Movies About North Korea

Updated May 1, 2024

Dozens of movies have talked about Movies About North Korea. Here are 17 of the best ones.

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)

★★★★

3.2 out of 4 stars

From Je-kyu Kang, starring Jang Dong-Gun, Won Bin, Eun-ju Lee, Hyeong-jin Kong
Rated R

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War is a Korean war drama directed by Je-kyu Kang and starring Jang Dong-gun and Won Bin. Set in 1952 during the Korean War, the story follows two brothers, Jin-tae and Jin-seok, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the conflict. Jin-tae is drafted into the South Korean army, while his younger brother Jin-seok follows him in order to protect him. The brothers fight together in some of the war's most brutal battles, but as they experience the horrors of war, they question their patriotism and their loyalty to each other. As the conflict intensifies, the brothers are faced with difficult choices and their brotherhood is tested. Ultimately, they must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for their country and for each other.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

★★★★

3.2 out of 4 stars

From John Frankenheimer, starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury
Rated PG-13

The Manchurian Candidate is a 1962 political thriller directed by John Frankenheimer, starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, and Angela Lansbury. Set during the Korean War, the film follows a Korean War veteran, Raymond Shaw (Harvey), who is brainwashed by the Chinese and programmed to act as a sleeper assassin. When Shaw returns home, he is hailed as an American hero. But his domineering mother (Lansbury) has sinister plans for her son, and may be in cahoots with a powerful political figure. With the help of an old war buddy (Sinatra), Shaw unravels the mystery of his mysterious past, enters a battle of wits and courage, and discovers the full extent of the Manchurian conspiracy.

Joint Security Area (2000)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Park Chan-wook, starring Lee Yeong-ae, Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho, Kim Tae-woo
Rated Not Rated

Joint Security Area is a South Korean mystery thriller film directed by Park Chan-wook. It follows the investigation of a mysterious shootout between North and South Korean soldiers at the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) separating North and South Korea. The South Korean Major Shin Jung-Tae is tasked with the case and discovers that two North Korean soldiers were killed and another was injured in the incident. Shin is convinced that the incident was caused by a third party, and his investigation leads him to Sergeant Lee Soo-hyeok, the only survivor of the North Korean side. Shin is then tasked with uncovering the truth behind the incident and understanding why the North Korean soldiers were in the DMZ. The film is a tense and gripping story about the conflict between North and South Korea, and how it affects the lives of those living in the DMZ.