10 Korean movies you should watch in 2025

There’s no drama quite like a K-drama – Korean movies in 2025 are set to be jaw-dropping, so here’s the top 10 you can’t miss out on.

Whether you’re strictly a streamer or prefer a trip to the cinema, Korean movies are coming back with a vengeance in 2025… and we’re spoiled for choice.

Plenty of these big hitters make up Netflix‘s 2025 slate, though annoyingly, they’ve not shared many confirmed release dates (which you’ll notice below).

Regardless of what you want from your new movies, it’s all here for the taking. Here’s 10 titles you’d be a fool to miss in 2025.

Hitman 2 

YouTube

• Release date: January 22
• Genre: Action/Comedy
• Director: Choi Won-sub
• Cast: Kwon Sang-woo, Jung Joon-ho, Lee Yi-kyung, Hwang Woo-seul-hye

What it’s about: Following on from Hitman: Agent Jun, Jun’s webtoon nosedives with Season 2, earning him the reputation of “brainless writer.” A real-life terrorist attack then mirrors its plot, leaving Jun wrongly accused by the National Intelligence Service.

Why we’re excited: Not only is the second installment of Hitman set to be packed with humor, but its twists and turns are bound to be expected. It’s smart in its writing and idea, and boy, can this lot turn the tempo up on an ordinary action sequence. 

No Other Choice

Netflix

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Thriller
• Director: Park Chan-wook
• Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min

What it’s about: Based on Donald Westlake’s novel The Ax, Man Soo desperately hunts for a new job after being fired from a role he’s been in for 25 years. 

Why we’re excited: Okay, on the surface this one doesn’t sound too compelling – but don’t forget Park Chan-wook is at the helm. If you’ve ever seen Oldboy, The Handmaiden, or Decision to Leave, you’ll know he can turn absolutely anything into a hit movie you can’t tear your eyes away from. We’re definitely about to see something with stunningly executed plot twists, that’s for sure. 

Revelations

Netflix

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Drama
• Director: Yeon Sang Ho
• Cast: Ryu Jun Yeol, Han Ji Hyun

What it’s about: A pastor who believes that condemning criminals is a revelation from God meets a detective in charge of a missing person’s case who is haunted by visions of his dead brother. 

Why we’re excited: Netflix is wangling together a team responsible for some of its biggest K-movies yet, and we’ve also got Alfonso Cuarón on board as an executive producer. If you saw Disclaimer on Apple TV+ last year, you’ll know this is a combination for something tantalizing – and that’s without considering the nuts and bolts of the plot. A priest and a haunted police case? Come on. 

The Great Flood

Netflix

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Sci-fi
• Director: Kim Byung Woo
• Cast: Kim Da Mi, Lee Jae Woong, Jung Shi Hoon

What it’s about: An Na and Hee Jo struggle to survive in their sinking apartment when a devastating flood hits. While An Na is in AI development, Hee Jo belongs to a human resource security team… so why is he trying to protect her?

Why we’re excited: Foreign language environmental disasters have already proved successful on Netflix, so we can be confident in The Great Flood delivering the goods. There’s an extra element of jeopardy on top we’ve scarcely seen, which is how AI can impact whatever disasters lie ahead. If anything, this one might be a bit too close to home. 

Love Untangled

Netflix

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Romance
• Director: Namkoong Sun
• Cast: Shin Eun Soo, Gong Myung, Cha Woo Min, Yoon Sang Hyeon

What it’s about: Park Se Ri is a 19-year-old girl who wants to change everything about her, falling in love with Kim Hyun at first sight. But it’s transfer student Han Yoon Seok who gets caught up in the middle.

Why we’re excited: Let’s be real… who doesn’t love a K-drama love story? They’ve easily been the most successful stories on TV for the last few years, so getting the same treatment on the big screen is a sure-fire hit. Love Untangled has an air of The Princess Diaries about it… and look how well that turned out. 

Good News

Tower Pictures

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Action
• Director: Byun Sung Hyun
• Cast: Sul Kyung-gu, Hong Kyung, and Ryoo Seung-bum

What it’s about: Set in the 1970s, Good News follows a suspicious operation to land a hijacked plane by any means necessary.

Why we’re excited: Little is known about this Netflix release yet, but it already looks promising. The streaming service had a surprise hit on its hands with airport drama Carry-On, and Good News could be on track to repeat its success. The fact that it’s set in the 70s only sweetens the deal further. 

Hope

CJ Entertainment

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Sci-fi
• Director: Na Hong-jin
• Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender

What it’s about: The residents of Hopo Port make a mysterious discovery on the outskirts of the remote harbor town. From there, it’s a fight for survival.

Why we’re excited: Much like Mickey 17, we’ve got some Hollywood-Korean crossover here. We’re likely to see the best of both worlds wrapped up in a mystery that will blow our minds. There’s one snag here, though – Hope is “aiming” for a 2025 theatrical release, meaning it’ll be pushed to 2026 worst case. 

Lost in Starlight

Netflix

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Romance
• Director: Han Ji-won
• Cast: Kim Tae-ri, Hong Kyung

What it’s about: Scientist Nan Young’s astronaut mom fails to return to Earth while musician Jay fixes retro sound instruments. Naturally, the two fall in love. 

Why we’re excited: What’s not to get excited about when it comes to Asian animation? With Studio Ghibli-style visuals, we’re about to get a heartwarming romance we’ve recently been starved of. This isn’t straightforward though – there’s a tragic mystery at the heart of it. 

Mantis

Netflix

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Action
• Director: Byun Sung Hyun
• Cast: Yim Si-wan, Park Gyu-young, Jo Woo-jin

What it’s about: Assassin Mantis returns to the contract killer industry after a hiatus. He meets trainee friend Jae-yi and a retired legendary killer Dok-go, who now runs the organization.

Why we’re excited: Byun Sung Hyun is doubling down on his action movies this year! You might remember that he’s the writer behind Kill Boksoon, meaning we know he has an impeccable track record with contract killer thrillers. It’s a competition to find out who is the best killer of the bunch – and that only means chaos ahead. 

Wall to Wall 

Netflix

• Release date: TBA
• Genre: Thriller
• Director: Kim Tae-joon
• Cast: Kang Ha-neul, Yeom Hye-ran, and Seo Hyun-woo

What it’s about: Woo-seong finally saves up enough to buy an apartment, only to have it turn into a nightmare with financial ruin and mysterious noises from neighboring floors.

Why we’re excited: Given the fact Netflix themselves have described this as “stomach-churning,” we’re likely in for a wild ride here. Tae-joon’s previous work was Unlocked, so it’s likely the stakes will be even higher. 

Alongside these upcoming releases, check out our most anticipated movies of 2025, and the horror movies we cannot wait to see.