10 Best Korean Movies On Netflix For K-Drama Fans

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Netflix is well-known for its popular K-dramas of the last ten years, but it also offers a huge collection of classic Korean films. Some of the best K-dramas on Netflix, such as the internationally famous Squid Game (2021) and Crash Landing on You (2019), have become incredibly influential and set new standards for the genre.

K-dramas on streaming platforms are known for their limited-run series, but they’ve also started trying out different ways to tell stories. Korean films, however, have always been incredibly compelling and deserve just as much recognition. Fortunately, Netflix offers a wide variety of Korean films to satisfy fans of any K-drama style.

Officer Black Belt

2024

Kim Woo-bin is a captivating actor known for his work in Korean dramas and films. He’s starred in a variety of projects, from the heartwarming series Our Blues to the futuristic drama Black Knight, and recently appeared in the 2024 action comedy Officer Black Belt. In that film, he plays Lee Jung-do, a talented martial artist who takes on the unusual job of monitoring parolees.

Kim’s action sequences are flawlessly executed, filled with carefully planned fights and chases that create constant excitement. Lee Jung-do is something of an unlikely hero; he only begins to make a difference when fate unexpectedly throws him into a challenging situation, forcing him to use skills he never knew he had.

Love and Leashes

2022

It’s hard to find truly passionate romance in Korean dramas due to cultural norms and broadcast regulations. Korean films, though, have much more freedom. A good example is Love and Leashes, a sweet romantic comedy about two colleagues – Jung Ji-woo (played by Seohyun) and Jung Ji-hoo (Lee Jun-young) – who enter into a BDSM arrangement with clear boundaries.

Many films risk going too far with explicit content and losing sight of their characters, but Love and Leashes is more than just about kink. It’s a romance that explores personal boundaries, self-discovery, and the universal desire to be loved for who you truly are.

Dream

2023

Many K-dramas focus on sports teams striving for a big win. But “Dream” is different – it’s a story where the process of getting there is more important than the victory itself. The drama centers around Yoon Hong-dae (played by Park Seo-joon), a talented football player who unexpectedly becomes a coach for a struggling team.

In the film Dream, directed by Lee So-min (IU), Hong-dae coaches a team of unlikely players at the Homeless World Cup. He quickly realizes it’s a tough job, but every obstacle he faces as a coach prepares him for his own comeback as a player. Ultimately, the movie feels uplifting, regardless of whether the team wins the championship.

The Great Flood

2025

Many popular Korean thrillers focus on either human-caused problems or natural disasters. The new series The Great Flood offers both. It initially appears that a series of tsunamis are naturally occurring and pose a threat to everyone. However, the main character, Gu An-na (played by Kim Da-mi), introduces a surprising twist to the story.

I’m totally hooked on this story! It follows An-na, who works at this place called the Darwin Center, and it turns out the people in charge deliberately hid important info before the big flood, just to benefit themselves. But the real twist? The biggest danger isn’t the flood itself, it’s AI! Apparently, the government has this secret plan to deal with disasters – they’re building these new bodies and putting people’s minds into them after they’ve passed away. It’s scary stuff, and An-na and her son, Shin Ja-in, are right in the middle of it all!

Even If This Love Disappears Tonight

2025

Lots of K-drama fans enjoy a good cry, but “Even If This Love Disappears Tonight” is particularly moving. The series is based on a Japanese novel of the same name and tells the story of Han Seo-yun (played by Shin Si-ah), a high school student who has a rare and incurable condition called anterograde amnesia. This means she can’t create new memories.

Even though Seo-yun is sick, she begins a relationship with her classmate, Kim Jae-won (played by Choo Young-woo), who is secretly battling a serious heart condition. While the drama, Even If This Love Disappears Tonight, shares similarities with 50 First Dates, it’s more complex. There’s no simple fix, and love alone can’t guarantee a happy ending. However, the story suggests that the experience of love is valuable, even knowing it will ultimately end in loss.

The Match

2025

Based on the true story of two Go masters, The Match explores the question of how best to nurture talent – through intense training or by allowing natural ability to develop on its own. The film, set in the 1980s and 90s, centers on champion Cho Hun-hyun (played by Lee Byung-hun) and his gifted young apprentice, Lee Chang-ho (Yoo Ah-in).

Whether you enjoy historical Korean dramas or shows like The Queen’s Gambit that focus on intense competition, The Match offers a compelling story that blends familiar themes with a distinctly Asian cultural background. The film will leave viewers with a greater appreciation for the dedication and challenges faced by Go players, regardless of whether they connect more with the rising talent Lee Chang-ho or the experienced champion Cho Hun-hyun.

Train to Busan

2016

Korean horror films have consistently led the way in the genre, starting with the cult classic R-Point and continuing with the Oscar-winning Parasite, which cleverly incorporated horror elements into its story. But Train to Busan, released in 2016, is often considered the best and is largely responsible for the recent boom in Korean zombie dramas.

The critically acclaimed film follows Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) as he travels by train with his daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an), when a zombie outbreak suddenly begins. With the train racing towards Busan – the last safe city – the diverse group of passengers must work together to survive as the terrifying infection spreads.

Ballerina

2023

Most Korean action dramas center around male leads just going through the motions, but Ballerina offers a refreshing and empowering change to this often sexist formula. The 2023 film follows Jang Ok-ju (played by Jeon Jong-seo), a former bodyguard, as she seeks revenge on gangster Choi Pro (Kim Ji-hoon) after her close friend is killed, taking matters into her own hands.

Choi is clearly a villain, but Ok-ju’s desire for revenge causes widespread chaos and violence as she eliminates anyone in her way. Even though her actions are morally questionable, the film makes Ok-ju a compelling character you still find yourself supporting, even during her most brutal moments. Despite its seemingly gentle title, Ballerina features a remarkably strong and resilient female protagonist – one of the toughest seen in Korean films.

Love Untangled

2025

Many K-dramas focusing on young romance stretch on for many episodes, but Love Untangled demonstrates that some stories can be effectively told in just two hours. The story centers on Park Se-ri, a cheerful high schooler played by Shin Eun-soo, who dislikes her naturally curly hair. She connects with a new student, Han Yoon-seok (Gong Myung), because his mother runs a salon known for its hair straightening treatments.

As Se-ri prepares to tell someone else how she feels, it becomes clear she’s actually in love with Yoon-seok. Love Untangled delivers all the charm of a classic teen K-drama romance, but it reaches a happy ending much faster – all within a single night!

20th Century Girl

2022

Some stories you just want to revisit again and again, a cozy blanket for the soul. But then there are films like 20th Century Girl – the kind you can only experience once, because they hit hard. Honestly, it’s a devastating watch, but beautifully so. It starts off seeming like your standard, sweet romantic comedy, focusing on a girl named Na Bo-ra, played wonderfully by Kim You-jung. But trust me, it quickly becomes much more than that.

A girl’s attempt to secretly observe her friend’s love interest leads to a series of funny mishaps. During all the chaos, she unexpectedly meets Poong Woon-ho (Byeon Woo-seok), who could be her soulmate. Just as things start looking up for them, a surprising and heartbreaking event occurs – a plot twist that will especially resonate with dedicated fans of Korean dramas.

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2026-02-15 18:11