The face of horror takes different forms worldwide, and Asian cinema, in particular, often explores the genre in a way that has earned it global fanfare. From Japan’s masters of horror to Korea’s inclination towards a piercing commentary wrapped inside dread, Asian cinema has consistently given birth to unforgettable movies.
Netflix houses a stellar collection of Asian horror movies. This handpicked list includes both contemporary entries and undiscovered gems, and each one of them has enough unnerving scenes to get under your skin and haunt you for days.
So dim the lights, grab some popcorn, and dive into this list of the 10 scariest Asian horror movies you can watch on Netflix!
‘The 8th Night’ (2021)
Relying on a spirit world mystery and subtle tension, The 8th Night introduces you to Professor Kim Joon-Cheol, a former exorcist. Having studied mythology and ghosts all his life, he’s quite adamant in his belief about the existence of the Śarīra caskets, which encased both the evil Red Eye and the Black Eye for over two and a half millennia. After being ridiculed, he sets out to free the Red Eye and the Black Eye and ends up being possessed by the former.
A Disturbing Horror Masterpiece
Directed by Kim Tae-hyoung, the film is infused with authentic chills and traditional Korean folklore. With its atmospheric cinematography, the movie pulls you in and slowly strangles your perception of ‘creepy’ within the horror genre. Never relying on big scares, The 8th Night instead heightens the intensity of each uncanny revelation. Nam Da-reum anchors the solid plot with his fantastic performance and makes the film a must-watch.
‘Eerie’ (2019)
Starring Bea Alonzo and Charo Santos-Concio, this Filipino supernatural horror is a testament to Asian horror’s potential for creativity within the genre as well as its ability to infuse social commentary into a seemingly unassuming plot. Eerie begins with the sudden death of a student at an old Catholic school for girls. Pat Consolacion, the guidance counselor, not only tries to help students cope but also uncovers the mystery of the girl’s death, revealing the school’s terrifying and borderline abusive past.
Thrives On Atmospheric Chills
By incorporating thought-provoking social issues into its suffocating premise, Eerie unravels a whole new side of psychological terror. The silent moments in the film ring just as loud as the truths and jump scares, each of them magnified by the precise and unflinching cinematography. From the very beginning, director Mikhail Red builds an air of unease that lingers even after you’ve finished watching the film. Bea Alonzo adds fragility to the haunting tone, making for an overall mesmerizing viewing experience.
‘Svaha: The Sixth Finger’ (2019)
Svaha: The Sixth Finger centers around Pastor Park, who is known for investigating cults and conspiracies. When hired to delve into the mystery that is Dongbanggyo or “Deer Mountain,” he discovers strange events unfolding in a forest and animals acting against their nature. Meanwhile, a police captain realizes that the cult and its practices may also hold a murder suspect within them.
Terrifying Folklore Comes To Life
The movie stars Lee Jung-jae, Park Jeong-min, and Lee Jae-in, among others. It weaves an intensely creepy atmosphere by drawing inspiration from Korean mythology and folklore. It unfolds at a disturbing pace, with secrets, manipulations, and dark forces coming forward when you least expect them. From the chilling score to the gruesome prosthetic work, the movie’s creators ensure that they focus on the details of this poetic madness, offering unnerving entertainment.
‘The Third Eye’ (2017)
An Indonesian horror film co-written and directed by Rocky Soraya, The Third Eye centers around two sisters, Alia and Abel, who went through a traumatic childhood but are now independent adults thriving in their professional lives. But after the tragic death of their parents, the sisters are forced to move back to their old house, where Abel saw mysterious things as a girl and was dismissed by everyone, saying they were just figments of her imagination. Now 12 years later, “the third eye” allows her to see into the supernatural world.
Disorienting and Scary
Through its familiar yet gut-churning setting, The Third Eye immerses viewers into a woman’s deeply troubled and fraying psyche. Nuanced performances from Bianca Hello and Jessica Mila help anchor the film to great heights. The camera work, too, is fluid and impressive, and it helps make the visions more disoriented and scary. Moreover, its vivid portrayal of both the human world and the spirit world deserves praise.
‘May the Devil Take You’ (2018)
From the title itself, one can tell that the movie descends into demonic horror. Looking at the premise of May the Devil Take You, we follow a young woman named Alfie who is worried sick about her father and her mysterious illness. To uncover the truth about how he fell into his condition, she revisits his old villa and inadvertently unleashes ancient terrors – a devil seeking repayment.
An Indonesian Slow-Burn
Directed by Timo Tjahjanto, this Indonesian horror film combines the haunting folklore that Asian cinema is known for with scathing family drama. It also helps that the film has enough blood-soaked gore of the classic Western horror movies that fans truly love. Shot with elegance, its slow-burn story also turns out to be a poetic lesson about sins and how they lead to debts that come and haunt one later.
‘Secrets in the Hot Spring’ (2018)
Secrets in the Hot Spring is a unique entry on the list. It plays with the same old haunted hotel trope but escalates the horror by the minute. Xiao Gin, a troublemaker, drags his classmates, Little Princess and Lu Qun, to spend the winter vacation at a secluded hotel founded by his grandfather. As soon as the boys get there, they realize that the hotel is run down and haunted. With tensions rising and dark forces emerging, the friends must figure out the truth about the hot springs.
Plays With the Haunted Location Trope
By infusing elements of dark humor into its uneasy narrative, Secrets in the Hot Spring turns out to be more thrilling than terrifying. The characters’ backstories and their current dynamic provide some comic relief amid the overall environment of sinister truths. With minimal gore yet maximum chill and a decent amount of chuckles, director Kuan-Hui Lin crafts a modern horror that even non-fans can enjoy.
‘#Alive’ (2020)
How can a list of horror films be complete without the mention of one (or two) post-apocalyptic action thrillers? At the center of #Alive is Oh Joon-woo, a gamer who stays alone, almost always indoors, obsessively playing video games. When a mysterious virus hits Seoul, all communication and transport shuts down. The citizens rapidly transform into flesh-eating zombies and Joon-woo is forced to hide out in his apartment. Over time, he must venture for survival and find safety in this new world.
Directed by Cho Il-hyung, #Alive is less about the zombies and more about the paranoia of modern isolation and the tendency to stay indoors developed by the millennial generation. Its tight-spaced setting and lush cinematography really add to the overall thrill. Plus, the movie explores how human morals are twisted under stress. Zombie flicks are always entertaining, and with Yoo Ah-in’s solitary lead taking up the stage, the result is an adrenaline-fueled horror that you simply cannot miss.
‘Train to Busan’ (2016)
In Train to Busan, a workaholic father boards a bullet train with his daughter on her birthday. Traveling from Seoul to Busan, they’re on their way to meet Seok-woo’s estranged wife when a zombie virus spreads in the city. What begins as an enclosed ride of safety soon transforms into a desperate fight for survival as one infected enters the train, and it becomes overrun with zombies too. Soon, the diverse group of passengers overcome their distrust and look for a way to defeat the undead.
A Korean Crowd-Pleasing Classic
Despite already having established himself as a masterful director in Korea, Yeon Sang-ho only rose to global fame with 2016’s Train to Busan. The film has two praiseworthy elements – the pulse-pounding action and intimate character studies. Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, and more deliver naturalistic performances as passengers have to make horrific choices in the name of survival. The film also has a subtext that addresses climate and society. Still a crowd-pleaser almost a decade after its release, Train to Busan is worth revisiting.
‘Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital’ (2024)
Rumors circulating about paranormal activity leading to the deaths of a handful of urban explorers at the Xinglin General Hospital in Taiwan prompt a crew from the Philippines, consisting of actors and online celebrities, to film a live investigation at the location. Shortly after their arrival, the crew finds themselves confronted by a malicious force, possibly brought on by black magic practices.
Spend the Night in a Haunted Hospital
Quietly added onto the Netflix platform to little fanfare, fans of found footage horror unearthed this gem and were quick to sing its praises for its mix of genres and influence from the popular Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum. Yet, the movie does enough to distinguish itself from its evident inspirations, interjecting unique lore into the story and some creative and creepy sequences. Love a good jump scare? Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital does a phenomenal job of delivering shocking moments after some eerie atmospheric build-up.
‘Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead’ (2023)
Office worker Akira Tendo is growing tired of the daily grind, finding his life to be a series of meaningless tasks. When a zombie apocalypse happens, where others see it as world-ending, Akira sees it as a chance to focus on what he wants from life, creating a bucket list of 100 items. Along the way, he meets two other survivors who join him on his quest while fighting off the undead.
Looking for Stuff To Do at the World’s End
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead takes a playful stab at work culture and the subsequent burnout many people face these days, injecting some zombie madness to create a unique horror comedy. The film boasts a colorful and energetic style, so it may differ from other social-commentary zombie films that aim for bleakness. Still, for those looking for lighter fare, perhaps to share with a more squeamish partner, Zom 100 fits the bill perfectly. Netflix also has the anime series of the same name on the platform, which, if that is your preferred type of Asian media, you should not hesitate to check out as well.
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