Survival movies offer a special appeal to audiences thanks to their suspenseful and action-packed storylines. From thrilling moments in extreme conditions to complex survival tactics. Here are some of the best Korean movie recommendations on the theme of survival that you absolutely must watch.
Best Survival Korean Movie Recommendations
10. Rampant – 2018
Lee Chung (Hyun Bin) was a prince of the Joseon Dynasty who came under the rule of the Qing Dynasty. He is known as a highly skilled swordsman. His brother, Lee Young, will soon become king.
However, the royal advisor, Kim Ja Joon (Jang Dong Gun), unfairly accused Lee Young of attempting rebellion, which led to his suicide. After the incident, Kim Ja Joon’s troops attack a ship owned by Europeans and are suddenly attacked by a group of zombies.
On the other hand, Lee Chung returned to Joseon at his brother’s request. Upon arriving in Joseon with his bodyguards, Lee Chung was attacked by Ja Joon’s followers. The fight attracts the attention of the zombies, but Lee Chung and his bodyguards are rescued by the locals.
A soldier urges Lee Chung to take over the throne immediately before Ja Joon brings destruction to the Joseon Dynasty.
9. Pandora – 2016
The next best Korean survival movie recommendation is Pandora, released in 2016. Jae Hyeok (Kim Nam Gil) and his colleagues work at a nuclear power plant located near their village.
He is in a relationship with Yeon Joo (Kim Joo Hyun) and lives with his mother (Kim Young Ae), sister-in-law (Moon Jeong Hee), and nephew (Bae Gang Yoo). Although the condition of the nuclear power plant is not safe, the government continues to push for its operation. Pyung Sub (Jung Jin Young), who is also an employee at the nuclear power plant, reports the real situation to the President.
However, the government seems unconcerned and underestimates the conditions at the NPP. There has been an earthquake that caused a leak in the cooling system of the nuclear power plant, which led to an explosion that resulted in many casualties.
As a result, radiation from the nuclear plant spread, triggering panic among the public and causing riots. To prevent a repeat of the nuclear disaster, Jae Hyeok and his team return to the NPP to address the leak.
8. Exit – 2019
Yong Nam (Jo Jung Suk), a rock climber and climbing club member in college, attends his mother’s 70th birthday at a building. At the event, he meets Eui Joo (Yoona), a girl he has a crush on and also a member of the rock climbing club.
A mysterious man leaks a truck tank filled with poisonous gas that spreads in the city. Yong Nam attempts to save his family by trying to climb to the roof of the building to get helicopter help. However, the roof door was locked and the key was left on the floor contaminated with toxic gas.
Yong Nam and Eui Joo tried to open the door with their rock climbing skills, but there was not enough help for everyone. As the toxic gas spread further, they decided to seek higher ground using their rock climbing skills in order to get help.
7. Time to Hunt – 2020
Next up is Time to Hunt. The movie is set in the future, when a crisis hits in various places. In the midst of this difficult situation, Joon Seok (Lee Je Hoon) plans to leave the city.
Together with his friends Ki Hoon (Choi Woo Shik), Jang Ho (Ahn Jae Hong), and Sang Soo (Park Jung Min), Joon Seok plans a grand heist at the largest illegal gambling venue in South Korea.
However, their plan did not go as expected, as they accidentally took something that was crucial to the gambling establishment.
As a result, they became the target of a hitman named Han (Park Hae Soo). They were forced to find a place to hide and escape in order to save themselves.
6. Peninsula – 2020
Although it has a different storyline, Peninsula is the second sequel to Train to Busan. Survivors of South Korea’s zombie outbreak are relocated to neighboring countries. Jung Suk (Kang Dong Won) and his older family also escape to Hong Kong.
However, while on the ship, his brother and nephew were infected and turned into zombies. After four years living in Hong Kong as refugees with his brother-in-law, Jung Suk and his brother-in-law returned to South Korea to complete a mission, which was to retrieve a truck filled with money.
At the location, they were attacked by zombies, and Jung Suk was saved by Joon Yi (Lee Re) and Yoo Jin (Lee Ye Won), while his brother-in-law remained in the truck and was caught by Captain Hwang’s (Kim Min Jae) group.
Jung Suk then met Min Jung (Lee Jung Hyun) and told her everything that had happened. Finally, they try to find the truck again so they can evacuate and save themselves.
5. Train to Bussan – 2016
The next best survival Korean movie recommendation is Train to Bussan. Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) is a father who lives with his daughter, Soo An (Kim Soo Ahn). One day before her birthday, Soo An wants to visit her mother in Busan, and Seok Woo fulfills her daughter’s request.
The next morning, they leave for Busan by train from Seoul station. Meanwhile, chaos ensues due to the spread of a virus that turns infected people into zombies.
Later, one infected person jumped onto a train bound for Busan and transmitted the virus to the passengers on board. Many passengers on the train are infected, resulting in chaos. Seok Woo and the other passengers try to escape and survive.
4. Ashfall – 2019
Next up is the 2019 release Ashfall. This movie tells the story of the eruption of Mount Baekdu, which could threaten the destruction of the Korean peninsula.
A government official named Jeon Yoo Kyung (Jeon Hye Jin) asks Kang Bong Rae (Ma Dong Seok), a researcher of Mount Baekdu, to find a way to minimize the damage caused.
To carry out the plan based on Kang Bong Rae’s theory, a special team was formed that would go to North Korea to complete a specific mission. The team is led by Jo In Chang (Ha Jung Woo), an expert in blasting. Jo In Chang must be willing to leave his wife, Choi Ji Young (Bae Suzy), who is pregnant.
Jo In Chang’s squad only made it to North Korea by accident, where he met Lee Joon Pyeong, a former member of the North Korean Ministry of Armed Forces. After some conflict, they work together to complete the mission and find a solution to the eruption of Mount Baekdu.
3. Tunnel – 2016
Lee Jung Soo (Ha Jung Woo) is a husband of Se Hyun (Bae Doo Na), they have a daughter. He planned to return to his home to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. However, as he passed through a tunnel, an accident occurred. The tunnel Jung Soo was traveling through collapsed and fell on everyone underneath.
When Jung Soo woke up, he found himself trapped in a car that was wedged under the rubble of the tunnel. Quickly, Jung Soo called for help.
In the car, he only had his son’s birthday cake, two bottles of water, and his cell phone. Together with Dae Kyung (Oh Dal Su), who is the leader of the rescue team, Jung Soo tries to survive and escape the tunnel.
2. #Alive – 2020
The next best survival Korean movie recommendation is #Alive featuring Yoo Ah In and Park Shin Hye. The movie #Alive tells the story of the spread of a virus that turns humans into zombies.
The main character, Oh Joon Woo (Yoo Ah In), is a gamer who lives alone at home as his parents are at work and his sister is at school. When the outbreak breaks out, chaos ensues. All internet access was cut off, making it difficult for Joon Woo to contact his parents.
Joon Woo hears his family being attacked by zombies over the phone from his mother, which makes him want to end his life. However, while attempting suicide, he sees the light of Kim Yoo Bin, a survivor who lives across from his apartment.
The light gives Joon Woo hope for life, and eventually the two of them decide to fight together for survival.
1. The Call – 2020
Seo Yeon (Park Shin Hye), a modern woman, finds an old phone in her childhood home that connects her to Young Sook (Jun Jong Seo) from the past. They establish a friendship, and Seo Yeon asks Young Sook to save her father in the past.
In return, Young Sook asked Seo Yeon to find out about her life in the present. This makes Young Sook realize that she is not living a good life right now.
Because of this, Young Sook plans to take revenge, which puts Seo Yeon and her family’s lives in danger. Seo Yeon struggles to maintain her safety and protect her family.
