Korean detective and spy thrillers
by anuragsai123 | created - 3 months ago | updated - 3 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Memories of Murder (2003)
Not Rated | 132 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roe-ha, Song Jae-ho
Votes: 216,764 | Gross: $0.01M
best movie all time in murder solving
2. Perfect Number (2012)
Not Rated | 119 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Brilliant math teacher formulates the perfect cover-up, after his neighbor murders her abusive ex-husband.
Director: Pang Eun-jin | Stars: Ryu Seung-beom, Lee Yo-won, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Yoon-seong
Votes: 2,411
Killer movie copied from this as well as Drishyam
3. Mother (2009)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl's horrific murder.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yun Je-mun
Votes: 71,703 | Gross: $0.55M
heart breaking drama twist
4. Memoir of a Murderer (2017)
Not Rated | 118 min | Action, Crime, Mystery
A former serial killer with Alzheimer's fights to protect his daughter from her psychotic boyfriend.
Director: Won Shin-yeon | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Nam-gil, Kim Seol-hyun, Oh Dal-su
Votes: 12,668 | Gross: $0.09M
best movie with disorder (dementia)
5. Montage (2013)
Not Rated | 120 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
15 years ago, a mother lost her child in a kidnapping case. A similar crime happens again and she won't let him go this time.
Director: Geun-seop Jeong | Stars: Uhm Junghwa, Kim Sang-kyung, Song Young-chang, Jo Hie-bong
Votes: 8,255
remde as ( Te3n )
6. The Truth Beneath (2016)
PG-13 | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
THE TRUTH BENEATH follows a mysterious 15-day scandal of a politician and his wife as their daughter goes missing just before the national elections.
Director: Lee Kyoung-mi | Stars: Son Ye-jin, Kim Ju-hyuk, Han Cheol-woo, Kang Deok-Joong
Votes: 1,670
murder mystery(mayor killed his daughter)
7. Confession of Murder (2012)
Not Rated | 119 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
Lee Du-Seok publishes an autobiography describing murders he committed after the statute of limitations expires. A detective and one of the victim's mothers search for the author while an anonymous person claims to be the real killer.
Director: Jung Byung-gil | Stars: Jeong Jae-yeong, Park Shi-hoo, Jung Hae-kyun, Kim Yeong-ae
Votes: 11,701
twist remade in malayalam as angels
8. Joint Security Area (2000)
Not Rated | 110 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
After a shooting incident at the North-South Korean border DMZ leaves two North Korean soldiers dead, a neutral Swiss and Swedish team investigates what actually happened.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Lee Yeong-ae, Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho, Kim Tae-woo
Votes: 34,233
watch for twist
9. Blind (2011)
Not Rated | 111 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Su-a loses her sight and kid brother in a car accident. No more police academy. 3 years later she takes a taxi which hits a woman. Su-a gets out. After reporting it, a cop works with her learning that her 4 other senses "see".
Director: Sang-hoon Ahn | Stars: Kim Ha-neul, Yoo Seung-ho, Jo Hie-bong, Yang Yeong-jo
Votes: 3,204
blind detective movie
10. Our Town (2007)
R | 112 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Two killers are living in our town An ordinary small town is terrorized when local women are found brutally murdered and 'crucified' in public places. Gyeong-joo, a struggling novelist, ... See full summary »
Director: Gil-young Jung | Stars: Ryu Deok-hwan, Ha-ram Kim, Da-mi Ko, Oh Man-seok
Votes: 607
a person tries to kill in serial killer pattern
11. The Spy Gone North (2018)
Not Rated | 137 min | Drama, Thriller
In the mid-1990s, a loyal South Korean secret agent is caught in a political vortex plotted by the ruling classes of North and South Korea.
Director: Yoon Jong-bin | Stars: Hwang Jung-min, Lee Sung-min, Cho Jin-woong, Ju Ji-hoon
Votes: 6,200 | Gross: $0.50M
spy movie slow burner
12. Decision to Leave (2022)
Not Rated | 139 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A detective investigating a man's death in the mountains meets the dead man's mysterious wife in the course of his dogged sleuthing.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun, Go Kyung-pyo
Votes: 55,340
neo noir ( rewatch)
love story crime- murder-suspect wife- love with detective
13. Steel Rain (2017)
TV-MA | 139 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A coup in North Korea forces an agent to defect to South with unconscious "Number One". While operatives from North hunt for both of them, the agent has to work with South Koreans to stop the nuclear war.
Director: Woo-seok Yang | Stars: Jung Woo-sung, Kwak Do-won, Kim Kap-su, Kim Eui-sung
Votes: 6,560
many plot twists on govt
14. Hunt (2022)
Not Rated | 131 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
The International Unit and The Domestic Unit of the Korean Spy Agency are tasked with the mission of uncovering a North Korean Spy known as Donglim who is deeply embedded within their agency.
Director: Lee Jung-jae | Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Ju Ji-hoon, Jung Woo-sung, Go Yoon-Jung
Votes: 5,490
assassin in spy agency
15. Tell Me Something (1999)
R | 118 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Lieutenant Cho, a cop on the edge, is mourning his mother's recent death while under investigation for graft; on top of that he is suddenly put in charge of a seemingly-impenetrable mystery.
Director: Yun-hyeon Jang | Stars: Han Suk-kyu, Shim Eun-ha, Jang Hang-seon, Yum Jung-ah
Votes: 3,142
hit-2 line:
In Seoul, mismatched parts of the severed corpses of three men are found in cars and bags left in public spaces. Detective Cho, who is under investigation of the Internal Affairs, is assigned to lead the investigation with his team. When the men's identities are discovered, the police find that artist Su-Yeon Chae, who lives with her friend Seungmin Oh, had been the men's lover. Detective Cho and his force protect Su-Yeon and follow the leads based on the information she tells, while the killer executes other victims. However, Cho discloses very dark secrets in the end, finding the real motives of the murderer.
16. Public Enemy (2002)
Not Rated | 138 min | Action, Comedy
A detective plays cat-and-mouse with a banker who brutally murdered his own parents.
Director: Kang Woo-suk | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Lee Sung-jae, Kang Shin-il, Kim Jeong-hak
Votes: 2,370
best cat and mouse movie
17. The Last Witness (2001)
104 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
Based on a true story and a legendary Korean novel, this movie follows Detective Oh (superstar Lee Jung Jae) and his investigation into the mysterious murder of a North Korean. His ... See full summary »
Director: Bae Chang-ho | Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Mi-yeon, Jeong Jun-ho
Votes: 359
only for twist and plot line( not engaging)
18. Children... (2011)
Not Rated | 132 min | Mystery, Thriller
The film is based on a true case from the early 1990s that is known among Koreans as the "disappearance of the frog children." In 1991, five elementary school students told their parents ... See full summary »
Director: Kyu-maan Lee | Stars: Park Yong-woo, Ryu Seung-ryong, Sung Dong-il, Sung Ji-ru
Votes: 2,955
missing children
19. White Night (2009)
135 min | Mystery, Romance, Thriller
A pawnbroker is found murdered in a remote town. Police suspect that he was murdered by an acquaintance, as even the most experienced investigator on the case could identify no signs of ... See full summary »
Director: Park Shin-woo | Stars: Han Suk-kyu, Son Ye-jin, Go Soo, Goo Bon-jin
Votes: 1,434
mysterious relation- father affair- son gf
20. Secret (2009)
105 min | Thriller
Sung-ryeol is a detective in charge of violent crimes. He is an upright man, but is having an affair with his colleague's wife, and it is the reason he loses his own daughter in a car ... See full summary »
Director: Je-gu Yun | Stars: Cha Seung-won, Song Yun-ah, Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Cheol-min
Votes: 693
detective -who done it- daughter - other affair
21. Veteran (2015)
Not Rated | 123 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A honest cop seeks justice for a common man against all odds. A rich boy seeks revenge on the cop.
Director: Ryu Seung-wan | Stars: Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Hae-jin, Oh Dal-su
Votes: 7,778 | Gross: $1.20M
cat and mouse
22. Secret Reunion (2010)
Not Rated | 117 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A fired South Korean agent and a deserted North Korean spy meet by chance after six years and start a business partnership, each with the intention of stealing information from the other.
Director: Hun Jang | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Ko Chang-seok, Yun-seo Choi
Votes: 4,336
spy union
23. Secretly Greatly (2013)
PG-13 | 124 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
Three elite North Korean sleeper agents live undercover for so long that they believe their cover stories are their real identities. They're shocked when they are ordered to kill one another or face death at the hands of an elite hit team.
Director: Cheol-soo Jang | Stars: Kim Soo-hyun, Park Gi-woong, Lee Hyun-woo, Son Hyeon-ju
Votes: 5,038
new spy plot
24. Dark Figure of Crime (2018)
Not Rated | 110 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A criminal thriller about the fierce psychological confrontation between a detective and a killer who confessed to multiple murders.
Director: Tae-Gyun Kim | Stars: Kim Yoon-seok, Ju Ji-hoon, Jin Seon-kyu, Moon Jeong-Hee
Votes: 2,428
best confession move
25. V.I.P. (2017)
Not Rated | 128 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
The son of a high-ranking North Korean official is suspected of committing serial murders around the world, and is chased by South Korea, North Korea and Interpol.
Director: Park Hoon-jung | Stars: Jang Dong-Gun, Kim Myung-min, Lee Jong-suk, Park Hee-soon
Votes: 3,060
who is the killer
26. Midnight (2021)
103 min | Crime, Thriller
A serial killer ruthlessly hunts down a deaf woman through the streets of South Korea after she witnesses his brutal crime.
Director: Oh-Seung Kwon | Stars: Jin Ki-joo, Wi Ha-joon, Park Hoon, Kil Hae-yeon
Votes: 7,516
deaf girl story
27. The Man Standing Next (2020)
Not Rated | 114 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In the 1970s, Korea is under the absolute control of President Park, who controls the KCIA, the organization with the edge over any branch of government.
Director: Min-ho Woo | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Lee Sung-min, Kwak Do-won, Lee Hee-joon
Votes: 4,129
spy movie
28. The Chase (2017)
110 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Sim Deok-soo is a grumpy landlord running a run-down apartment complex. Suddenly his tenants begin disappearing under suspicious circumstances. A retired ex-detective shows up, claiming a serial murderer from 30 years back has returned.
Director: Kim Hong Sun | Stars: Baek Yun-shik, Sung Dong-il, Chun Ho-jin, Hye-In Kim
Votes: 3,599
comedy (alzeimer detective- triller) no blood predictive
29. The Beast (2019)
131 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A criminal action movie about two detectives in conflict who solve a murder that shakes up the Korean peninsula.
Director: Jung-Ho Lee | Stars: Lee Sung-min, Yoo Jae-myung, Daniel Choi, Kim Dae-gon
Votes: 1,523
the new point to explore in detective movies- 2detectives
30. Shiri (1999)
R | 125 min | Action, Thriller
South Korean agents Ryu and Lee are tracking a female assassin from North Korea who has mysteriously disappeared. With new killings and the theft of a deadly bomb, time is running out to catch her.
Director: Kang Je-kyu | Stars: Han Suk-kyu, Choi Min-sik, Yunjin Kim, Song Kang-ho
Votes: 8,582 | Gross: $0.10M
chasing a spy
31. Chronicles of Evil (2015)
Not Rated | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A decorated detective involved in a taxi driver's death realizes he is caught in a trap and must untangle past mistakes to figure out why he was targeted in the first place.
Director: Woon-hak Baek | Stars: Son Hyeon-ju, Ma Dong-seok, Daniel Choi, Park Seo-joon
Votes: 2,297
killer and suspect same- wait for twist
32. Blood Rain (2005)
Not Rated | 119 min | Mystery, Thriller
Blood Rain tells the story of a slew of grisly murders plaguing a small, fairly isolated island village. However, it's not just the mounting death toll that's causing residents to worry, ... See full summary »
Director: Kim Dae-seung | Stars: Cha Seung-won, Park Yong-woo, Ji Sung, Yun Se-ah
Votes: 1,278
invwstigation in village
33. Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019)
Not Rated | 122 min | Crime, Horror, Mystery
Pastor Park works to expose suspicious religious groups. He's hired to look into the cult group Deer Mount. Meanwhile, Police Captain Hwang investigates a murder case and the main suspect is a member of the Deer Mount cult.
Director: Jae-hyun Jang | Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Jung Jin-young, Yoo Ji-tae, Min Tanaka
Votes: 4,916
religious crime investigation
34. Howling (2012)
Not Rated | 114 min | Action, Thriller
Veteran detective Sang-gil and beat cop Eun-yeong are in charge of a case that seems to involve a simple act of self-immolation. Sang-gil initially thinks that it was an accident, but dog ... See full summary »
Director: Ha Yoo | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Lee Na-young, Nam Bo-ra, Jeong In-gi
Votes: 2,198
investigation on bite of neck
35. The Accidental Detective (2015)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A true-crime enthusiast and a washed up cop facing demotion launch a joint murder investigation to help a mutual friend who is wrongfully charged with murder.
Director: Jeong-hoon Kim | Stars: Kwon Sang-woo, Sung Dong-il, Seo Yeong-hie, Jo Bok-rae
Votes: 1,392
investigative comedy
36. Mission Possible (2021)
105 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A trainee Chinese spy mistakes a buffoonish private detective for her contact. Together, they seek to uncover a South Korean gun-smuggling ring.
Director: Kim Hyeong-joo | Stars: Kim Young-kwang, Lee Sun-bin, Oh Dae-hwan, Seo Hyun-chul
Votes: 1,839
chinese-koreaon spies -action com
37. The Merciless (2017)
Not Rated | 117 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A young cop finds his loyalties divided after befriending a notorious criminal while undercover in prison.
Director: Byun Sung-hyun | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Im Si-wan, Lee Kyoung-young, Jeon Hye-jin
Votes: 3,069
similar to mufti
38. A Violent Prosecutor (2016)
Not Rated | 126 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
After a prosecution lawyer is framed and convicted for murder, he tries to catch the real murderer from jail with the help of a con artist.
Directors: Lee Il-Hyung, Il-Hyeong Lee | Stars: Hwang Jung-min, Gang Dong-won, Jung Seung Bae, Jeon Bae-soo
Votes: 3,399
lawyer and con artist
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