Jeon Yeo-been (left) and Song Hye-kyo (right) are featured in a still from the film ‘Dark Nuns.’ Photo: courtesy of Han Cinema.
Korean horror movies are usually very dark, the suspense is suffocating, and the terror is real. Think Dark Nuns, who are on a risky mission to exorcise a demonic presence, Holy Night: Demon Hunters, facing their most formidable foe yet, or Noise, which traps you in a living nightmare, haunted by strange sounds emanating from the very walls of your home. Korean horror cinema is a world where the supernatural and the psychological blend easily, giving you a thrilling and unsettling visual experience. Here are the Korean horror movies that are making news this year—and are absolute must-watches.
Dark Nuns
When a dark force seizes control of a young boy, two nuns—Sister Junia (Song Hye-kyo) and Sister Michaela (Jeon Yeo-been)—step in to rescue him. The challenge goes from bad to worse when a haunting truth emerges, forcing them to confront their own demons. Released in January this year, Kwon Hyeok-jae’s Dark Nuns is inspired by Jang Jae-hyun’s acclaimed 2015 movie The Priests. It’s a gripping, unsettling exorcism horror thriller that also thoughtfully explores faith, power, and rebellion through the individual stories of the two sisters, showing that sometimes, it’s the ones who question the system that truly hold the power.
Revelations
Director Yeon Sang-ho’s Revelations became one of the most successful movie releases in March this year. This tense horror story begs the question: faith can transform our lives for good, but what happens when it becomes an obsession? Things begin to turn sour and suspense builds when church pastor Sung Min-chan (Ryu Jun-yeol) becomes hell-bent on punishing Kwon Yang-rae (Shin Min-jae), a former convict whom he believes has kidnapped his son. Meanwhile, Detective Lee Yeon-hee (Shin Hyun-been) is also trying to locate Yang-rae, charged with kidnapping a schoolgirl. As the case gradually unfolds, Min-chan’s rigid faith blinds him to the truth, leading him to madness.
Holy Night: Demon Hunters
Stumped by an evil unleashed by a clandestine group, authorities in Seoul call in Holy Night, an elite trio of demon hunters. The team consists of Ba Woo (Ma Dong-seok aka Don Lee), a formidable fighter; Sharon (Seohyun of Girls’ Generation), an exceptional exorcist; and Kim Gun (David Lee), a resourceful tech genius who takes on the toughest supernatural threats. But this time, they’re in for a challenge like no other when they try to save a possessed girl. Director Lim Dae-hee’s April 2025 release brings a fresh twist to the horror genre with its perfect blend of fear, intense action, and supernatural elements.
Noise
Director Kim Soo-jin leverages Korea’s severe anxiety over noise pollution in residential buildings, making a film that scares you as much as it makes you think. Released on June 25, this new film follows Ju-young (Lee Sun-bin), a young woman driven to find out the truth behind her sister’s mysterious disappearance from their apartment complex. And while she suffers from a hearing problem, she’s inexplicably haunted by strange sounds and an eerie presence that seems to surround her.
Ghost Train
A waning YouTube fame alarms Da-kyung (Ju Hyun-young), and she becomes anxious to restore the views of her channel, Horror Queen Da-kyung. In a bid, she chases a new horror story and meets a mysterious station master of a creepy subway station. What ensues leaves Da-kyung entangled in the terror of inexplicable occurrences at the station. Ghost Train, helmed by Tak Se-woong, hits theaters on July 2, after screening at the Busan International Film Festival’s Midnight Passion category last year.
Wall to Wall
Woo-sung’s dream of owning an apartment quickly spirals out of control and leaves him drowning in debt. Adding to the misery, strange noises start creeping in from the other floors of his building. As paranoia hits, Woo-Sung teams up with a neighbor to unravel the mystery behind the sounds. Director Kim Tae-joon’s thriller, starring Kang Ha-neul as Woo-sung, is claustrophobic and horrifying, making you feel trapped and on edge. The film is scheduled for release on July 18.