9 Korean movies to watch in 2021: K-pop idols Bae Suzy and Exo’s Sehun, plus actors like Park Seo-joon and Son Ye-jin, star in the hottest new Asian films coming soon

Nov 16 , 2020

Post-apocalyptic Concrete Utopia is just one of the many Korean films you can look forward to from 2021 onwards. Photo: Zapzee

The stars from hit K-movies such as The Pirates, City of the Rising Sun and Parasite return to the silver screen in spy thrillers, romantic dramas, period adventures and more

The film industry is facing an unprecedented crisis with the Covid-19 pandemic, and South Korea is no exception. Still, as we adjust to our “new normal”, actors and film crews have started to get back to work, albeit in a variety of socially distanced ways – with a number of big screen titles already wrapped on set and given the go-ahead to finish production.

As we look forward to the cinema release schedule being repopulated with blockbusters, here are nine K-movies you can look forward to watching from 2021.

Concrete Utopia

Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned (2016) director Uhm Tae-hwa returns with the film Concrete Utopia (working title), which is about the aftermath of a massive earthquake that destroys Seoul. Based on a webtoon that gained popularity for its candid portrayal of people’s true natures in the face of an unexpected disaster, the film depicts the struggles of the survivors who live at Hwanwoong Apartment, the only building left standing. Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young are confirmed cast members.

The Pirates: Goblin Flag

The sequel to period adventure film The Pirates (2014) starring Son Ye-jin and Kim Nam-gil, The Pirates: Goblin Flag features The Accidental Detective (2015) director Kim Jeong-hoon and screenwriter Chun Sung-il, who reprises his role. The film depicts a rousing ocean battle between pirates, bandits and pioneers searching for the lost treasure of the royal Goryeo family, which disappeared in a whale attack before the founding of the Joseon dynasty. The colourful cast includes Exo’s Sehun, Kang Ha-neul, Han Hyo-joo, Lee Kwang-soo, Kwon Sang-woo, Chae Soo-bin and Kim Sung-oh, who started filming in July.

Soul Mate