Korean cinema was not very prominent in the international industry at first, with its known history only dating back to the mid 20th century. Early films were heavily focused on realism, with hidden commentary on the Japanese occupation during the early 1900s, before new genres began to emerge, such as criminal mind dramas, war action and spy films. Separating them from Japanese influence was the main characteristic of Korean films to be very emotionally direct with a hint of melodrama. Even though Korean cinema wasn’t always on an international level, the Academy Awards this year saw Korean film, Parasite (2019), making history and winning four Oscars, which shows their newfound prominence in the industry.
Check out CulturalPulse’s shortlist of the best Korean films over the past 70 years below.
