Feel-Good & Hilarious: Top Korean Comedies of 2020

2020 was a challenging year, but Korean cinema delivered some much-needed laughter with comedies that blended humor, heart, and unique storytelling. From family-friendly fun to witty social satires, these films provided the perfect escape.

1. Secret Zoo (해치지않아)

• Director: Son Jae-gon
• Cast: Ahn Jae-hong, Kang So-ra, Park Young-gyu
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
• Language: Korean
• IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
• Plot: A struggling lawyer, Tae-soo, is given a bizarre task—revive a failing zoo without any real animals. His solution? Convince the zookeepers to dress up in realistic animal costumes and fool visitors. As the plan takes off, the zoo becomes a viral sensation, leading to hilarious mishaps and unexpected lessons about teamwork, passion, and integrity.

2. Okay! Madam (오케이 마담)

• Director: Lee Cheol-ha
• Cast: Uhm Jung-hwa, Park Sung-woong, Lee Sang-yoon
• Genre: Action, Comedy
• Language: Korean
• IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
• Plot: Mi-young, a tough but loving mother running a small snack shop, wins a dream vacation to Hawaii with her husband. However, their flight is hijacked by North Korean spies, forcing Mi-young to reveal her hidden past as a former special agent. What follows is a side-splitting mix of action and comedy as she single-handedly takes on the terrorists in this high-flying adventure.

3. Hitman: Agent Jun (히트맨)

• Director: Choi Won-sub
• Cast: Kwon Sang-woo, Jung Joon-ho, Hwang Woo-seul-hye
• Genre: Action, Comedy
• Language: Korean
• IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
• Plot: Jun, a legendary assassin who fakes his death to become a webtoon artist, struggles to gain recognition. Frustrated, he drunkenly draws a comic revealing top-secret missions from his past. When the government and dangerous enemies discover his work, chaos erupts, forcing Jun back into action while trying to maintain his cover. This fast-paced, laugh-out-loud film blends action and absurdity in the best way possible.

4. Honest Candidate (정직한 후보)

• Director: Jang Yoo-jung
• Cast: Ra Mi-ran, Kim Mu-yeol, Na Moon-hee
• Genre: Comedy, Political Satire
• Language: Korean
• IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
• Plot: Ju Sang-sook, a deceitful politician seeking re-election, suddenly loses her ability to lie after a mysterious event. With no filter, she begins blurting out her true thoughts during campaigns, leading to one disastrous (and hilarious) situation after another. This sharp political satire is packed with witty humor, great performances, and a surprising amount of heart.

5. Me and Me (사라진 시간)

• Director: Jung Jin-young
• Cast: Cho Jin-woong, Bae Soo-bin, Jung Hae-kyun
• Genre: Mystery, Comedy, Drama
• Language: Korean
• IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
• Plot: Detective Hyung-goo investigates a couple’s mysterious disappearance in a rural town. But after a bizarre night, he wakes up to find that his entire identity has been erased—nobody recognizes him, and his life as he knew it is gone. As he struggles to prove who he is, the film takes a surreal and darkly comedic turn, keeping audiences guessing until the very end.

Final Thoughts

2020’s Korean comedies were diverse, offering a mix of lighthearted fun, action-packed humor, and even mind-bending mysteries. Whether it’s the absurdity of Secret Zoo, the high-stakes hilarity of Okay! Madam, or the political chaos in Honest Candidate, these films brought plenty of laughs and feel-good moments.

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