One reason I find Korean horror movies in particular to be so scary is because there’s often a very strong focus on psychological fear. It makes it hard to avoid being sucked into the terror.

And from my own personal experience, I can say that Korean horror movies that focus on hauntings just might leave you shaking.

I want to say these films are perfect for the spooky season around Halloween, but let’s be honest. If you’re a horror fan, these are great to watch ANY time!

This list is in no particular order. Mostly that’s because it would be too hard to rank them from scariest to most tame. Instead, I’m just going to present you with a fun list of movies with a spoiler-free synopsis.

Everyone’s fear triggers are different so your mileage may vary. That being said, I will mention if certain movies were especially terrifying or amazing in my experience.

Pick and choose the ones that sound up your alley. But remember – do so at your own risk. Some of these are intense to say the least! I take no responsibility if you can’t sleep tonight!

37 Scariest Korean Horror Movies on Netflix or other streaming sites in 2023

Here are the movies in this list; read on for more details!

• 1.Train to Busan

• 2.Peninsula

• 3.Seoul Station

• 4.Unlocked

• 5.#Alive

• 6.Parasite

• 7.Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

• 8.A Tale of Two Sisters

• 9.Hide and Seek

• 10.Goedam

• 11.The Red Shoes

• 12.Death Bell

• 13.The Closet

• 14.The 8th Night

• 15.The Witch: Subversion

• 16.The Witch: The Other One

• 17. The Wailing

• 18.0.0 MHz

• 19.Monstrum

• 20.Warning Do Not Play

• 21.The Host

• 22.The Mimic

• 23.The Piper

• 24.The Wrath

• 25.Loner

• 26.Hansel & Gretel

• 27.The Doll Master

• 28.White: Melody of Death

• 29.Killer Toon

• 30.Thirst

• 31.Cinderella

• 32.Don’t Click

• 33.The Evil Twin

• 34.Awake

• 35.The Call

• 36.Bedevilled

• 37.The Whispering Corridors (series of 6 films)

Where to find your Korean horror movies

For the most part, I have found these movies on the following streaming services:

• ●Netflix

• ●Amazon Prime

• ●Viki

• ●Tubi (free with one or two ads scattered throughout; really not that annoying!)

• ●Apple TV

• ●YouTube

Train to Busan (one of the best-known Korean horror movies ever)

Most people have probably heard of Train to Busan before, even if they’ve never watched another Korean film. That’s because it went mainstream around the world.

Gong Yoo stars as Seok-Woo, a distant, divorced father. He’s tasked with taking his young daughter to Busan to drop her off with her mother for her birthday. His plan is to take the high speed train there in the morning, then be back in Seoul for a late lunch.

Too bad the zombie outbreaks screws that plan up.

I’ve seen a lot of zombie movies and shows. This one is my absolute top zombie film ever. These are not old-school shuffling ghouls. The undead move faster than I think I ever have in my life.

Zombies are scary enough. Stick them in an enclosed space like a train and you’ve got a claustrophobic undead nightmare.

Bonus – Gong Yoo is amazing in this movie!

Watch It: Amazon Prime / Viki

Peninsula

Peninsula is the sequel to Train to Busan. It takes place about 4 years after the initial outbreak. You get a bit of a sense of what happened after the ending, but mostly we move into present day.

All of Korea was lost in the outbreak. The only survivors fled to other countries. But when Jeong-seok is sent with a group to retrieve something from the peninsula, they find some people did survive there after all.

Unfortunately, so did the zombies.

An absolute adrenaline packed movie that was almost as good as the first one for me.

Watch It: Amazon Prime / Viki

Seoul Station

Seoul Station is a nice twist on the zombie genre. It was released shortly after Train to Busan and is neither a prequel nor a sequel. It’s really a glimpse of what was happening in Seoul while Gong Yoo’s character was trapped on that train.

What makes it so cool is that it’s actually an animated film! But don’t let that trick you into thinking it can’t be scary. Sometimes animation can pull off things that real film can’t do as easily.

I really loved the storyline in this. The characters were interesting and the animation was gritty. Definitely recommended to round out your Train to Busan experience.

Watch It: Tubi / Amazon Prime

Unlocked

This is not a traditional horror movie. Some would say it’s a thriller, but I definitely throw it into the horror category. The only difference is there is nothing supernatural about this film.

The monster is a human, not a ghost, a zombie, or a demon.

Na-Mi loses her phone on the subway home one night after a few too many drinks. Luckily for her, a good samaritan finds it and returns it to her. Not so luckily, the good samaritan actually hacked her phone, and can now track her every move.

He can monitor her texts, the websites and apps she uses, and can even see through both her cameras and hear through the mic. It’s a terrifying movie because it makes you think of just how horrific it would be if someone did the same to your phone.

If you want to throw your phone into the sea after watching this, you’re not alone!

Watch It: Netflix

#Alive

Yes, another zombie movie! In this film, Joon-woo is home alone while his parents and sibling are out. It seems like it’s going to be another boring day for him. The abrupt zombie outbreak takes care of that real fast though!

These are also fast-moving zombies, and honestly… Is there any type of zombie more frightening than the ones who can run like an Olympic gold medalist without ever tiring? Korean horror movies seem to prefer them to slower zombies.

Things look bleak for our young man as he realizes he doesn’t have much in his apartment to sustain him. Then he discovers a woman across the courtyard. Perhaps they can help each other survive.

They just have to figure out how to meet up when the entire area is crawling with the undead.

Watch It: Netflix

Parasite

People will debate whether this fits in with other Korean horror movies or not. I firmly put it in the horror category.

If you haven’t heard of this film yet, it follows a very poor family who manage to infiltrate their way into the life – and home – of a very wealthy one.

As you’d probably guess, it’s not all smooth sailing.

For me, this movie is not only brilliant and scary in a psychological sense, it also depicts classism in a very clear way. Definitely a must-see.

Let’s just say it deserved all the awards it won.

Watch It: Netflix

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (one of the SCARIEST Korean Horror Movies I have seen so far)

I don’t like to hype movies up too much. There’s always a risk that it will fall short of expectations. But that being said, this movie was terrifying for me. It’s hands down the scariest Korean horror movie I  have seen to date.

Honestly, it falls into my top 5 scariest horror movies ever, period.

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum follows the trend of found footage and live filming that we’ve seen in horror in recent years. It’s a popular trend for good reason. Somehow, it makes you feel like you’re there with the characters (even if you DO NOT want to be there!).

A group of livestreamers sneak into Gonjiam Asylum one night to try to find out if the rumors of ghosts are true. They think they might need some props and trickery to make it convincing for the stream.

They do not. The rumors are very much true.

If you can watch this without screaming or jumping, you have nerves of steel.

(PS Gonjiam is based on a real place. The Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital actually existed until it was shut down in 1996 – rumors spread rapidly as to what the reasons were. It is also reputed to be haunted for real. Hmm. Anyone want to volunteer to check it out?)

Watch It: Tubi

A Tale of Two Sisters

Some Korean horror movies are based on folktales, and sometimes those are the best stories. This film is a great example of that. It’s also a little different because it has a strong focus on mental health and the horror that comes when that breaks down.

Soo-mi comes home to her father and stepmother after she is released from a mental facility. She is happy to be reunited with her sister. Unfortunately, strange and frightening things begin to happen – both with the abusive stepmother and the ghost of their deceased mother.

Watch it: So far I have only found it on YouTube, do a search to see if it’s still available there.

Hide and Seek

Sung-soo is a wealthy businessman. When he finds out his impoverished, estranged brother has disappeared, he goes to his apartment to find answers. He meets a woman in the apartment building who demands that he get his brother to stop spying on them.

Between strange symbols at every door and clues that insinuate something very strange is happening, Sung-soo is desperate to locate his brother. He just needs to find him before his family pays a huge price.

Watch it: Tubi

Goedam

This one probably doesn’t belong here because technically it’s listed as a show. However, I’m including it since it’s an anthology of horror based on urban legends. All the episodes together are the length of a short film.

From the urban legend that explains ominous noises coming from the bathroom stall beside you to the well-known “elevator game”, this collection will creep you right out.

Read more about The Elevator Game here if you’re curious! Beware – it’s super creepy!

Watch it: Netflix

The Red Shoes

Our lead, Sun-jae has left her husband. She finds a pair of beautiful red shoes in a subway station one night. Instead of leaving them behind, she brings them home with her. Alas, a curse comes with the shoes.

She suffers from horrific hallucinations, and people around her begin to die. The only way to survive will be to figure out the secret behind the shoes.

Watch it: Netflix / YouTube

Death Bell

The night before South Korea’s college entrance exams, 24 bright students are locked inside a classroom. A television screen turns on and shows Hye-yeong, the classroom’s top student, trapped in an aquarium that is filling with water while a faceless voice announces the game that is about to be played.

The students are about to take a whole other kind of exam. If they answer the first question incorrectly, Hye-yeong will die. Every wrong answer after that will cost one more student his or her life.

This is definitely my kind of Korean horror movie! It reminds me of the Saw franchise, Squid Game, and Alice In Borderland all at once.

Fun fact – apparently this was the only Korean horror movie to be released in the summer of 2008.

Watch it: I have only been able to find this on YouTube

The Closet

Sang-won is a grieving husband who moves into a new home with daughter Yi-na. He tries to pick up the pieces but the house has other plans. First, strange sounds come from the closet.

Then, little Yi-na goes missing.

It seems like it can’t get much worse for this poor man. Until, that is, a stranger shows up and tells him to look for her in the closet.

Watch it: Tubi

The 8th Night

A mysterious entity known as “that which must not be awakened” is at risk of breaking free of its seal. Doing so will allow it to enter into our world. It has been contained for 2500 years but you know humans can’t resist digging up stuff that should be left alone.

Monks wage a battle to keep the demon from being freed. Can they prevent this demon from unleashing hell on earth?

Watch it: Netflix

The Witch: Subversion

A high school student struggling with trauma-based amnesia lives an otherwise uneventful life. When she auditions for a televised competition, dark and shady people from her past recognize her unique talent. They realize she is the girl who escaped their mysterious lab years ago.

Will she survive their attempt to chase her down and take her back?

Watch it: Viki

The Witch: The Other One

In this sequel to The Witch: Subversion, we meet a teen girl who loses consciousness on the bus. When she wakes up, she is in a strange lab. The girl is told she is pregnant with twins and that her pregnancy will be important in some way.

Fast forward to present day. Someone makes a violent escape from the lab. She’s rescued by strangers, but the danger’s not over yet.

Watch it: Amazon Prime / Apple TV / likely Viki eventually

The Wailing

A stranger’s arrival in a rural Korean village coincides with a bizarre infection outbreak that causes people to violently kill their families. But is it coincidence? Or is it something darker?

A police officer begins investigating these unusual deaths in an effort to save his daughter and the village. He just might uncover more than he can handle.

Watch it: Tubi / Amazon Prime

0.0MHz

Students from their university’s Paranormal Investigation club decide to investigate a local house that is rumored to be haunted by a woman who committed suicide there. People say the ghost inside uses radio frequencies to communicate.

As we all know, checking out haunted houses always ends up being a bad decision in these movies. Can the students save themselves and make it out alive?

Watch it: Disney+

Monstrum

This movie is set in the 1500s in Korea (Joseon) and people are struggling to survive a plague. Natural illness is bad enough, but they’re also being hunted by a bloodthirsty beast in the mountains.

General Yoon Gyeom teams up with a group of civilians to fight back against the creature. Somehow they’ll need to survive a plague AND a monster at the same time.

If you love monster movies, this is for you!

Watch it: Amazon Prime

Warning Do Not Play

A new Korean horror movie director struggles to come up with her next film idea. She hears about a supposedly cursed and banned horror film from years ago. When she locates it, she decided to view it in the hopes that it will inspire her in her next creation.

Does this give you major “7 days” vibes from The Ring/Ringu? Don’t worry, it’s still worth a watch!

Watch it: Apple TV / Shudder

The Host

American military members dump chemicals into the Han River. Years later, a creature rises from the polluted waters and begins attacking residents.

When a young girl is snatched by the mysterious creature, her family embarks on a mission to retrieve her and bring her home safely.

Very cool Godzilla vibes in this film!

Watch it: Tubi

The Mimic

A young boy has gone missing. The grieving mother moves to the mountains and she discovers a young girl who was abandoned in the wilderness. She soon realizes there is something strange about this lost child.

Amid the rumors that the mountains are home to a creature who can mimic humans, the mother quickly begins to wonder what exactly she has brought into her house.

This movie was inspired by the South Korean urban legend of the Jangsan Tiger. In the legend, the tiger has perfected the mimicry of a woman’s cries, luring people to their deaths when they come to save her.

Watch it: Tubi

The Piper

This film is an eerie retelling of a fairy tale you probably already know – The Pied Piper! A father named Woo-ryong and his ill son Young-nam arrive in a small, remote village after the Korean War. Times are tough and the father decides to help the villagers clear out a rat infestation as a trade for their hospitality.

When things don’t go quite as planned, Woo-ryong seeks his revenge.

If rodents freak you out, this may be an extra horror-filled movie.

Watch it: Amazon Prime

The Wrath

Set in the Joseon dynasty, tragedy strikes when three sons all die from an unknown cause. A woman who is pregnant with the baby of the third son discovers an evil spirit is haunting their home.

I love the combination of modern-day horror movie effects combined with a period setting!

Watch it: Amazon Prime / Apple TV

Loner

When Soo-na’s best friend is bullied to the point of committing suicide, she is overcome with grief. After developing agoraphobia, she becomes a recluse, shutting herself off from the outside world as much as possible.

Despite being completely alone in her room, she speaks and acts as though someone is in there with her. Her uncle brings his psychologist fiancée to help her, only to discover a dark family secret.

Watch it: Stay tuned

Hansel & Gretel

You know the story of Hansel & Gretel already, right? But this retelling spins a slightly different tale. Following a car crash, Eun-soo finds himself in a dark forest. A young girl named Young-hee finds him and takes him home.

He meets the girl’s mother and brother, but something is off. The children follow his every move and the mother leaves him – a stranger – to care for her children.

The truth behind this household is much darker than he ever could have suspected.

Watch it: Tubi

The Doll Master

A male model and several other people answer an invitation to a museum. They are told they will have their likeness cast as dolls, forever immortalized. What they don’t know is that many years ago a doll master was killed for allegedly murdering his girlfriend.

And her vengeful spirit lives on in the doll that represents her.

Unsettling things begin to happen and we have to wonder if any of the guests will survive their visit.

Watch it: AsianCrush

White: Melody of Death

Girl group Pink Dolls release their single “White” in the hopes of finally gaining popularity. It goes viral, but before they can enjoy their success, each member is met with one inexplicable tragedy after another. Eun-ju, one of the members realizes their song is cursed and sets out to reveal the truth.

It remains to be seen whether she can uncover and reverse the curse before it’s too late for all of them.

Watch it: Tubi

Killer Toon

When Ji-yoon’s webtoon publisher is murdered, an investigator discovers that the webtoon she was reading depicted her exact death in perfect detail. Soon after, a second victim is also murdered in the exact way the webtoon demonstrated.

The webtoon’s artist is the most logical suspect. But not everything is as cut and dry as it seems.

Watch it:  Tubi

Thirst

Sang-hyun is a kind priest who volunteers to be infected with a disease in the hopes of finding a cure. Unfortunately, the medical experiment is a failure and in a desperate attempt to save him, the priest becomes a vampire.

How can he hold on to the goodness in his soul while fighting the vampiric darkness within? As far as Korean horror movies go, this may be a little more sensual than what you’re used to, but that goes hand in hand with vampires I think!

Watch it: Netflix

Cinderella

Hyun-Soo’s mother is a plastic surgeon. The mother performs face-lifts on all her daughter’s friends. Seems nice!

Until one by one, they seem to see ghosts, slip into madness, and begin mutilating themselves. Oops!

We follow Hyun-Soo as she attempts to dig into her mother’s past to understand what is going on. While this movie shares some similarities with the Cinderella we all know, this story is no fairytale!

Watch it: I have only found this on YouTube

Don’t Click

This is another film that will remind you of The Ring/Ringu. When Jung-mi, a high school student, watches a forbidden video, she is cursed and begins losing her mind. Her sister Se-hee and Se-hee’s boyfriend Joon-hyuk – a cyber crimes investigator – work together to try to track down the source of the video.

When they watch the video, which is a collection of 108 randomized and ever-changing clips, they have a strong feeling that another presence is with them.

Instead of finding answers, did Se-hee and Joon-hyuk just curse themselves too?

Watch it: I have only found this on YouTube

The Evil Twin

One day a pair of twin girls meet with tragedy. Hyo-jin dies and So-yeon falls into a coma for ten years. When she wakes, she has little recollection of what happened to them.

But now that she’s revived, ominous deaths begin happening around her. What did happen to So-yeon and her twin a decade ago?

Watch it: I have only found it on YouTube

Awake

Three strangers with nothing notable in common (including age – 19, 28, and 48, and location) wake up side by side, locked up together. They have absolutely no idea how they got there.

If they want to escape, they’ll need to recover their lost memories. How will they figure this out?

Watch it: Tubi / Viki (coming soon)

The Call

Our main character, Seo-yeon, travels to the home she grew up in. While she is there, she suddenly receives a phone call on an old cordless phone. The woman on the other end is in distress, claiming she is being tortured.

After some time, Seo-yeon comes to realize the call is coming from inside the house. The only problem though, is the woman is calling from 20 years ago.

How can Seo-yeon save someone from the past?

Watch it: Netflix

Bedevilled

If you’re a fan of gore, this film is for you. Bok Nam leaves Seoul with her daughter to return to the remote island she grew up on. She is shocked to find out about the tragic situation surrounding her childhood best friend.

But it’s when Bok Nam’s daughter is brutally murdered that the story implodes. With nowhere to go and no way to escape, the only way to survive is through absolute and desperate revenge.

This is one of the more graphic Korean horror movies, so be prepared for that before you start watching.

Watch it: Tubi

The Whispering Corridors – a series of Korean Horror movies

The first of six films takes place in a school known for the mistreatment of its students. Rumors fly that a vengeful ghost is haunting the halls. After a notorious teacher is found dead, and more people start to disappear, everyone is convinced the rumors are true.

Is it the ghost of a student who died in the school seeking revenge?

This series is comprised of six different films; they all use an all-girls school for the setting. However, each story is its own separate tale with no characters in common.

The movie titles are: Whispering Corridors, Memento Mori, Wishing Stairs, Voice, A Blood Pledge, and The Humming.

Watch them: I have only found them on YouTube

Can’t find some of these Korean horror movies?

Please note, I have mentioned where all of the movies in this list are streaming that I could find. This information is accurate as of the date it was written. However, sometimes it varies depending on region, or a service may stop streaming it at any time.

I recommend doing a quick search if you can’t find the movie you want. It may be playing somewhere else in your country. Korean horror movies are available on most streaming services these days so you should be able to find something scary to watch!

So many Korean horror movies to choose from!

I watch horror movies all year because I like to scare myself in the safety of my own home. I mostly lean towards hauntings but I really enjoy anything that will freak me out. Still, once we start to approach the month of October I am especially ready to grab some snacks, a beverage, and something terrifying.

However, if you’ve had your fill of creepy stories that keep you up at night, you can shift from scary Korean horror movies to the 5 BEST Revenge K-Dramas that I recommend instead. They include:

• 1.Vincenzo

• 2.Itaewon Class

• 3.The Glory (part 1 & 2)

Plus two more. Check them out too!

Have you already seen any of these scary Korean Horror movies? Which one will you watch next?

Leave me a comment and let me know if you’ve seen anything on this list. Which was your favorite? Or if you haven’t seen any yet, which one will you watch first?

Have fun scaring yourself. And remember! There’s no shame in sleeping with the lights on!