38 highly anticipated Korean movies to watch in 2024 (2024)

Above The trailer for ‘Citizen of a Kind’

Cast: Ra Mi-ran, Gong Myung, Yeom Hye-ran, Park Byung-eun, Jang Yoon-ju, Ahn Eun-jin.

Synopsis: Directed by Park Young-Joo, Citizen of a Kind follows a housewife who loses tens of thousands of dollars to a voice phishing scam and assembles a group of friends to help her track down the people responsible.

Release: January 24, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘MS. Apocalypse’

Cast: Lee Yoo-young, Lim Sun-woo.

Synopsis: Directed by Lee Seon-ae, Ms. Apocalypse centres on Yeong-mi, an unloved, defective woman who is ridiculed for her dowdy appearance and called ‘Ms. Apocalypse’ by her colleagues. She gets involved with the wife of her secret crush and somehow the two begin to share an unlikely friendship.

Release: January 24, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Badland Hunters’

Cast: Ma Dong-seok, Lee Hee-joon, Lee Jun-young, Roh Jeong-eui.

Synopsis: Directed by Heo Myung-haeng in his directorial debut, Badland Hunters, a sequel to the 2023 film Concrete Utopia, takes up the story post-earthquake transformation of Seoul into an apocalyptic wasteland, where everything from law and order to civilisation has collapsed.

Release: January 26, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Dog Days’

Cast: Yoo Hae-jin,Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Yun-jin, Kim Seo-hyung, Daniel Henney.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Deok-min in his directorial debut, Dog Days is an omnibus film that revolves around people and their dogs. The healing stories are centred on a veterinary hospital and the pet owners along with their pets who visit.

Release: February 7, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Dead Man’

Cast: Cho Jin-woong, Kim Hee-ae, Lee Soo-kyung.

Synopsis: Directed by Ha Joon-won, Dead Man is a crime mystery thriller that depicts the desperate survival and revenge of a man at the brink of his life, trapped in a hellish private prison and living as a “dead man” after he was framed for embezzlement of KRW100 billion.

Release: February 7, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Walker/Black Boy’

Cast: Ahn Ji-ho, Ahn Nae-sang, Yoon Yoo-sun.

Synopsis: Walker (also known as Black Boy) centres on a family of three struggling with domestic violence. After the mother leaves, the son, who loves both his father and mother, is forced to make a choice and leave.

Release: February 7, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Exhuma’

Cast: Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yu Hae-jin, Lee Do-hyun, Jeon Jin-ki.

Synopsis: Directed and written by Jang Jae-Hyun, Exhuma is a mystery thriller that tells the story of a wealthy Los Angeles-based family who summons a young rising shaman duo (played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun) to save their baby after suffering from a series of paranormal events. In the process, they carry out an exhumation which unleashes a malevolent force.

Release: February 22, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’

Cast: Song Joong-ki, Choi Sung-eun, Jo Han-chul, Kim Sung-ryung, Lee Il-hwa.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Hee-jin, My Name is Loh Kiwan follows North Korean defector Loh Kiwan from North Hamgyong Province, who arrives in Belgium, a place where he doesn't speak the language or understand the customs, and with nothing to his name. He encounters Mari and they eventually fall in love with each other and a remarkable romance unfolds.

Release: March 1, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Dolphin’

Cast: Kil Hae-yeon, Hyun Woo-seok, Kwon Yu-ri.

Synopsis: Directed by Bae Du-ri, Dolphin tells the story of 35-year-old Na-yeong, a local news reporter who has lived her entire life in a small seaside village, caring for her mother and younger brother. When her mother tries to sell their house full of memories and her brother insists on moving to Seoul, she struggles to accept the changes but discovers solace at a bowling alley.

Release: March 13, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Yumi’s Cells: The Movie’

Cast: Yoon Ah-young, Shin Beom-sik, Song Ha-rim, Ahn So-yi, Sa Moon-young, Ahn Young-mi, Park Ji-yoon, Sim Gyu-hyeok.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Da-hee, Yumi’s Cells: The Movie is based on the eponymous webtoon by Lee Dong-gun. It follows an office worker Yumi and the myriad of cells inside her brain–such as Rational Cell, Emotional Cell, Anxiety Cell, Love Cell, Naughty Cell, and more–each responsible for Yumi’s emotions and actions.

Release: April 3, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Again 1997’

Cast: Jo Byeong-gyu, Koo Jun-hoe, Choi Hee-seung, Han Eun-soo, Park Cheol-min, Lee Mi-do, Kim Da-hyun.

Synopsis: Directed by Shin Seung-hoon, Again 1997 is a youth-oriented fantasy movie that revolves around a middle-aged man who obtains five talismans from a monk. Shortly after, he dies in an accident, then wakes up and finds himself as a high school student in the year 1997–which is the time of his life that he cherishes the most. He begins his life-changing project to have a different life.

Release: April 10, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘The Roundup: Punishment’

Cast: Ma Dong-seok, Kim Mu-yeol, Park Ji-hwan, Lee Dong-hwi.

Synopsis: Directed by Heo Myung-haeng, The Roundup: Punishment is the fourth instalment of The Roundup series and the sequel to The Outlaws (2017), The Roundup (2022) and The Roundup: No Way Out (2023). It centres on detective Ma Seok-do (played byMaDong-seok), who joins the Cyber Investigation Team to nab Baek Chang-ki, a former mercenary and the head of an online gambling organisation.

Release: April 24, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘She Died (Following)’

Cast: Shin Hae-sun, Byun Yo-han, Lee El, Jang Sung-bum, Han So-ha.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Se-hwi, She Died (Following) follows a man who secretly enters the home of a social media influencer and discovers that she’s dead. It features a suspenseful story and deals with the psychology of the characters in detail.

Release: May 15, 2024.

Above The teaser trailer for ‘Wonderland’

Cast: Park Bo-gum, Bae Suzy, Jung Yu-mi, Choi Woo-shik, Gong Yoo, Tang Wei.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Tae-yong, Wonderland is a sci-fi fantasy film that tells the story of a titular virtual world which gives a place for people to reunite with a person they may not meet again, by simulating them through artificial intelligence. A woman in her 20s requests to meet her lover, who's in a vegetative state, and a man in his 40s requests to meet his deceased wife.

Release: June 5, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Drive’

Cast: Park Ju-hyun, Kim Yeo-jin, Kim Do-yoon, Jung Woong-in.

Synopsis: Directed by Park Dong-hee, Drive follows popular YouTube influencer Yuna (played by Park Ju-hyun) with over 700,000 subscribers. One night, she’s kidnapped by an unidentified person who demands ransom and forces her to broadcast a one-hour kidnapping live broadcast and beg for money from her viewers. Unfortunately, her followers seem to take the whole thing for a bad-taste publicity stunt.

Release: June 12, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘The Daechi Scandal’

Cast: Ahn So-hee, Park Sang-nam, Jo Eun-yoo, Oh Tae-kyung.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Soo-in, The Daechi Scandal revolves around Korean language instructor Yoon-im (played by Ahn So-hee) in the Daechi neighbourhood who finds herself being targeted by local parents after they witness her meeting with her old boyfriend Ki-haeng (played by Park Sang-nam). Suspicions about exam questions begin leaked also start spreading.

Release: June 19, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Cabriolet’

Cast: Keum Sae-rok, Ryu Kyung-soo, Kang Young-seok.

Synopsis: Directed by Cho Kwang-jin, Cabriolet follows the journey of Oh Ji-ah (played by Keum Sae-rok), a weary Korean worker who, after suffering from burnout and being diagnosed with thymus cancer, spends all her savings on a cabriolet and takes off on a road trip around the country with her ex-boyfriend Jung Gi-seok (played by Kang Young-seok).

Release: June 19, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Hijack 1971’

Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Sung Dong-il, Yeo Jin-goo, Chae Soo-bin.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Seong-han, Hijack 1971is set in the 1970s, a time when aircraft hijackings were rampant. A former Korean Air Force fighter pilot, renowned for his exceptional flying skills and sense of responsibility, works as a pilot for a commercial airline. He faces a crisis inside a hijacked flight with passengers and crew members on board and struggles with searching for a way to overcome the situation mid-flight.

Release: June 21, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Handsome Guys’

Cast: Lee Sung-min, Lee Hee-joon, Gong Seung-yeon, Park Ji-hwan, Lee Kyu-hyung.

Synopsis: Directed by Nam Dong-hyeop, Handsome Guys is a remake of the 2010 Canadian horror-comedy film, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. The movie follows best friends Jae-pil (played by Lee Sung-Min) and Sang-koo (played by Lee Hee-Jun) as they discover a secret sealed in the basement of their new cabin and the terrifying things that happen to them.

Release: June 26, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Seeking the King’

Cast: Koo Kyo-hwan, Yoo Jae-myung, Seohyun, Park Ye-rin, Park Myung-hoon, Yu Seong-ju.

Synopsis: Directed by Won Shin-yun, Seeking the King tells the story of a young man who encounters a giant robot from outer space when it makes an emergency landing in a village located within the Punchbowl area of the DMZ during the most tragic era in modern Korean history.

Release: Q2 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Escape’

Cast: Lee Je-hoon, Koo Kyo-hwan, Hong Xa-bin.

Synopsis: Directed by Lee Jong-pil, Escape follows a North Korean sergeant who dreams of leaving his home country to start a new life in South Korea. To do so, he would have to cross the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) ceasefire line. However, he gets caught while stopping a common soldier from escaping.

Release: July 3, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Project Silence’

Cast: Lee Sun-kyun, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Hee-won.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Tae-gon, Project Silence is a South Korean disaster thriller film that centres on an accident that occurs on an airport bridge that’s on the verge of collapse due to worsening weather conditions, isolating people on the bridge. Amidst this chaos, the military experimental dogs of ‘Project Silence’, which were being transported in secret, are released, and all survivors become their targets, creating an uncontrollable situation.

Release: July 12, 2024.

Above The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) trailer for ‘Because I Hate Korea’

Cast: Go Ah-sung, Joo Jong-hyuk, Kim Woo-kyum.

Synopsis: Directed by Jang Kun-jae, based on a novel of the same name by Chang Kang-myoung, the coming-of-age film Because I Hate Korea follows a woman in her late 20s, Gye-na, (played by Go Ah-sung) who suddenly leaves her job, family, and boyfriend Ji-myeong (played by Kim Woo-gyeom) behind, despite everyone’s dissuasion, to go to New Zealand alone in search of happiness.

Release: Q3, 2024.

Above The teaser trailer for ‘Pilot’

Cast: Jo Jung-suk, Lee Ju-myoung, Han Sun-hwa, Shin Seung-ho.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Han-gyeol, Pilot centres on Han Jung-woo (played by Jo Jung-suk), a star pilot who goes from being successful and popular to suddenly unemployed overnight. To secure a new job, he “launders” a new identity, disguising himself as a woman and using his sister’s name Han Jung-mi (Han played Sun-hwa). He then lands a job as a pilot–but as a woman.

Release: July 31, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Revolver’

Cast: Jeon Do-yeon, Ji Chang-wook, Lim Ji-yeon.

Synopsis: Directed by Oh Seung-uk, Revolver follows Ha Soo-young (played by Jeon Do-yeon), a police detective who went to prison for someone else. She’s surprised when a mysterious woman arrives to collect her on her day of release and discovers that the promised compensation for her time behind bars has vanished. She then embarks on a relentless pursuit to reclaim what rightfully belongs to her and uncovers the man behind it all.

Release: August 7, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Mission: Cross’

Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Yum Jung-ah, Jeon Hye-jin.

Synopsis: Directed by Lee Myung-hoon, Mission: Cross tells the story of a former special forces officer who leaves his past behind and lives as a hardworking househusband who’s good at taking care of chores. His wife works as an ace detective in the violent crimes division at a police station. One day, his troubled ex-colleague appears in front of him and he helps her, driving his wife into suspicion and shaking up his peaceful days.

Release: August 9, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Victory’

Cast: Lee Hye-ri, Park Se-wan, Lee Jung-ha, Jo Ah-ram.

Synopsis: Directly by Park Bum-soo, Victory centres on a high school dance duo, Pil-sun (played by Lee Hye-ri) and her best friend Mi-na (played by Park Se-wan) and a soccer team on a remote island. The two girls create a cheerleading club to pursue their love of dance, but they soon find themselves enthusiastically cheering on the soccer team, the worst in their league, and the entire island.

Release: August 14, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘I, the Executioner’

Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Hae-in, Oh Dal-su, Oh Dae-hwan, Jang Yoon-ju, Kim Shi-hoo.

Synopsis: Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, I, the Executioner follows detective Seo Do-Cheol (played Hwang Jung-min) a member of the violent crimes investigation squad, and rookie detective Park Sun-Woo (played by Jung Hae-in), who joins his investigation squad to track down a serial killer who causes an uproar in the world.

Release: September 13, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Officer Black Belt’

Cast: Kim Woo-bin, Kim Sung-kyun.

Synopsis: Directed and written by Jason Kim, Officer Black Belt is an action comedy film that centres on talented martial artist Lee Jung-do (Kim Woo-bin), a prodigy in taekwondo, kendo, and judo, who can’t walk past a person in trouble without helping them. He joins probation officer Kim Sun-min (Kim Sung-kyun), who notices his talent, to fight and prevent crime as a martial arts officer.

Release: September 13, 2024.

Above The poster for ‘Love in the Big City’ (Photo: Plus M)

The poster for ‘Love in the Big City’ (Photo: Plus M)

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Cast: Kim Go-eun and Noh Sang-hyun.

Synopsis: Directed by E.oni and based on the novel of the same name by Park Sang-young, Love in the Big City tells the story of roommates Jae-hee (Kim Go-eun), a free-spirited person characterised by her sharp tongue and daring attitude, and Heung-soo (Noh Sang-hyun) who has been hiding his gay identity a secret. The two misfits rely on each other and attempt to find love in their prejudiced world.

Release: October 1, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘A Normal Family’

Cast: Sol Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae, Claudia Kim.

Synopsis: Directed by Hur Jin-ho and adapted from Herman Koch’s novel The Dinner, A Normal Family is a thriller drama film that follows two wealthy families who meet monthly and enjoy luxurious meals at high-end restaurants. Upon learning of a violent crime committed by their children, their moral values are challenged, which changes the tone of their usual dinner discussions, and their bond starts to fade.

Release: October 9, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Uprising’

Cast: Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min, Cha Seung-won, Kim Shin-rok, Jin Seon-kyu, Jung Sung-il.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Sang-man, Uprising is a South Korean period thriller film which centres on the lives of two childhood friends-turned-adversaries: Cheon Yeong, a slave with remarkable martial prowess; and Jong Ryeo, Cheon Yeng’s master and scion of Joseon's most influential military family during a tumultuous time in the aftermath of war.

Release: October 11, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Heavy Snow’

Cast: Han So-hee, Han Hae-in

Synopsis: Directed by Yoon Su-ik, Heavy Snow, which initially premiered at the 2023 Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea, is an evocative, queer indie drama that follows the tale of two young women and their forbidden relationship. So-hee, who makes her silver screen debut in this movie, plays Seol-i, an actress and celebrity, while Hae-in plays 19-year-old performing arts high school student Su-an. They form a connection but misunderstandings cause them to drift apart, leaving only feelings of deep longing and bittersweet memories.

Release: October 23, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Hear Me: Our Summer’

Cast: Hong Kyung, Roh Yoon-seo, Kim Min-ju.

Synopsis: Directed and written by Jo Seon-ho, Hear Me: Our Summer is a remake of the 2009 Taiwanese film, Hear Me. Hear Me: Our Summer is a coming-of-age drama that follows Yong-joon (Hong Kyung), a 26-year-old who works as a part-time delivery man for his parents’ lunch box house and lacks ambition, and Yeo-reum (Roh Yoon-seo), a hearing-impaired woman who lives only to support her hearing-impaired swimmer sister. The two meet and develop feelings for each other through sign language, gestures, body language, and written text, capturing the essence of a young love breaking barriers.

Release: November 6, 2024.

Above The promotional poster for ‘Deadline’ (Photo: JTBC)

The promotional poster for ‘Deadline’ (Photo: JTBC)

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Cast: Gong Seung-yeon, Park Ji-il, Jung Suk-yong, Hong Seo-joon.

Synopsis: Directed by Kwon Bong-geun, Deadline is a disaster drama based on a true story about a massive typhoon, Typhoon Hinnamno, that hit the Korean Peninsula and damaged the Pohang steel mill in September 2022. It details the survival, struggles, truth, and strong will of the steelworkers to overcome the crisis.

Release: November 6, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Hidden Face’

Cast: Song Seung-heon, Cho Yeo-jeong, Park Ji-hyun.

Synopsis: Directed by Kim Dae-woo, Hidden Face is a remake of a 2011 Spanish film, The Hidden Face. The mystery thriller centres on orchestra conductor Sung-jin (Song Seung-heon) whose fiancée and cellist Soo-yeon (Cho Yeo-jeong), mysteriously disappears, leaving behind a video message informing him of her leaving. While in pain over her sudden disappearance, he begins an affair with Mi-joo (Park Ji-hyun), not knowing that Soo-yeon is actually trapped in a secret room in the house, watching everyone unfold.

Release: November 20, 2024.

Above The trailer for ‘Harbin’

Cast: Hyun Bin, Park Jeong-min, Jo Woo-jin, Jeon Yeo-been, Park Hoon, Yoo Jae-myung, Lee Dong-wook.

Synopsis: Directed by Woo Min-ho, Harbin is a biographical period drama film which had its world premiere in the Gala program of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024 The film tells the story of Korean independence activists who risked their lives and launched a daring attack in Harbin, China, against the Japanese to gain their country’s independence in the early 1900s. After resistance fighter Ahn Jung-geun’s (Hyun Bin) group is slaughtered by the Japanese, he decides to redeem himself by assassinating Itō Hirobumi, the first prime minister of Japan.

Release: TBA.

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