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- Best Korean movies based on true stories: ‘12.12: The Day’, ‘Silenced’ And More
By Sushmita Mahanta
From Ha Jung-woo’s flawless portrayal of serial killer Young-min in The Chaser (2008) to Seoul’s coup d’état of December Twelfth in 12.12: The Day, these Korean movies based on true stories will both terrify and entertain you.
Leading our list is Kim Sung-su’s political blockbuster 12.12: The Day. The highest-grossing Korean movie of 2023, it is inspired by true events that took place in South Korea in the 1970s. The story follows the aftermath of President Park Chung-hee’s assassination and the subsequent mutiny led by General Chun Doo-hwan. Talking about the plot of the movie, director Kim said in a 2023 interview with media outlet Cine 21, “I put a lot of effort in the first part of the film – 50 days from the assassination of Park Chung Hee to the coup of December 12. This story that I experienced first-hand, might be unfamiliar to the young generation. So it was important to attract them from the start. For the second act, which is the 9 hours from the gunshot followed by the kidnapping of the Army Chief of Staff at 8 P.M. to 5:10 the next morning when the President – Chun Doo-gwang, approves the arrest of the Chief of Staff, I wanted the audiences to relate to the journalists who implement intense investigation.”
Starring Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung in leading roles, 12.12: The Day grossed over USD 97 million against a budget of USD 17 million. One of the best movies based on true stories, it has also been selected as the official South Korean entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Not to forget the Gong Yoo starrer critically acclaimed 2011 Korean movie Silenced, which is inspired by the real-life incident of mass sexual abuse of deaf students in Gwangju Inhwa school in Korea. One of the most popular Korean movies based on true stories, its release led to multiple necessary changes in child safety laws in the nation. The National Assembly of South Korea passed the Dogani Bill to abolish the statute of limitations for sex crimes against minors and disabled people, in October 2011. Meanwhile, Gwangju City officially shut down the school in November 2011.
A look at the best Korean movies based on true stories
1 /10
Memories of Murder (2003)
Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 11 min.
IMDb rating: 8.1
Synopsis: When a series of rapes and murders threaten the peace of Gyunggi Province in 1986, a special task force led by Park Doo-Man (Song) is set up to put the criminal behind bars.
Based on: This neo-noir true crime movie is loosely based on South Korea’s first confirmed serial murders, also known as the Hwaseong serial murders.
2 /10
Silenced (2011)
Directed by: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cast: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Baek Seung-hwan, Kim Hyeon-soo
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 5 min.
IMDb rating: 8
Synopsis: Gang In-ho (Gong) is a teacher at Gwangju Inhwa — a school for hearing-impaired children. Soon, he discovers that the principal abusing the students of the school. Enraged, In-ho teams up with human rights activist Seo Yu-jin (Jung) to bring the heinous crime to the attention of the public and law. But, with corrupt police and business leaders of Korea backing the school, will In-ho be able to put the criminals behind bars?
Based on: The movie tells the true story of the physical and sexual abuse that took place at the Gwangju Inhwa School for hearing-impaired students.
3 /10
A Taxi Driver (2017)
Directed by: Jang Hoon
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Ryu Jun-yeol, Yoo Hae-jin, Thomas Kretschmann
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 14 min.
IMDb rating: 7.9
Synopsis: Taxi driver Kim Man-sub (Song) is offered a huge sum of money by a foreigner (Kretschmann) to drive him from Seoul to Gwangju City. However, Man-sub is unaware that the foreigner is a German journalist who is interested in the 1980s Gwangju Uprising. Soon, Man-sub finds himself amid riots. Will he be able to drive back to safety?
Based on: The movie is inspired by the true story of German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter and his interactions with Korean driver Kim Sa-bok.
4 /10
The Chaser (2008)
Directed by: Na Hong-jin
Cast: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 5 min.
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: When one of detective-turned-pimp Jung-ho’s (Kim) prostitutes goes missing, he gets entangled in a cat-and-mouse chase with a serial killer (Ha).
Based on: It is inspired by real-life Korean serial killer Yoo Young-chul, who murdered more than 20 people and was convicted in 2005.
5 /10
12.12: The Day (2023)
Directed by: Kim Sung-su
Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-joon
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 24 min.
IMDb rating: 7.6
Synopsis: It’s 12 December 1979 and General Chun Doo-kwang’s (Hwang) military coup d’état is ready to break out in Seoul. However, the public is left in shock when they learn that the mutiny is led by Doo-kwang’s unofficial private society of military officers called Hanahoe.
Based on: The film is set against the backdrop of the coup d’état of December Twelfth — the military mutiny that took place in South Korea on 12 December 1979 and continued till the early 1980s.
6 /10
Way Back Home (2013)
Directed by: Bang Eun-jin
Cast: Jeon Do-yeon, Go Soo
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 11 min.
IMDb rating: 7.5
Synopsis: Jeong-yeon (Jeon) and Jong-bae (Go) are happily married and raising a young daughter. What happens when Jeong-yeon gets entangled in a drug ordeal miles away from home?
Based on: It tells the true story of a Korean housewife who was imprisoned for two years in Martinique after being wrongfully accused of smuggling drugs at an airport in Paris.
7 /10
The Last Princess (2016)
Directed by: Hur Jin-Ho
Cast: Son Ye-jin, Park Hae-il, Yoon Je-moon, Ra Mi-ran
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 7 min.
IMDb rating: 7.1
Synopsis: The last princess of the Korean Empire, Princess Deokhye (Son) travels to Japan to pursue higher studies. Soon, the Japanese officials capture and hold her hostage in their country. The princess fights tooth and nail to get back to Korea with the help of her military friend Kim Jang-han (Park)
Based on: It is inspired by the real-life of Princess Deokhye, the last princess of the Korean royal family.
Directed by: Won Sin-yun
Cast: Ryu Jun-yeol, Yoo Hae-jin, Jo Woo-jin, Sung Yoo-bin
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 14 min.
IMDb rating: 6.4
Synopsis: It’s the 1920s and the Korean independence militias are fighting a fierce battle against imperialist Japanese forces in Manchuria, China. Among the Korean militias are master swordsman Hwang Hae-cheol (Yoo) and an expert marksman Jang-ha (Ryu).
Based on: This period film is based on the Battle of Feng Wudong, which was fought between Korean independence militias and Japanese forces in the 1920s.
Directed by: Kim Han-min
Cast: Kim Yoon-seok, Jung Jae-young
Approx. duration: 2 hr. 33 min.
IMDb rating: 6.3
Synopsis: Seven years after Japan invades Joseon, Admiral Yi Sun-shin (Kim), along with the combined fleets of the Joseon Kingdom and the Ming Dynasty, prepares for one last battle in the Noryang Straits. Sun-shin plans to completely wipe off the Japanese navy that is breaking its blockade in an attempt to retreat from Joseon.
Based on: The movie is inspired by the real-life Battle of Noryang led by Admiral Yi Sun-Shin — the last major battle of the Japanese invasions of Korea that lasted from 1592 to 1598.
10 /10
The Point Men (2023)
Directed by: Im Soon-rye
Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Hyun Bin, Kang Ki-young
Approx. duration: 1 hr. 48 min.
IMDb rating: 6
Synopsis: When Taliban extremists abduct Korean tourists in the Middle East, the Korean government appoints diplomat Jae Ho (Hwang) for the rescue mission. He teams up with special NIS agent Dae Sik (Hyun), and together they navigate their way to saving the tourists.
Based on: Also popular as Bargaining, the movie is inspired by the true events of the 2007 hostage crisis where 23 Korean missionaries were held hostage in Afghanistan.
(Hero and Featured image: Courtesy Prime Video)
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Korean serial killer movie is based on a true story?
Korean movies based on the true story of a serial killer are 'Memories of Murder' and 'The Chaser'.
Is 'A Taxi Driver' based on a true event?
Yes, the movie is based on German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter and his interactions with Korean driver Kim Sa-bok.
Is there any Korean movie based on a true story about the Korean War?
Korean movies based on wars in Korea are 'The Battle: Roar to Victory', 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' and 'Noryang: Deadly Sea'.
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