Best Korean Gangster Movies to Watch Right Now in 2024 [Ranked]

Korean cinema has long been known for its gritty and intense gangster films, which often explore the darker side of human nature. From the streets of Seoul to the mountains of Busan, these movies take viewers on a thrilling ride through the world of organized crime.

In this article, I’ll count down the 12 best Korean gangster movies that you should definitely watch right now.

Let’s take a look at these. 

12 Best Korean Gangster Movies to Watch Right Now 

Here are the 12 best Korean Gangster movies that you should definitely watch right now. 

1. Kill Boksoon

“Kill Boksoon” is a South Korean action film that premiered on Netflix in 2023. The movie follows the story of Gil Boksoon, a highly skilled and deadly assassin who works for MK Entertainment. 

The story begins with Boksoon taking on a grade-A assassination to stage the suicide of a student. However, things don’t go as planned, and she is forced to fight for her life to both survive and protect her daughter. 

2. The Chaser

This South Korean thriller delves into the dark world of prostitution and serial murder. The story revolves around Jung-ho, a former cop turned pimp who runs a small ring of call girls.

Jung-ho is frustrated because several of his girls have gone missing without clearing their debts, and he suspects that someone is stealing them and selling them to other clients.

3. The gangster, The cop, the devil 

Here, the story revolves around Jang Dong-Soo, a powerful crime boss in Cheonan, and Detective Jung Tae-Seok, a dedicated and honest cop who teams up with Dong-Soo to track down a serial killer.

Throughout the movie, the tension builds as the two unlikely partners work together to track down the killer. The climax of the movie is both intense and emotional as Dong-Soo and Tae-Suk finally confront the killer.

4. The yellow sea 

Gu-nam, is a Korean cab driver who lives in a frontier city over the Chinese border. His wife left to work in South Korea and made a commitment to send money back, but he hasn’t heard from her and has nightmares about her having an extramarital affair.

Gu-nam is fired from his job, and debt collectors take most of his severance pay. Dog seller and underworld crime boss Myeon-ga offers him a deal: if Gu-nam goes to South Korea and successfully carries out a hit, he will be paid ¥57,000 ($10,000 USD). 

Gu-nam accepts the deal and leaves for Korea on a rickety fishing boat with $500 dollars for his expenses.

5. The Outlaws

This movie, which Kang Yoon-sung directed, is based on actual events that occurred in 2004 during the Chinese-Korean gang mop-up operation in Garibong, Seoul. Detective Ma Seok-do  is tasked with controlling the gang wars between the Venom Gang and the Cobra Gang. 

However, the situation escalates when Jang Chen, the ruthless leader of the Black Dragon Gang from China, arrives in the area.  As the conflict between the gangs grows, Detective Ma and his team face the daunting task of restoring peace to the neighborhood. 

6. Inside men 

“The Insiders” movie delves into the dark world of power and corruption in Korean society, exploring the complex relationships between politicians, media moguls, and gangsters.

The story revolves around three main characters: Ahn Sang-goo, a former political henchman; Lee Kang-hee, the Editor-in-Chief of a leading conservative newspaper; and Woo Jang-hoon, a young and ambitious prosecutor. Throughout the movie, the tension builds as the three characters navigate the complex web of power and corruption.

7. No Mercy

Im Gyeong-taek is the director of the 2019 South Korean action film “No Mercy.

The movie follows the story of Park In-ae, a former hand-to-hand combat instructor in the Korean Army who works as a female bodyguard. After being released from prison, In-ae learns that her autistic sister, Eun-hye, has been kidnapped and is being trafficked.

Determined to rescue her sister, In-ae sets out on a ruthless pursuit of the traffickers, using her combat skills to take down anyone who gets in her way.

8. New World

“New World” follows the story of an undercover police officer named Ja-sung (played by Lee Jung-jae) who infiltrates a powerful crime syndicate called the Goldmoon group. 

Over the course of 8 years, Ja-sung rises through the ranks of the organization, becoming a trusted member of the group. As the tension builds between Jung Chung and Su-ki, Ja-sung finds himself caught in the middle. He develops a close relationship with Jung Chung, even as he knows he must ultimately betray him. 

9. Forgotten 

This psychological thriller film that follows the story of Jin-seok, a young boy who moves into a new home with his family. The film begins with Jin-seok and his family settling into their new home, but things take a dark turn when Jin-seok witnesses his older brother Yoo-seok being kidnapped by a group of men.

The story unfolds as Jin-seok tries to uncover the truth behind his brother’s disappearance and the strange occurrences in their new home. He notices that his brother is different when he returns after 19 days, and Jin-seok becomes convinced that someone has replaced his brother.

10. Extreme job 

“Extreme Job” is a 2019 South Korean action comedy film directed by Lee Byeong-Heon, starring Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Hanee, Jin Seon-kyu, Lee Dong-hwi, and Gong Myung. 

The film follows the story of a group of young narcotics detectives who are tasked with carrying out undercover surveillance of an international drug gang. Their stakeout location is a chicken restaurant, which they decided to purchase to use for their operation.

11. Innocent witness 

This film tells the story of a lawyer named Soon-ho who is tasked with defending a housekeeper named Mi-ran accused of murdering her employer. The only witness to the crime is Ji-woo, a teenage girl with autism.

Soon-ho is initially skeptical of Ji-woo’s testimony but decides to meet her and befriend her in order to prove her testimony was false.As Soon-ho spends more time with Ji-woo, he begins to understand her unique perspective on the world and her struggles with social interactions. 

12. Decision to leave

Last but not least, “Decision to Leave” film follows the story of a detective named Hae-joon who is investigating the death of a man in the mountains. 

The film begins with the discovery of a man’s body in the mountains. The police investigation reveals that the man, Ki Do-soo, was an avid climber who died under suspicious circumstances. 

The detective, Hae-joon, is tasked with solving the case and soon becomes fixated on the dead man’s wife, Seo-rae. As he digs deeper into the investigation, he finds himself drawn to Seo-rae’s enigmatic nature and becomes convinced that she is hiding something.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it—the 12 best Korean gangster movies that will keep you hooked from start to finish. From the gritty realism of “The Yellow Sea” to the over-the-top action of “The Outlaws”, these films showcase the best of Korean cinema’s gangster genre. 

My personal favorite? Well, I would definitely recommend “The Chaser” and “Decision to Leave.” So, which Korean gangster movie would you choose first? Let us know in the comments section below.