Gear Up for the Big Screen: Unpacking the Must-See Korean Movies of 2024. Get ready, cinephiles! 2024 promises to be another thrilling year for Korean cinema, with a diverse buffet of movies ready to tantalize your taste buds.
Korean Movies of 2024: Unpacking the Must-See
Whether you like action-packed thrillers and sci-fi spectacles, or heartbreaking dramas and laugh-out-loud comedies there’s a little bit of everything coming your way. So get out your popcorn, turn the lights low, and prepare yourself for a wild ride through the animated world of Korean storytelling
A Spectacle of Sci-Fi: Alienoid: A Return to the Future
Buckle up for a mind-bending sci-fi adventure with “Alienoid: The Return to the Future. This is a two-part epic that thrusts you headlong into time travel, alien contacts, and shocking special effects like ‘Meet Joe Black.’
Think of a Joseon dynasty swordsman hooking up with an amoral cyborg bounty hunter and a time-traveling convict to battle space creatures. This genre-bending extravaganza is just a taste of the wild ride that lies in store.
Starring top-tier actors like Ryu Jun-Yeol, Kim Tae-ri, and Kim Woo-bin, “Alienoid: Part 2 is the explosive conclusion to what was promised by its predecessor. It hits screens on January 10th, 2024.
Dive into Dystopia: Badland Hunters
Prepare for a post-apocalyptic free-for-all in Badland Hunters, an original Netflix series coming next year. Picture Seoul desolated by a major earthquake, with ruthless factions fighting for survival in the ruins.
Add a bunch of shoddy mavericks wielding special talents and seething to clean up society, and you’ve got the ingredients for an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Gird yourself for nail-biting chases, desperate struggles, and the human heart unconquerable by all odds. When this heart-thumping series hits Netflix in 2024, don’t look away from your screen.
A Touch of the Supernatural: Aema
For drama lovers with a taste for the unusual, Aema should be one hell of an enjoyable ride. This historical film is set around the turbulent making of “Madame Aema,” a movie that swept over Korea in the early 1980s.
See clashing egos at work as the feisty actress Jeong Hui-ran is determined not to be passed over for this time taking on the lead, and Shin Joo-ae, an ambitious newcomer who also wants to play her. It examines the harsh realities of movies, takes a look at how art can change people, and tops it off with some otherworldly elements for good measure.
As such, in 2024 look for the silver screen adaptation of Aema to offer a compelling mix of history, drama, and even just a spoonful of that otherworldly.
Laughter in the Face of Chaos: Citizen of a Kind
Sometimes, the best medicine is a good laugh. Therein lies Citizen of a Kind, a comedy guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and warm your heart. The enthusiastic film tells the story of Park Byeong-eun, a struggling actor determined to make his next break.
By chance he finds a strange opportunity for work: playing the ghost of a good-hearted moneylender in some family. What follows is a string of funny mishaps from which Park stumbles as he goes through the motions, rubs up against an off-kilter family, and eventually finds out what real generosity is.
When Citizen of a Kind hits theaters next January, get ready for all sorts of heartwarming scenes mixed with sidesplitting antics and wallowing in a feel-good story you won’t soon forget.
A Feast for the Romance Fans: Marry My Husband
Ah, love! But what would Korean cinema be without it? If you are after some good romance, then Marry My Husband has it all for you. This webtoon is about a writer named Park Min-young, whose seemingly perfect life is thrown into disarray when her husband goes missing under mysterious circumstances.
Here comes Lee Jang-woo, the handsome but naughty lawyer who has all the answers–if only he would share them. With Park Min-young wracked with emotions, forced into what seems like a never-ending game of twists and turns in her search for love, she must decide whether to hold onto the past or take a new path toward happiness.
As yet untitled, this drama will premiere sometime in 2024. With its witty plot and characters that are easy to enjoy as well as a healthy dose of humor (pending no changes), Marry My Husband promises to be another great addition to Korea’s romance canon!
Beyond the Blockbusters: Exploring Hidden Gems
Although these are only a sample of the fun-filled lineup, remember that Korean movies in 2024 will be even richer. There are also a few independent gems, such as the love story of “Love at the End of the Century” between two kids whose parents oppose their getting together in turbulent times.
Another Netflix release ideal for all action lovers is Wilderness with neatly chiseled Ma Dong-Seok. But don’t neglect some of the smaller festivals, and streaming platforms like MIFF (Malaysia International Film Festival) and Watcha Play for doomed indie darlings such as “Akash’s Story” (South African coming-of-age drama), Rosewater (Tunisian political thriller) or My Sister’s Keeper.
The smaller films can be real heavy hitters, and provide a different look at African experiences.
Bonus Treats
Engage with the community: Take a deep dive into Korean cinema by attending film festivals, streaming online through Wavve or Kocowa, or supporting independent films such as on Afrokino and FilmFreeway. You can play an important role in nourishing the flourishing cinematic scenery on this continent.
Learn the lingo: No need to be shy about polishing your Korean. These simple words can add something to your movie watching, helping you feel the fine points of dialogue and jokes. To get you started, the Internet is full of free resources and language-learning apps.
So, there you have it! Pick up your calendar, circle the films you want to see, and step into Korean cinema’s Magic Year in 2024. Prepare yourself for stories that will move your spirit, inflame your fantasy life, and completely change the way you think. This is the start of an epic adventure- do you have what it takes?