5 Korean Horror Movies to Add to Your Spooky Watchlist

In the shadowed corners of cinema, where fear is more than a fleeting thrill, Korean horror stands as a haunting force—bold, unflinching, and deeply psychological. These films aren’t just scary; they linger. They peel back the layers of everyday life to reveal the darkness beneath, the grief that festers, the guilt that whispers, and the ghosts that never truly leave. Rooted in ancient folklore and fueled by modern anxieties, Korean horror stories reflect buried traumas and societal wounds, wrapped in chilling suspense. With masterful storytelling, unforgettable imagery, and emotional intensity, Korean horror movies don’t ask for your attention; they seize it, leaving a scar long after the screen fades to black.

1. The Host

‘The Host’ (2006), directed and co-written by Bong Joon-ho, is a critically acclaimed monster film and a joint venture between South Korea and Japan. It stars Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona, and Go Ah-sung. Produced by the indie studio Chungeorahm Film, the movie was distributed in South Korea by Showbox and received partial funding from the Japanese company Happinet.

The story begins in 2000, when an American military pathologist instructs his Korean assistant to pour toxic formaldehyde down the drain, contaminating the Han River. Years later, this pollution gives rise to a terrifying amphibious creature that emerges in Seoul, wreaking havoc. During a sudden attack, Park Gang-du, a dim-witted snack bar vendor, watches helplessly as the monster snatches his daughter, Hyun-seo. Believing she’s still alive, Gang-du escapes from government quarantine with his eccentric family and begins a desperate search through the city’s sewers.

Along the way, they encounter not only the lurking monster but also government misinformation surrounding a fabricated virus outbreak. The creature ultimately kills Gang-du’s father, and during a climactic battle involving a dangerous chemical agent, the family manages to slay the beast. Tragically, Hyun-seo dies, but Gang-du rescues a homeless boy she had tried to protect and later raises him as his own, while public suspicion continues to grow about the truth behind the so-called virus.

2. Gongjam Haunted Asylum

‘Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum’ (2018) is a South Korean found footage horror film directed by Jung Bum-shik, inspired by a real-life abandoned psychiatric hospital. Starring Wi Ha-joon, Park Ji-hyun, and others, the story follows a group of web series creators who venture into the eerie asylum to livestream a ghost hunt and chase online fame.

After two teenagers mysteriously disappear during a livestream inside the hospital, Ha-joon, the host of ‘Horror Times’, sends a new team in to explore. While they stage fake scares at first, things quickly spiral when real paranormal activity begins, objects move on their own, and members start getting attacked or possessed. Ji-hyun and Charlotte end up trapped in the infamous Room 402, and Ha-joon is killed by the vengeful spirit of the asylum’s director. The livestream ends abruptly, but clueless viewers simply joke about the low views, unaware of the horror that actually unfolded.

3. Dark Nuns

‘Dark Nuns’ (also known as ‘The Priest 2: Dark Nuns’) is a 2025 South Korean supernatural thriller directed by Kwon Hyeok-jae, starring Song Hye-kyo, Jeon Yeo-been, Lee Jin-wook, and Moon Woo-jin.

The story follows Sister Junia and Sister Michaela, two nuns pulled into a chilling spiritual battle to save a young boy named Hee-joon, who is possessed by a dark, vengeful entity. Sister Junia, guided by compassion and unwavering faith, is determined to help him, while the more skeptical Sister Michaela is reluctantly drawn into the mystery. As eerie events begin to unfold, a hidden evil buried within the convent’s walls slowly comes to light. Together, the two must confront their own fears and test the limits of their faith to stop the sinister force threatening both the boy and their sacred order.

4. Spellbound

‘Spellbound’ (also known as ‘My Girlfriend Can See Ghosts’) is a 2011 South Korean horror-romantic comedy starring Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ki, directed by Hwang In-ho.

The story follows Jo-goo, a street magician who falls for Yeo-ri, a woman haunted by the ghost of her best friend, Joo-hee, who died in a car accident that Yeo-ri survived.

Jo-goo casts Yeo-ri as the star of his new horror magic show, helping her slowly come out of her shell after years of isolation caused by her ability to see ghosts. But as their bond deepens, Joo-hee’s jealous spirit begins interfering with Jo-goo’s performances and their budding romance. To protect him, Yeo-ri considers walking away, but freeing herself from the ghost’s grasp is easier said than done.

5. A Tale of Two Sisters

‘A Tale of Two Sisters’ (2003), directed by Kim Jee-woon, is a South Korean psychological horror film starring Im Soo-jung, Moon Geun-young, Yum Jung-ah, and Kim Kap-soo. Inspired by the Joseon-era folktale ‘Janghwa Hongryeon Jeon’, the story follows Su-mi, a young woman recently released from a mental hospital, who returns home with her younger sister, Su-yeon, to live with their troubled stepmother, Eun-joo.

As tensions rise, Su-mi begins noticing bruises on Su-yeon’s body and experiencing strange supernatural events throughout the house. But the truth is far more disturbing; Su-yeon is already dead, and Su-mi has been hallucinating her presence due to dissociative identity disorder. She has also been unknowingly taking on the role of her abusive stepmother.

In the end, Su-mi is readmitted to the hospital, while the real Eun-joo, guilt-ridden and haunted, meets her end at the hands of Su-yeon’s vengeful spirit. The film closes with Su-mi finding a quiet moment of peace in the lingering presence of her sister, and a heartbreaking flashback reveals the full extent of the family’s tragedy.