What’s Next for Korean Films? Netflix Unveils Preview of 2025 Slate at BIFF

During the Busan International Film Festival, Netflix unveiled its 2025 Korean film lineup at the Next on Netflix: 2025 Korean Films event on October 4. Reflecting on its journey with Korean cinema, Netflix offered an exclusive preview of seven new films slated for release next year.

Netflix Korea’s Director of Content (Film), Vincent Taewon Kim, joined the creators to spotlight their upcoming 2025 projects, including Yeon Sang-ho with Revelations, Byun Sung-hyun with Good News (WT), Kim Byung-woo with The Great Flood, Kim Tae-joon with Wall to Wall, Namkoong Sun with Love Untangled, Lee Tae-sung with Mantis (WT), and Han Ji-won with Lost in Starlight. This gathering of creative minds provided a platform for directors to share insights into their filmmaking processes, discuss their visions for Korean cinema, and explore opportunities for collaborative growth within the industry.

Netflix has showcased 23 films since 2020, from Time to Hunt to this year’s Uprising, which opened the Busan International Film Festival. Vincent Taewon Kim emphasized Netflix’s core philosophy: bringing joy to viewers through diverse storytelling. “To achieve this, it was important for us to focus on the quality and widen the variety of our 2025 film slate. Because viewers’ tastes vary, we strive to provide both universal and unique narratives,” he shared. “Our film lineup for 2025 offers diverse genres, including action, thriller, romantic comedy, sci-fi, and animation, offering something for everyone.”

Great stories can come from anywhere, and Netflix is thrilled to be a creative partner for storytellers, from established talents to newcomers, in realizing their visions. Yeon Sang-ho (Hellbound, Parasyte: The Grey) revealed that he will be taking a different approach in his filmmaking style with Revelations: “I’ve used a lot of CGI from Train to Busan onwards. This time, I wanted to explore filmmaking without extensive CGI. Revelations will take a different, more cinematic approach, focusing on how a film crafted in this style at Netflix would be perceived by viewers.”

The directors also shared the value of their collaboration with Netflix. Namkoong Sun, who will be showcasing her first commercial film, Love Untangled, next year marveled at Netflix’s ability to connect intimately with global audiences, while Lee Tae-sung (Mantis (WT)) noted how the viewing experience aligns with the preferences of modern viewers. Byun Sung-hyun (Good News (WT), Kill Boksoon) added, “The best part about working with Netflix is the tremendous support given to creators.”

During this event, Netflix also announced its first Korean-language animated film, Lost in Starlight. Han Ji-won, who directed this feature, said, “It was meaningful because this opportunity was made possible through collaborating with Netflix.”

As we look forward to 2025, Netflix is set to deliver an exciting slate of Korean films, bringing them to audiences around the world.

First Look Stills for the 2025 Netflix Korean Films

Good News (WT)

Set in 1970, Good News (WT) depicts a suspicious operation carried out by a group determined to land a hijacked airplane by any means necessary. Good News (WT) is written and directed by Byun Sung-hyun, who gained international recognition for The Merciless (2017), which premiered at the 70th Cannes Film Festival and Netflix film Kill Boksoon (2023), which premiered at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival. Sul Kyung-gu (The Whirlwind), reuniting with Director Byun Sung-hyun for the fourth time following their collaborations on The Merciless, Kingmaker (2020) and Kill Boksoon, takes on a transformative role as a mysterious fixer who shows up whenever needed to resolve problems. Hong Kyung (Weak Hero Class 1) takes on the role of an Air Force lieutenant involved in the secret operation, bringing both intensity and subtlety to his role. Ryoo Seung-bum (Moving) joins the cast as the government official in charge of overseeing the entire operation.

DIRECTOR: Byun Sung-hyun (Kill Boksoon, The Merciless) WRITER: Byun Sung-hyun PRODUCED BY: Star Platinum CAST: Sul Kyung-gu, Hong Kyung, Ryoo Seung-bum

The Great Flood 

Set on the last day of Earth, the sci-fi disaster film follows the desperate fight to save a child from a flooding apartment after a great flood has swept the planet. Director Kim Byung-woo returns with this blockbuster after earning box office and critical acclaim with The Terror, LIVE for its fresh take and interesting plot and Take Point for its precise and vivid portrayal of extreme situations and the people living them. Kim Da-mi, who made a lasting impression with her roles in the film The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion and the series Itaewon Class, plays Anna, an artificial intelligence researcher struggling to survive a tidal surge. The role of Hee-jo, a security team member who tries to save Anna from the flood that threatens the entire world, is played by the versatile actor Park Hae-soo whose acting range spans from the worldwide hit Squid Game to Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area and Narco-Saints. With the winning combination of Kim Da-mi and Park Hae-soo, both known for their colorful characters and remarkable performances, The Great Flood brings to life the desperate struggles and the complex emotions that arise when faced with the extremity of an insurmountable disaster.

DIRECTOR: Kim Byung-woo (Take Point, The Terror, LIVE) WRITER: Kim Byung-woo, Han Ji-su PRODUCED BY: Hwansang Studios  CAST: Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-soo, and more

Lost in Starlight

Netflix’s very first Korean-language animated film Lost in Starlight tells the love story between scientist Nan-young, whose astronaut mom failed to return to Earth when things went awry during her Mars probe, and Jay, a musician who also fixes retro sound instruments. Like her mom, Nan-young has always dreamed of exploring space and longs to go to Mars in hopes of finding a trace of her mom. Her dream comes true when she is selected as one of the astronauts for a Mars probe project. Before she blasts off though, she meets Jay, thanks to an old turntable that Nan-young inherited from her mom. In Lost in Starlight, Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung lend their voices to the roles of astronaut Nan-young and musician Jay, who embark on the longest-ever long-distance relationship — one that bridges Earth and Mars.

DIRECTOR: Han Ji-won (The Summer, The Sea on the Day When the Magic Returns (Short)) WRITER: Han Ji-won, Kang Hyun-joo PRODUCED BY: Climax Studio VOICE CAST: Kim Tae-ri, Hong Kyung and more

Love Untangled

Love Untangled is a youth romance feature set in 1998 that explores themes of first love and friendship. The film follows 19-year-old Park Se-ri as she plans to straighten her perpetually frizzy hair before making a life-changing confession, all while getting entangled with transfer student Han Yun-seok. Gong Myoung stars as Han Yun-seok, a transfer student who gets involved with Se-ri’s mission to confess to her crush. Opposite Gong Myoung, Shin Eun-soo plays Se-ri, a high school student who has a lifelong frustration with her unruly curly hair that she just can’t seem to straighten. Determined to confess her feelings to the most popular student at school, she believes the key to success is straightening her hair and enlists the help of the transfer student Han Yun-seok.

DIRECTOR: Namkoong Sun WRITER: Ji Chun-hee, Wang Doo-ri PRODUCED BY: bombaramfilm  CAST: Gong Myoung, Shin Eun-soo, Cha Woo-min, Youn Sang-hyun, Kang Mi-na

Mantis (WT)

Mantis (WT) is an action that follows Mantis, an ace assassin returning to a collapsed-order hired killer industry after his vacation. Upon reentering this anarchic world, Mantis encounters Jae-yi, his fellow trainee and rival, and Dok-go, a retired legendary killer, and realizes they are all vying for the top spot among the killers. Mantis (WT) is a spin-off film set in the same hired killer industry universe of the 2023 Netflix film Kill Boksoon, which premiered at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival. While Kill Boksoon explores the story of Gil Boksoon struggling to balance her life as a single mom and a killer, Mantis (WT) will captivate audiences with intense action from Mantis, Jae-yi and Dok-go, each racing towards their own goals. Byun Sung-hyun, who masterfully directed and depicted the menacing contract killer industry in Kill Boksoon, co-wrote the script with director Lee Tae-sung. Lee, who has a strong background as an assistant director on projects such as Kill Boksoon and The King (2017), will make his debut as a feature director with this film.

DIRECTOR: Lee Tae-sung WRITER: Byun Sung-hyun, Lee Tae-sung PRODUCED BY: SEE AT Film Co., LTD  CAST: Yim Si-wan, Park Gyu-young, Jo Woo-jin

Revelations 

Following the success of thriller Hellbound, Netflix once again joins forces with director Yeon Sang-ho and writer Choi Gyu-seok to bring another hard-hitting comic to screen. Revelations follows a pastor and a detective, each driven by their own beliefs. The pastor believes it’s his divine calling to punish the culprit behind a missing-person case, while the detective assigned to the case continues to be haunted by visions of her dead sister.  

Ryu Jun-yeol (The 8 Show, The Night Owl) portrays Min-chan, a pastor who runs a church in a small provincial town with a mission for church planting. When a man named Yang-rae visits his church, Min-chan receives a divine revelation identifying him as the culprit who abducted his son, and he sets forth to pursue justice. Alternating between sincere faith and cruel reality, Min-chan becomes consumed by his quest for retribution. Shin Hyun-been (Hospital Playlist, Reborn Rich) plays detective Yeon-hee, who is on the trail of Yang-rae, a suspect in the missing-person case, as well as the suspicious pastor Min-chan. Yeon-hee is constantly haunted by visions of her sister, who died due to a heinous crime. Despite her personal struggles, Yeon-hee doggedly pursues the culprit, adding tension to the narrative.

DIRECTOR: Yeon Sang-ho (Hellbound, Parasyte: The Grey) WRITER: Yeon Sang-ho, Choi Gyu-seok PRODUCED BY: WOW POINT CAST: Ryu Jun-yeol, Shin Hyun-been

Wall to Wall 

This thriller follows the story of Woo-seong, a man who finally saves up enough to buy an apartment, only to have it turn into a nightmare with financial ruin and mysterious noises from neighboring floors. Celebrated actor Kang Ha-neul (Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet, Midnight Runners, When the Camellia Blooms) takes on the role of Woo-seong. In his quest to own an apartment, Woo-seong exhausts all his financial resources, including his savings, stock investments, loans, and even his mother’s garlic farm.  However, he soon faces the harsh realities of high-interest payments and gets tormented by disturbing noises from his neighbors every night. Yeom Hye-ran (Mask Girl, The Glory) plays Eun-hwa, the resident representative dedicated to maintaining peace within the apartment complex. Rounding out the ensemble cast is Seo Hyun-woo (My Name is Loh Kiwan, Decision to Leave) as Jin-ho, the man living above Woo-seong. He and Woo-seong team up to find the source of the persistent noises in the building. Director Kim Tae-joon received acclaim for creating a thriller set in realistic, everyday situations with Unlocked. In Wall to Wall, he spins a different kind of suspense set in the familiar space of an apartment complex, where a financially burdened character grapples with mysterious situations involving unidentified noises.

DIRECTOR: Kim Tae-joon (Unlocked) WRITER: Kim Tae-joon PRODUCED BY: MIZIFILM CAST: Kang Ha-neul, Yeom Hye-ran, Seo Hyun-woo, and more