3 Best Movies to Watch by Kim Sang-ho

1. Kingdom, 2020

16th century Korea—the small kingdom is governed by a royal family, but the sudden death of the king causes a power struggle among the elite, which in turn opens the window for either genuine change or further corrupt rule. At the heart of this is Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), who conspires with the rebel scholars to bring his corrupt rivals down.

This all sounds familiar, if not a bit trite, but before you can start to pin it down, Kingdom quickly morphs into something more than just a period drama. The introduction of fantasy, terror, and neverending gore elevates Kingdom into a multi-genre feat—an impressive blend of political intrigue and pure zombie horror that never fails to keep you at the edge of your seat.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Actor: Bae Doona, Heo Joon-ho, Heo Jun-ho, Jeon Seok-ho, Ju Ji-hoon, Jun Kaname, Jun Suk-ho, Jung Suk-won, Kanata Hongo, Kanna Hashimoto, Kento Yamazaki, Kim Hye-jun, Kim Jong-soo, Kim Sang-ho, Kim Sung-kyu, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Tae-hun, Park Byung-eun, Ryu Seung-ryong

Director: Kim Seong-hun, Shinsuke Sato

Rating: R

2. The Kidnapping Day, 2023

Genuinely exciting but with more than enough heart to keep its genre trappings from overwhelming the story, The Kidnapping Day wastes no time setting the stakes and its plot into motion. Several crimes occur seemingly at the same time, which not only keeps the show's various mysteries equally interesting, but emphasizes how our protagonist (the kidnapper Myeong-joon) is ultimately just a naive person caught in the crosshairs of something larger. But because of his poverty and desperation, he becomes a natural target of suspicion by the people who don't know his full story.

And accompanying Myeong-joon from the beginning of the series is 11-year-old Ro-hee, who wakes from a dazed state with no recollection of who she is, but with knowledge beyond her years. The somewhat antagonistic but tender bond she gradually forms with her reluctant kidnapper is the furthest thing from Stockholm syndrome. Instead, their relationship becomes a window into a particular class dynamic that runs throughout The Kidnapping Day (as well as a host of other South Korean films and shows). In these first two episodes watched for this review, the series already presents a world characterized by a deep yet normalized divide between the rich and the poor.

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Jeon Yu-na, Kim Sang-ho, Kim Shin-rock, Park Sung-hoon, Yoon Kye-sang

Director: Park Yoo-young

3. My Name, 2021

If there's one thing South Korea has a lock on, it's great revenge stories. This thrilling and intense series follows the journey of a determined woman turning to a powerful crime ring to help her seek revenge for her father's death. With a fast-paced storyline and expertly executed action sequences, the show keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish within a neat eight episodes.

Supported by Han So-Hee's strong performances, a tight script, and the unrelenting bloody fights, My Name delivers a satisfying blend of suspense and drama making it a must-watch for fans of crime thrillers.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Ahn Bo-hyun, Back Joo-hee, Chang Ryul, Han So-hee, Im Gi-hong, Kim Sang-ho, Park Hee-soon

Director: Kim Jin-min