10 Classic Korean Films to Stream for Free

I've been a watching and writing about South Korean cinema for well over a decade. So while I rejoiced to see Parasite win those four well-deserved Oscars, I was also aware that Bong Joon-ho's latest masterpiece is no anomaly. South Korea's been making great movies since the beginning of the 20th century! Below is proof: 10 movies that are at least 50 years old and are currently streaming for free via YouTube's Korean Film Archives — akin to a Turner Classic Movies outpost for the international set. (Please note: My blog is more a record of what I watch than a traditional review site. Because of that, spoilers abound in the linked reviews.)

1. Stray Bullet (1960): The Koreans have a rep for making kick-ass gangster films but Yu Hyun-mok's thrilling neo-realist tragedy shows that they've been masters of other forms for a long time too. (Read review) (Watch movie)

2. A Flower in Hell (1958): Forgive me for putting two bleak pics back-to-back at the top but once you've seen Shin Sang-ok's ultimate bad girl pic, you'll understand why I'm such a Choi Eun-hie fanatic. (Read review) (Watch movie)

3. Transgression (1974): Though best known for The Housemaid and its psychosexual offspring, director Kim Ki-young's equally nutso tale of three initiates in the running to helm a monastery remains my all-time favorite by this offbeat auteur. (Read review) (Watch movie)

4. Hometown in Heart (1949): Who doesn't relish a coming-of-age story with a talented young actor (Min Yu) as the lead? If you like The 400 Blows and Lady Bird then this is the one for you. (Read review) (Watch movie)

5. Yangsan Province (1955): As styles go, "folk" is probably the hardest to manifest on the silver screen but Kim Ki-young's first flick manages to shun naturalism while telling timeless truths. (Read review) (Watch movie)

6. Madame White Snake (1960): As a gay man, I feel obliged to put something unapologetically camp on this list. This fantasy involving a seductress who's also a snake who's also a witch should suffice. (Read review) (Watch movie)

7. The Sea Knows (1961): Sections of this war pic are sadistic. Other parts are preposterous. But the ending blew me away, proving that a great end can justify the label "necessary viewing." (Read review) (Watch movie)

8. The Widow (1955): The first Korean film directed by a woman was stiffed by distributors. Let's remedy that: Park Nam-ok's drama prominently featuring male eye candy deserves a bigger audience despite some missing footage! (Read review) (Watch movie)

9. Empty Dream (1965): In a way, you could say this is what would happen if you crossed the original Little Shop of Horrors with L'Age d'Or. I know that doesn't make sense. Neither does the movie but oh my... (Read review) (Watch movie)

10. The Night Before Independence Day (1948): Early Korean cinema was known for its byeonsas, narrators employed by the theater to act out the story. This seedy portrait of society's underbelly is a fascinating example. Admittedly not for everyone but definitely for me. (Read review) (Watch movie)