Korean horror, or K-horror, has been regarded for its distinctive style, bloody violence, and disturbing imagery. It shares many similarities to J-horror with its psychologically dark plotlines and social commentaries. K-horror achieved international attention alongside J-horror with a boom in the late 1990s. Subsequent English-language remakes have followed numerous original K-horrors, many of which have been panned by critics.
Phone Phone is a monumental addition to K-horror, and it remains one of the most popular. Taking more of a supernatural approach, this chilling horror follows Ji-won in her investigation into a series of menacing phone calls she is receiving. In an effort to escape the calls, she changes her number and moves into a house owned by her sister Ho-jeong . Soon, the calls continue and Ho-jeong’s daughter Yeong-ju begins acting strangely.
The Host Bong Joon-ho is now a name recognized all over the world thanks to his history-making masterpiece Parasite, but in 2006, his career was just getting started. His third feature was the dazzling monster movie The Host, a genre-mashup of horror, action, and black comedy with strong political background. Bong was inspired to write the film after he read a news story about gallons of formaldehyde being dumped into the Han River by the US military.
Stunningly shot, particularly in one mesmerizing scene, in which Sang-hyun and Tae-ju bounce from rooftop to rooftop, this K-horror is a masterstroke from Park. Hopefully, he will take another stab at the horror genre in the near future. Jung’s directorial debut was an unexpected hit topping the Korean box office on its opening weekend. In 2021, it received an American remake directed by Joel David Moore, and starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The remake performed poorly, and was critically panned.