film to be screened in the US was 2003's A Tale of Two Sisters, which was later remade into The Uninvited, and which sparked the ongoing love of Korean horror stateside.
The Host
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Not to be confused with the 2013 young adult novel adaptation, this 2006 monster movie is an outstanding horror experience. Directed by the aforementioned Bong Joon-ho, and starring Song Kang-ho who also appeared in Parasite, the film has attained a second life in the modern era. The Host tells a simple but moving story about a father struggling desperately to rescue his daughter from an amphibious monster. The film's ecological message, excellent performances, and powerful presentation make it a classic worthy of high praise.
The film's monster is a little outdated, realized mostly with the era's limited CGI, but the cinematography makes up for it. The camera perfectly tracks the monster, the world around reacts naturally and even the lighting is note-perfect throughout. It looks better than some modern CGI effects by sheer force of effort. Bong Joon-ho's The Host is a straightforward beautifully executed monster movie with a solid message, and it should be considered a modern classic.
Thirst
This intensely unnerving vampire horror film came to screen courtesy of Oldboydirector Park Chan-wook. Song Kang-ho stars in this as well, as Sang-hyun, a Catholic priest who undertakes an experimental therapy for a blood-borne illness. He awakes cured but afflicted with an intense bloodlust, aversion to the sun, and a bizarre attraction to his best friend's wife. As a vampire, Sang-hyun's new biology conflicts with his moral code, and his mind begins to unravel. The issue is pressed as he discovers that without regularly consuming human blood, his illness will return with force.
Alongside the new unpleasantness of Sang-hyun's condition, he must also navigate a difficult emotional minefield with Tae-ju, a married woman he finds himself infatuated with. This film is not for the faint of heart, it is liberal with both sex and violence. But its unyielding tension, gripping moral tests, and gruesome payoffs make it something to behold. Thirst is slightly drowned out by Park's other works, all of which are excellent, but it's well worth seeking out.
Memento Mori
This is a hugely important film in Korean culture. Released shortly after the relaxing of censorship laws in the nation, this is the second in the groundbreaking Whispering Corridors series. All six entries in the series are absolutely worth seeking out, but Memento Mori is probably the best of the bunch.
Directed by Kim Tae-yong and Min Kyu-dong, this film centers around a pair of high-school girls who enter a romantic relationship. The social taboo of the situation makes their lives difficult, and after one of them dies in a tragic suicide, strange happenings begin to take over the school. This film is haunting, socially bold, and emotionally ruinous. It's a bit rudimentary, given its 1999 release date, but the genuine heart and excellent performances make this film a miserable and joyous experience.
Death Bell
Yoon Hong-seung, who often goes by Chang, made his directorial debut with this Korean high-school take on the venerable torture horror genre. The premise is simple, 20 high-school students in a top-tier college prep course are suddenly informed they'll be participating in a game of death.
Before Squid Game, this was the go-to example for Korean death games, because it was one of the best-selling horror films of the nation's history. The actors are solid across the board, the standout is former SeeYa member Nam Gyu-ri. There are some silly moments in this film, and It's anything but complicated, but at 88 minutes, it's a non-stop ride that spawned several worthwhile sequels.
I Saw the Devil
Directed by Kim Jee-woon, this 2010 thriller is one of the rawest, visceral, and moving films ever made. There are no ghosts, eldritch horrors, or fierce monsters in I Saw the Devil. Its characters are horrifyingly human, even as they test the boundaries of that term. The story of a federal agent descending into the depths of darkness as he seeks vengeance for the murder of his fiancée chills the heart while demanding the viewer's attention.
Lee Byung-hun stars in a career-defining performance, portraying incredible misery and rage as he shifts from a grieving victim to a depraved hunter. Choi Min-sik, best known as the star of the incredible film Oldboy, is absolutely skin-crawling as the film's antagonist. The pair engage in a heart-rending game of cat and mouse without regard for whoever gets in their way. This film is an absolute masterpiece, haunting in a way that makes a viewer question their capacity for violence and moving in a way that will stick with its fans forever.