Box Office Hits: Most Popular Korean Movies of 2019

2019 marked a watershed year for Korean cinema, with domestic films claiming unprecedented dominance at the local box office while simultaneously achieving historic international recognition. This was the year that saw comedy king the charts with “Extreme Job” becoming the second highest-grossing film in Korean history, while Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” began its journey to Oscar glory. The year’s top Korean films showcased the industry’s versatility, from slapstick police comedies to sophisticated social thrillers, proving that Korean cinema had truly come of age both commercially and artistically.

Top Korean Films of 2019

1. 극한직업 – Extreme Job

Genre: Comedy
Director: 이병헌 (Lee Byeong-heon)
Total Korean audience: 16.27M

Narcotics detectives go undercover and start a chicken restaurant to take down a gang. To the surprise of the detectives, the restaurant becomes wildly popular, complicating their mission. Starring 류승룡 (Ryu Seung-ryong) as the bumbling squad chief and 이하늬 (Lee Ha-nee) as the team’s ace detective, this action-comedy became South Korea’s second highest-grossing film of all time. The film cleverly satirizes both police procedurals and the competitive Korean fried chicken industry, with 진선규 (Jin Seon-kyu), 이동휘 (Lee Dong-hwi), and 공명 (Gong Myung) rounding out the detective squad. The movie’s success was driven by its perfect blend of slapstick humor, well-choreographed action sequences, and genuine chemistry among the cast members who portray incompetent cops who accidentally become successful restaurateurs. The film tapped into the Korean cultural obsession with both crime films and food culture, creating a uniquely Korean blockbuster that resonated across all age groups.

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2. 기생충 – Parasite

Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: 봉준호 (Bong Joon-ho)
Total Korean audience: 10.08M

봉준호’s masterpiece stars 송강호 (Song Kang-ho) as the patriarch of the Kim family, who along with his wife 장혜진 (Jang Hye-jin), son 최우식 (Choi Woo-shik), and daughter 박소담 (Park So-dam), infiltrate the wealthy Park family’s household through an elaborate con. The Parks, played by 이선균 (Lee Sun-kyun) and 조여정 (Cho Yeo-jeong), represent Korea’s oblivious upper class. This dark comedy-thriller became the first Korean film to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes and later swept the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, and International Feature Film. The film’s layered metaphors about class inequality, masterful cinematography, and shocking plot twists resonated globally while maintaining distinctly Korean sensibilities. The haunting performance by 박명훈 (Park Myung-hoon) as the Parks’ driver adds another dimension to this incisive social commentary. The film’s exploration of the “line that cannot be crossed” between social classes struck a universal chord, making it both a critical darling and commercial success.

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3. 엑시트 – EXIT

Genre: Comedy/Action
Director: 이상근 (Lee Sang-geun)
Total Korean audience: 9.42M

조정석 (Jo Jung-suk) stars as an unemployed rock climber who must use his climbing skills to save people when a mysterious toxic gas engulfs Seoul. 임윤아 (Im Yoon-ah) plays his college crush who becomes his partner in this vertical escape adventure. The film takes place almost entirely on the exteriors of buildings as the duo climbs, jumps, and swings between skyscrapers to escape the rising poisonous fog. The movie cleverly combines disaster movie tropes with romantic comedy elements, while the leads’ chemistry and death-defying stunts keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The supporting cast, including 고두심 (Go Doo-shim) and 박인환 (Park In-hwan) as concerned family members, adds emotional weight to the high-altitude thrills. EXIT became a surprise summer blockbuster, proving that Korean cinema could successfully blend genres while maintaining technical excellence in action sequences. The film’s unique premise and execution demonstrated the creativity and innovation that characterized Korean cinema in 2019.

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The Year in Review

2019 will be remembered as the year Korean cinema proved it could dominate both domestically and internationally. With “Extreme Job” shattering box office records through pure entertainment value and “Parasite” earning critical acclaim worldwide, Korean films demonstrated their ability to succeed on multiple fronts. The success of “EXIT” further showed that Korean filmmakers could create high-concept blockbusters that rival Hollywood productions while maintaining local flavor. These three films alone drew over 35 million admissions domestically, showcasing the Korean public’s strong support for homegrown cinema. As the decade closed, Korean cinema stood poised for even greater global influence, with these 2019 releases serving as perfect ambassadors for the creativity, technical prowess, and storytelling excellence that define contemporary Korean filmmaking.