9 Korean Films Coming in 2025 That Should Be on Your Radar

Cinema fans know that the most exciting movies in the world often come out of South Korea. The Korean entertainment industry is beloved for legendary films from award-winning blockbusters like Parasite to instantly classic horror movies like The Wailing, and many of the country's most acclaimed auteurs and stars are at the top of their game. As we approach the new year, there's a lot for fans of K-entertainment to look forward to; Netflix, for example, has already previewed its 2025 slate of can't-miss Korean films.

Below, discover the best Korean movies coming to U.S. theaters and streaming platforms in 2025. (And if you're still immersing yourself in Korean cinema, check out our recommendations for the best Korean movies on Netflix and the best Korean films of 2024.)

'Mickey 17'

Release date: March 7 in theaters

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo

Why it's worth watching: Though Bong Joon-ho's follow-up to Parasite is an English-language film produced in the U.S., the Oscar-winning director likely has an international hit on his hands. Based on Edward Ashton's sci-fi novel Mickey7, the movie stars Robert Pattinson as a man who volunteered to become a "disposable" employee sent on impossible missions and cloned whenever he dies.

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'Good News' (working title)

Release date: TBA on Netflix

Starring: Sul Kyung-gu, Hong Kyung, and Ryoo Seung-bum

Why it's worth watching: This historical film from director Byun Sung-hyun is set in the 1970s, and chronicles "a suspicious operation carried out by a group determined to land a hijacked airplane by any means necessary."

'The Great Flood'

Release date: TBA on Netflix

Starring: Kim Da-mi and Park Hae-soo

Why it's worth watching: This disaster flick is set during the last day on Earth, as a catastrophic flood threatens the entire planet. Kim Da-mi stars as An-na, an AI researcher struggling to survive as she rescues a child from a flooding apartment. Meanwhile, a security team member named Hee-jo (Park Hae-soo) tries to save Anna from "the flood that threatens the entire world."

'Hope'

Release date: TBA in theaters

Starring: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender

Why it's worth watching: The Wailing director Na Hong-jin helms this long-awaited sci-fi movie, which will be primarily Korean-language with an international cast. As reported by Deadline, "Hope follows the residents of Hopo Port, where a mysterious discovery is made on the outskirts of the remote harbor town. Before long, the residents find themselves in a desperate fight for survival against something they have never encountered before."

'Lost in Starlight'

Release date: TBA on Netflix

Starring: Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung

Why it's worth watching: Netflix will debut its first-ever Korean-language animated film, a love story between scientist Nan-young (Kim Tae-ri) and musician Jay (Hong Kyung). Nan-young dreams of traveling to Mars and searching for traces of her mom, an astronaut who never returned after a mission. Right before her space voyage, she meets Jay, who repairs retro instruments. Per the streamer, the adorable film will see the pair "embark on the longest-ever long-distance relationship—one that bridges Earth and Mars."

'Love Untangled'

Release date: TBA on Netflix

Starring: Gong Myoung, Shin Eun-soo, Cha Woo-min, Youn Sang-hyun, and Kang Mi-na

Why it's worth watching: For rom-com fans, this romance film set in a high school in 1988 sounds like a must-watch. Per the description, it "follows 19-year-old Park Se-ri (Shin Eun-soo) as she plans to straighten her perpetually frizzy hair before making a life-changing confession, all while getting entangled with transfer student Han Yun-seok (Gong Myoung)."

'Mantis' (working title)

Release date: TBA on Netflix

Starring: Yim Si-wan, Park Gyu-young, and Jo Woo-jin.

Why it's worth watching: Two years after the thriller Kill Boksoon debuted on Netflix, writer Byun Sung-hyun returns to the world of contract-killing agencies, in this spinoff film co-written and directed by Lee Tae-sung. Per the description, the Korean action movie "follows Mantis (Yim Si-wan), an ace assassin returning to a collapsed-order hired killer industry after his vacation. Upon reentering this anarchic world, Mantis encounters Jae-yi (Park Gyu-young), his fellow trainee and rival, and Dok-go (Jo Woo-jin), a retired legendary killer, and realizes they are all vying for the top spot among the killers."

'Revelations'

Release date: TBA on Netflix

Starring: Ryu Jun-yeol and Shin Hyun-been

Why it's worth watching: This thriller boasts an all-star creative team, including Train to Busan helmer (and Netflix favorite) Yeon Sang-ho as director and Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón as an executive producer. According to the description, the film "follows a pastor (Ryu Jun-yeol) and a detective (Shin Hyun-been), each driven by their own beliefs. The pastor believes it’s his divine calling to punish the culprit behind a missing-person case, while the detective assigned to the case continues to be haunted by visions of her dead sister."

'Wall to Wall'

Release date: TBA on Netflix

Starring: Kang Ha-neul, Yeom Hye-ran, and Seo Hyun-woo

Why it's worth watching: For this thriller, Unlocked writer/director Kim Tae-joon promises another stomach-churning thriller that hits a bit too close to home with its realistic premise. After exhausting all his financial resources, Woo-seong (Kang Ha-neul) "finally saves up enough to buy an apartment, only to have it turn into a nightmare with financial ruin and mysterious noises from neighboring floors."