Looking for a Korean movie with a little more adrenaline?

Korean cinema has no shortage of action, but the genre can take some pretty different forms. One movie might send you into a historical martial arts epic, while another throws you into a world of superpowered experiments. Then there are the revenge stories, crime thrillers, and brutally efficient assassins.

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up five Korean action movies. Each one brings something different to the table, so whether you’re looking for sword fights, superpowers, or a good old-fashioned revenge story, there’s a movie here worth adding to your watchlist.

1. Memories of the Sword

If elaborate sword fights and historical revenge are your thing, start here.

Memories of the Sword takes place during Korea’s Goryeo era and follows three swordsmen who once joined forces in an uprising against a corrupt king. Their alliance falls apart when one of them, Deok-gi, betrays the others, leading to the death of Poong-cheon and the disappearance of Seol-rang and Poong-cheon’s young daughter, Hong-ee.

Eighteen years later, Hong-ee sets out on a path of revenge.

The movie stars Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, and Kim Go-eun, bringing together three major Korean actors for a story filled with complicated loyalties and spectacular martial arts.

What makes Memories of the Sword stand out is its combination of period drama and action. The revenge story gives the swordplay an emotional purpose, while the historical setting gives the movie a sweeping, almost epic quality.

Best for: Fans of martial arts movies, historical dramas, and revenge stories.

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2. The Witch 2: The Other One

Want something a little stranger?

The Witch 2: The Other One moves away from traditional martial arts and into science fiction, horror, and superpowered action.

The sequel follows a mysterious girl who survives a violent attack on a secret facility connected to the “Witch” program. After escaping, she becomes the target of multiple groups determined to find her.

Directed by Park Hoon-jung, the film stars Shin Si-a, Park Eun-bin, Seo Eun-soo, Jin Goo, and Jo Min-su.

There’s a lot more going on beneath the surface, especially if you’ve seen The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion. But even with all the mystery surrounding the characters and the program, the movie knows when to let the action take over.

And when it does, things get intense.

Expect superhuman abilities, brutal fights, mysterious organizations, and plenty of questions about exactly what the Witch program has created.

Best for: Fans of sci-fi action, supernatural thrillers, and The Witch series.

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3. Unstoppable

Sometimes you don’t need superpowers or an elaborate historical setting.

Sometimes you just need to make the wrong person angry.

That’s essentially the premise behind Unstoppable, the 2018 action thriller starring Ma Dong-seok and Song Ji-hyo.

Dong-chul was once a legendary gangster, but he’s left that life behind and is trying to settle down with his wife, Ji-soo. His quiet existence falls apart when Ji-soo is kidnapped by a human trafficking ring.

The criminals make one major mistake: they don’t realize who they’re dealing with.

Dong-chul sets out to find his wife, drawing on the violent skills he thought he’d left in the past.

Ma Dong-seok is perfectly suited to this kind of role. There’s something particularly satisfying about watching a seemingly ordinary man gradually reveal that he’s considerably more dangerous than anyone expected.

The movie combines hard-hitting action with a straightforward rescue mission, making it one of the easiest picks on this list to jump into without needing much setup.

Best for: Fans of Ma Dong-seok, revenge-driven action, and relentless rescue thrillers.

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4. Revolver

Not every action movie needs to be nonstop explosions.

Revolver takes a slower, more controlled approach, building its tension around revenge, corruption, and a promise that turns out to be worth considerably less than expected.

The film stars Jeon Do-yeon as Ha Soo-young, a police detective who takes the fall for a corruption scandal after being promised a substantial reward. When she gets out of prison, however, she discovers that the compensation she was expecting isn’t waiting for her.

So she goes after it herself.

Directed by Oh Seung-uk, Revolver also stars Ji Chang-wook and Lim Ji-yeon, with the three actors at the center of a story where trust is in short supply.

This is the pick for anyone who likes their action with a little more crime thriller and revenge noir mixed in.

Instead of constantly escalating into bigger set pieces, Revolver lets its characters and their shifting relationships create the tension.

Best for: Fans of crime thrillers, revenge stories, and morally complicated characters.

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5. The Old Woman with the Knife

And then there’s The Old Woman with the Knife, which might have the most immediately intriguing premise of the group.

The film follows Hornclaw, a legendary assassin in her sixties who has spent decades eliminating criminals. Her routine changes when she encounters Bullfight, a young and ambitious killer who wants to work alongside her.

But Bullfight isn’t simply an admirer.

He has a connection to Hornclaw’s past, and as their relationship becomes more complicated, old memories and unresolved feelings turn into a much more dangerous confrontation.

Directed by Min Kyu-dong and starring Lee Hye-young and Kim Sung-cheol, the film mixes action with mystery and drama. It is also based on Gu Byeong-mo’s novel of the same name.

What makes this one particularly interesting is its central character. Hornclaw isn’t a young assassin discovering her abilities for the first time. She’s an experienced professional whose age has become part of the challenge.

That gives the action a different kind of edge.

Best for: Fans of assassin thrillers, character-driven action, and unconventional protagonists.

Which Korean Action Movie Should You Watch First?

It really depends on what kind of action you’re looking for.

For sword fights and historical drama: Memories of the Sword

For superpowers and sci-fi: The Witch 2: The Other One

For a straightforward revenge mission: Unstoppable

For crime and revenge: Revolver

For something completely different: The Old Woman with the Knife

That’s also what makes this group worth checking out. “Korean action movie” can mean a lot of different things, and these five films show just how much variety there is within the genre.

From Goryeo-era swordplay to secret experiments and aging assassins, there’s no shortage of ways to get your next adrenaline fix.

Ready for Some Korean Action?

Whether you’re in the mood for a historical sword fight, a superpowered showdown, or a revenge thriller, Amasian TV has plenty of Korean action movies to explore.

Add these five to your watchlist and see which one becomes your next favorite.

Watch Korean movies on Amasian TV and discover your next action-packed movie night.