Gangster Films S. Korean Style
by pattonfever | created - 09 Jan 2012 | updated - 27 Aug 2013 | PublicThis is the first part of a genere list of moslty Korean films. Maybe a couple of other Asian countries thrown in the mix, but all in the crime genre. I tried to have just serious gangster films. So My Wife is a Gangster and films like this did not make this list. I hate the fact that imdb rarely has pictures and info for korean films, but I assure if I put it on the list its worth watching.
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1. New World (2013)
Not Rated | 135 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An undercover cop finds it difficult to play both a cop and a goon.
Director: Park Hoon-jung | Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jung-min, Park Sung-woong
Votes: 26,374 | Gross: $0.46M
2. Election (2005)
Unrated | 101 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Rival gang leaders are locked in a struggle to become the new chairman of Hong Kong's Triad society.
Director: Johnnie To | Stars: Louis Koo, Suet Lam, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Eddie Cheung
Votes: 11,375
3. Soo (2007)
Not Rated | 122 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A legendary assassin and a renowned problem solver, Soo has been searching for the twin brother he has not seen since their days in an orphanage. But his brother is murdered when he turns ... See full summary »
Director: Yôichi Sai | Stars: Ji Jin-hee, Kang Seong-yeon, Oh Man-seok, Lee Ki-young
Votes: 418
4. No Mercy for the Rude (2006)
121 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A mute hit-man vows to kill only the rude, and save up enough money for tongue surgery.
Director: Cheol-hie Park | Stars: Shin Ha-kyun, Yun Ji-hye, Kim Min-joon, Kim Byeong-Ok
Votes: 1,760
5. Rough Cut (2008)
Not Rated | 113 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A gangster who wants to be an actor; an actor more gangster than anything. Here their paths and lives begin to cross.
Director: Hun Jang | Stars: So Ji-seob, Ko Chang-seok, Jang Hie-jin, Kang Ji-hwan
Votes: 3,000
6. A Bittersweet Life (2005)
Not Rated | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Things go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn't follow his boss's orders.
Directors: Jung Doo Hong, Jee-woon Kim | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Kim Yeong-cheol, Hwang Jung-min
Votes: 42,930
7. The Show Must Go On (2007)
Not Rated | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A light hearted action noir about a part time gangster who tries to be a full time daddy and wants to live a peaceful life with his family despite of being in trouble almost all the time, due to his profession.
Director: Han Jae-rim | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Oh Dal-su, Choi Il-hwa, Yun Je-mun
Votes: 1,658
8. A Dirty Carnival (2006)
Not Rated | 140 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A small time thug collecting debts for the local triad is torn between his criminal aspirations and his devotion to family.
Director: Ha Yoo | Stars: Zo In-sung, Chun Ho-jin, Min Nam-koong, Lee Bo-young
Votes: 9,239
9. Election 2 (2006)
Unrated | 93 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
As election time nears, current Triad chairman Lok (Yam) faces competition from his godsons. At the same time, Jimmy (Koo) looks to increase his business relations with mainland China.
Director: Johnnie To | Stars: Louis Koo, Simon Yam, Nick Cheung, Ka-Tung Lam
Votes: 6,903 | Gross: $0.05M
10. Gangster High (2006)
100 min | Action, Crime
A group of friends form a soccer team and call themselves "Tigers". The group gets into a fight seniors at their school and other students begin to view them differently. One of the friends... See full summary »
Director: Ki-hyeong Park | Stars: Jung Kyung-ho, Go Gyu-pil, Jang Hie-jin, Yeon Je-wook
Votes: 1,171
11. The City of Violence (2006)
92 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
After their childhood friend is murdered, a two-man martial arts army beats a path to the perp.
Director: Ryu Seung-wan | Stars: Ryu Seung-wan, Lee Beom-su, Kim Byeong-Ok, Jo Deok-hyeon
Votes: 4,772
12. Friend (2001)
Not Rated | 113 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Four childhood friends go their separate ways, two go off to college while the others become rival gangsters.
Director: Kyung-taek Kwak | Stars: Yu Oh-seong, Jang Dong-Gun, Seo Tae-hwa, Un-taek Jeong
Votes: 5,324
13. Ma-rin-bo-ee (2009)
118 min | Action, Thriller
A swim instructor loses everything he has and is offered a debt free life if he smuggles drugs into the country by swimming underwater.
Director: Jong-seok Yoon | Stars: Kim Kang-woo, Cho Jae-hyun, Park Si-yeon, Lee Won-jong
Votes: 359
14. Sunflower (2006)
Not Rated | 117 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Released from prison, Taesik goes to live with an adopted mother. He takes a job and tries to live a quiet life with his new family. His efforts are threatened when a politician seeks to knock the family restaurant down to build a mall.
Director: Seok-beom Kang | Stars: Kim Byeong-Ok, Ji Dae-han, Park Eun-hye, Jeong Eun-pyo
Votes: 2,478
This is one fantastic film. Not your usual gangster picture. If there ever was a date gangster film this would be it. But don't let that scare you away. It's still a very cool gangster film just with heart. One of my favs.
15. Bloody Tie (2006)
Not Rated | 117 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A low-level drug pusher is pressured by a corrupt cop to help him catch a local drug lord.
Director: Ho Choi | Stars: Ryu Seung-beom, Hwang Jung-min, Kim Hee-ra, Chu Ja-hyeon
Votes: 787
16. Cruel Winter Blues (2006)
Not Rated | 118 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Along with a partner, a small-time crook arrives at the hometown of his mentor's killer to seek revenge, but gets caught in a fix upon befriending the killer's mother.
Director: Lee Jeong-beom | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Jo Han-sun, Na Moon-hee, Woo-Sung Choi
Votes: 797
17. Hindsight (2011)
Not Rated | 122 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A young assassin is sent to kill a retired mob boss. But things get complicated when she begins to like him.
Director: Hyun-seung Lee | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Shin Se-Kyung, Cheon Jeong-myeong, Kim Min-joon
Votes: 1,526
18. The General's Son (1990)
108 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The first chapter of the the General's Son trilogy follows Kim Du-Han's childhood, from the loss of his mother at age 8, to his rise as a gang leader who protects local vendors from expanding Yakuza forces in Japanese occupied Korea.
Director: Im Kwon-taek | Stars: Park Sang-min, Shin Hyeon-jun, Il-jae Lee, Bang Eun-hee
Votes: 255
19. Terrorist (1995)
108 min | Action
Two orphan brothers grow up dreaming of becoming police officers. However, twisted fate separates the two and leads them to opposite sides of the law.
Director: Young-bin Kim | Stars: Choi Min-soo, Lee Kyoung-young, Yum Jung-ah, Huh Joon-ho
Votes: 98
20. Geo-rook-han-ge-bo (2006)
Not Rated | 126 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
After learning his boss betrayed him, a mob lackey plans to break out of prison and take revenge.
Director: Jin Jang | Stars: Jeong Jae-yeong, Jeong Jun-ho, Ryu Seung-ryong, Won-tae Choi
Votes: 460
21. The Unjust (2010)
Not Rated | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When the most probable serial killer suspect dies and the case looks like it's reached a dead end, police brass decide to create a killer - and anyone will do.
Director: Ryu Seung-wan | Stars: Hwang Jung-min, Ryu Seung-beom, Yoo Hae-jin, Chun Ho-jin
Votes: 2,554
22. The Yellow Sea (2010)
R | 136 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When the attempt to kill a professor goes wrong, a series of violent events are triggered which force a taxi driver to run for his life.
Director: Na Hong-jin | Stars: Lee Yoo-mi, Ha Jung-woo, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Yoon-seok
Votes: 22,961
23. The Man from Nowhere (2010)
R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.
Director: Lee Jeong-beom | Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won
Votes: 74,873 | Gross: $0.01M
24. Oldboy (2003)
R | 120 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Votes: 636,163 | Gross: $0.71M
25. Breathless (2008)
Not Rated | 130 min | Crime, Drama
A bitter loan shark strikes a friendship with a troubled schoolgirl as he faces his own troubled past with his abusive father.
Director: Yang Ik-joon | Stars: Kim Kkobbi, Hwan Lee, Yang Ik-joon, Jeong-soon Park
Votes: 5,563
26. Running Turtle (2009)
117 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Jo Pil-seong, a rural detective, is an unhappy husband, often blamed by his older wife for gambling. Despite her being hard on him, he steals money from her to bet on bull butting. ... See full summary »
Director: Yeon-woo Lee | Stars: Kim Yoon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Seon Woo-seon, Gyeon Mi-ri
Votes: 676
27. Kang Chul-jung: Gonggongui jeog 1-1 (2008)
Not Rated | 127 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
KANG Chul-jung has been a detective fighting crime for 15 years and is at it again against a mob boss who recruits young kids to do his dirty work.
Director: Kang Woo-suk | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Jeong Jae-yeong, Han Cheol-woo, Park Chil-yong
Votes: 520
28. Infernal Affairs (2002)
R | 101 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.
Directors: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak | Stars: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Eric Tsang
Votes: 131,487 | Gross: $0.17M
29. Infernal Affairs II (2003)
Not Rated | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
In this prequel to Mou gaan dou (2002), Chan Wing Yan has just become an undercover cop in the triads while Lau Kin Ming joins the police force. Both the triads and the police find an enemy in a rival crime boss.
Directors: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak | Stars: Edison Chen, Shawn Yue, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Francis Ng
Votes: 19,775
30. Infernal Affairs III (2003)
Not Rated | 118 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Months after the events of the original film, Ming suspects a police superintendent as being a new mole for the triads, while years earlier, Yan embarks on his first mission.
Directors: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Andy Lau, Leon Lai, Daoming Chen
Votes: 14,730
31. Another Public Enemy (2005)
R | 148 min | Action, Drama
A public prosecutor looks to bring down a corrupt public official.
Director: Kang Woo-suk | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Jeong Jun-ho, Kang Shin-il, Park Geun-hyeong
Votes: 685
32. A Better Tomorrow (2010)
R | 124 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Arms trafficker Hyuk and Young-chun are practically brothers and nothing can separate them. When the two managed to escape from North Korea, they left behind Hyuk's younger brother Chul. ... See full summary »
Director: Hae-sung Song | Stars: Ju Jin-mo, Song Seung-heon, Kim Kang-woo, Jo Han-sun
Votes: 1,175
33. My Tutor Friend (2003)
110 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
A man from a wealthy family who should be in his second year of college, is still finishing his highschool requirements. His family hire a tutor for him who is his own age but she comes from a poor background.
Director: Kyeong-hyeong Kim | Stars: Kim Ha-neul, Kwon Sang-woo, Baek Il-seob, Ji-woo Kim
Votes: 2,552
34. I Am a Dad (2010)
99 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A corrupt detective infiltrates a gang and tries to save his daughter. One day he finds out the heart his daughter would receive as a transplant is from a magician he falsely accused.
Directors: Se-Yeong Lee, Man-bae Jeon | Stars: Kim Seung-woo, Son Byung-ho, Ha-ryong Lim, Choi Jeong-Yoon
Votes: 266
35. Boys of Tomorrow (2006)
93 min | Drama
Earning a living as a driver for rent, Ki-su lives in a studio flat in the basement floor. When he feels choked up, he tries not to let go of hope by playing on the drums. Out of guilt that... See full summary »
Director: Dong-seok No | Stars: Yoo Ah-in, Byeong-seok Kim, Choi Jae-sung, Dong-ho Lee
Votes: 120
36. Miseuteo Sokeurateseu (2005)
109 min | Action, Crime
A low-life scumbag gets kidnapped by a mysterious gang and put through inhumane training to become a mole inside the police force.
Director: Jin-won Choi | Stars: Kang Shin-il, Lee Jong-hyuk, Yoon Tae-young, Park Chul-min
Votes: 498
37. Running Wild (2006)
Not Rated | 124 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Hot-blooded district attorney Jin-woo and undisciplined cop Do-young want the same thing; justice. Their methods are completely different but they team up to catch and prosecute a powerful mafia boss and politician YOO.
Director: Kim Seong-soo | Stars: Kwon Sang-woo, Yoo Ji-tae, Son Byung-ho, Son Byung-wook
Votes: 866
38. Gang-jeok (2006)
Not Rated | 118 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Su-hyun wants to leave the syndicate and opens a small restaurant. Helping his life-long friend from an orphanage, he gets arrested for a murder that he didn't commit. To catch the real ... See full summary »
Director: Min-ho Cho | Stars: Park Joong-hoon, Cheon Jeong-myeong, Yoo In-young, Chang-min Choi
Votes: 255
39. Ddukbang (2006)
94 min | Action, Crime
After living separate lives, three men try to reset their former turf that is now infested with gangsters to it's former glory .
Director: Beom-gu Cho | Stars: Lee Cheon-hee, Oh Dal-su, Jo Hie-bong, Lim Hyeon-shik
Votes: 278
40. Fate (2008)
123 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Four friends bound by destiny and unbeatable in the dark world. When a casino attack goes wrong as a result of betrayal, fate turns them into enemies. Now, forced to aim the gun at each other's hearts, their unavoidable battle begins.
Director: Kim Hae-gon | Stars: Song Seung-heon, Kwon Sang-woo, Hyunri, Min Ji-ah
Votes: 306
41. Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012)
Not Rated | 134 min | Action, Crime, Drama
On the verge of being fired, a corrupt customs official finds a haul of drugs and teams up with a vicious gangster to become the most powerful crime partnership in Busan.
Director: Yoon Jong-bin | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong, Ma Dong-seok
Votes: 7,305
42. Once Upon a Time in Seoul (2008)
Not Rated | 98 min | Drama, War
(Korean with English subtitles) 1953, the Korean war has ended. Most of the country is war-torn and in shambles. Two young boys living in a refugee camp are doing their best living in these... See full summary »
Director: Hyeong-jun Bae | Stars: Wan Lee, Song Chang-ui, Greena Park, Lee Ki-young
Votes: 199
43. Once Upon a Time in High School: The Spirit of Jeet Kune Do (2004)
Not Rated | 116 min | Action, Drama, History
By "Fist of Fury", Kim Hyun-Soo (Sang-Woo Kwone) addicted to Bruce Lee. Year 1978. Hyun-Soo moved to KangNam, Seoul. Hyun-Soo transferred to JungMoon High, Maljuk Street, Kangnam, Seoul. He... See full summary »
Director: Ha Yoo | Stars: Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Jung-Jin, Han Ga-in, Park Hyo-joon
Votes: 2,764
44. Friend (2001)
Not Rated | 113 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Four childhood friends go their separate ways, two go off to college while the others become rival gangsters.
Director: Kyung-taek Kwak | Stars: Yu Oh-seong, Jang Dong-Gun, Seo Tae-hwa, Un-taek Jeong
Votes: 5,324
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