Crime, Murder & Mystery: Best Korean Thrillers of 2023
Korean thrillers have a unique way of blending suspense, psychological depth, and unexpected twists. In 2023, the genre continued to impress with gripping murder mysteries, psychological horror, and crime dramas that kept audiences on edge. Here are the top must-watch Korean thrillers of the year.
1. The Devil’s Deal (대외비)
- Director: Lee Won-tae (The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil)
- Cast: Cho Jin-woong, Lee Sung-min, Kim Mu-yeol
- Genre: Political Thriller, Crime, Suspense
- Language: Korean
- IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
- Plot: A desperate politician (Cho Jin-woong) struggling in an election gets involved with a powerful businessman who offers financial backing—at a dangerous cost. As betrayals mount and hidden secrets surface, the film dives into the dark side of power, greed, and survival in a corrupt system.
2. Unlocked (스마트폰을 떨어뜨렸을 뿐인데)
- Director: Kim Tae-joon
- Cast: Im Si-wan, Chun Woo-hee, Kim Hee-won
- Genre: Psychological Thriller, Cybercrime
- Language: Korean
- IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
- Plot: A young woman (Chun Woo-hee) accidentally loses her smartphone, unknowingly putting herself at the mercy of a psychopathic hacker (Im Si-wan). What starts as a minor inconvenience turns into a terrifying game of control and surveillance. Unlocked taps into modern fears of digital privacy, making it a chilling watch.
3. A Man of Reason (보호자)
- Director: Jung Woo-sung
- Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Kim Nam-gil, Park Yoo-na
- Genre: Crime, Revenge Thriller, Action
- Language: Korean
- IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
- Plot: A former hitman (Jung Woo-sung) is released from prison after 10 years, hoping to leave behind his violent past. However, his old associates refuse to let him go, dragging him back into a world of bloodshed. As he fights to protect his family, the film explores themes of redemption and revenge with intense action sequences.
4. Project Silence (프로젝트 사일런스)
- Director: Kim Tae-gon
- Cast: Lee Sun-kyun, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Hee-won
- Genre: Survival Thriller, Disaster, Mystery
- Language: Korean
- IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
- Plot: A massive fog engulfs a bridge, trapping people in a nightmarish scenario as a government experiment goes terribly wrong. A father (Lee Sun-kyun) struggles to keep his daughter safe while uncovering the horrifying truth behind the chaos. With a mix of sci-fi, suspense, and survival elements, Project Silence delivers a tense, unpredictable ride.
5. The Moon (더 문)
- Director: Kim Yong-hwa (Along with the Gods)
- Cast: Sol Kyung-gu, Doh Kyung-soo, Kim Hee-ae
- Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller, Space Survival
- Language: Korean
- IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
- Plot: When a mission to the moon goes wrong, an astronaut (Doh Kyung-soo) finds himself stranded in space, fighting against time and dwindling oxygen. Meanwhile, a former space program director (Sol Kyung-gu) tries to rescue him. Blending thriller and sci-fi elements, The Moon keeps viewers on edge with its high-stakes survival drama.
6. Cobweb (거미집)
- Director: Kim Jee-woon (I Saw the Devil, A Bittersweet Life)
- Cast: Song Kang-ho, Im Soo-jung, Oh Jung-se
- Genre: Mystery, Psychological Thriller
- Language: Korean
- IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
- Plot: A 1970s filmmaker (Song Kang-ho) believes that reshooting the ending of his latest film will turn it into a masterpiece. However, as the production spirals into chaos, fiction and reality begin to blur, leading to a gripping psychological mystery. With Kim Jee-woon’s signature style, Cobweb is a thrilling meta-exploration of cinema and paranoia.
Final Thoughts
From cybercrime and political conspiracies to survival thrillers and psychological mysteries, 2023 delivered a stellar lineup of Korean thrillers. These films not only kept audiences at the edge of their seats but also explored deep societal and existential themes.
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