Best South Korean Thrillers on OTT to Binge-Watch on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

If K-dramas and K-pop have their own massive legions of fans today, South Korean thriller movies are as much a revered and adored category on their own merit. Known for their masterful execution, intricate plots and a level of audacity that is only enviable, South Korean crime thrillers boast a dedicated fanbase across the world. Their ability to delve into the depth of human psychology and unearth the most disturbing truths, combined with their penchant for social commentary that is underlined in the most visually striking manner, have often left viewers gasping, flustered and still wanting more!

Luckily for us, the Indian OTT space brims with South Korean thrillers but wading through that vast repertoire might be a tough and time-consuming task. So, what we have done is we have built a starter pack of a kind for you to get the first and best taste of this unique brand of cinema. We have put together five must-watch South Korean mystery thrillers that are readily available to get you hooked. Here we go:

Forgotten (Netflix)

No summary or synopsis can adequately describe the storyline of this 2017 film made by Jang Hang-un. Filled with unpredictability, deception and a kind of reckless bravado that only South Korean can exude, Forgotten is a must-watch for every crime-thriller junkie (even if you aren't one). To put it mildly, this is a tale of a happy family that just flips on its head from out of nowhere and then starts to subvert every single expectation of yours after that, until you give up and surrender. Watch it right away!

The Wailing (Amazon Prime Video)

The very suggestive title refers to a kind of haunting mystery that unravels in a remote village in South Korea. Kwak Do-won, who has multiple supremely credible thrillers as part of his filmography, plays the role of a police officer to must get to the bottom of a series of killings taking place in the village which, in an inexplicable manner, is also being slowly enveloped by a strange kind of illness. Moody, brooding, tense and incredibly suspenseful, this taut thriller won the hearts of critics across the world and was a commercial success.

The Chase (Netflix)

If you are someone who likes old and cold murder cases being dug up so that a riveting investigation ensues, then you must give this KIM Hong-seon film a try. A grumpy landlord who owns a bunch of working-class flats is somehow made to team up with a former detective as the unlikely duo sets out to catch the culprit of a 30-year-old case. With a taut narrative and a super intriguing plot that just keeps giving, The Chase is a must-watch.

Escape from Mogadishu (Amazon Prime Video)

This 2021 action thriller is a clear testament to the conviction that South Korean filmmakers carry. Imagine a scenario wherein North and South Korean embassy workers are stranded together on foreign land and are forced to hatch a plan to escape. It may sound like a cruel comedy described like this but Ryoo Seung-wan manages to use as inspiration the real-life events that occurred in the African city of Mogadishu, Somalia, in the late 1980s and early '90s to deliver a film that's incredibly gripping and fun. From top-notch production design to superb action choreography, this film is one of a kind.

Midnight (Amazon Prime Video)

Imagine you cross paths with a serial killer but to make things worse, you inadvertently interrupt one of his kills. Well, there's a good chance that the serial killer decides to come after you and a frantic journey of survival begins soon after. Midnight, the 2021 film by Kwon Oh-seung, takes this plot and elevates it further by employing a protagonist who is a young woman with hearing impairment. With her mother by her side at all times, this evidently unorthodox protagonist must somehow escape from the claws of death as an unhinged mind pursues them knowing no bounds.