From thrillers to musicals, the Korean movie industry saw many great releases this year. While numerous films applied the same done-to-death formula, few outstanding ones broke the stereotypical boundaries and stood out. With the increasing popularity of Asian cinema, a majority of which comes from Korea, audiences worldwide want to delve more into the cultural cinema that isn’t just about Western Countries. Hence, keeping the artistic cravings in mind here is our list of the 5 Best Korean movies of 2021.
Escape From Mogadishu
Based on real events, Escape From Mogadishu occurs in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1991. A civil war breaks in Somalia, and the South and North Korean delegates are stranded in Mogadishu with their families. With no communication to their home countries, they have to find their way out alive among all the bloodshed. The South Koreans and North Koreans unite to save their lives despite the rivalry. This action drama is directed by Ryu Seung Wan and features Kim Yoon Seok, Jo In Sung, Heo Joon Ho, and Kim So Jin as main characters.
Mission Possible
An action-comedy, Mission Possible, is inspired by the famous Mission Impossible movies. Yoo Da Hee, a secret agent, while on a mission to find a smuggler’s chain in Korea, mistakenly gets a rookie private detective, Wu Su Han, on her team. She mistakes him for a secret agent, and he thinks that he is chosen by the intelligence services for a secret mission. When authorities find out about them, they become suspects of murders. With some great action scenes and humor, Mission Possible is a less serious-toned movie than others. It stars actors Lee Sun Bin, Kim Young Kwang in lead roles and is directed by Kim Hyung Joo.
Perhaps Love
Perhaps Love is a comedy movie that surrounds the life of a bestselling author, Hyun, who has been in a slump for seven years. His personal and family is a mess, and he is almost broke. After meeting his student Yoo Jin, an aspiring writer, he learns a different perspective of life. Hyun’s life story is put in a humorous way to keep the audience laughing throughout. Hyun’s role is played by Ryu Seung Ryong, and Yoo Jin’s role is played by Mu Jin Sung. Oh Na Ra is also seen in a leading role. The film is directed by Jo Eun Ji.
Recalled
Recalled also known as Tomorrow’s Memories, is a mystery/thriller directed by Seo Yoo Min. Soo-Jin, played by It’s Okay To Not Be Okay star, Seo Ye Ji, loses her memory in an accident. She starts seeing future events but isn’t sure if they are hallucinations or not. As the story unfolds, she finds out the secret of her husband, Ji Hoon. The movie also features Kim Kang Woo and Yeom Hye Ran as lead characters.
The Box
Directed by Yoon Jung Woong, The Box is a Musical film that features popular singer Chanyeol as the main character, Ji Hoon. Ji Hoon is an aspiring singer who performs music shows with a music producer Min Soo who used to be a bigshot in the industry. They travel across the country together, but Ji Hoon has stage fright. He starts singing by closing himself in a box but later breaks that box himself. As his first lead role in a movie, Chanyeol not only impresses the audience with his beautiful singing but acting as well.
We hope to see more amazing South Korean films in 2022 that will not only entertain us but educate us with their outstanding storyline and captivating thrills.
