Do n’t say I did n’t warn you about the run scene .
I’ve always been a fan of foreign cinema and exploring new watches. But you know what will always sit at the top of the list for me? Asianhorror films. Let me tell you why.
My world was turned upside down when I made the grave mistake of watching an Asian horror film at the ripe old age of around 13 (sarcasm intended). My curious self just couldn’t resist, and before you know it, I spent the next few weeks of my life terrified that a ghost girl was going to crawl out of my TV.
Yep , my Asiatic horror journey pop out withRingu . And whilst it scared the life out of me at the time , the film did n’t put me off . Instead , over the years , I ’ve gone searching for even more scares ( and subjecting my friend to those same scares at sleepover — still not deplorable , guy ) .
Now, you could say I’m always on the lookout for the next great Asian horror movie and big thrill that’ll put the fear of TVs into me again. Lately, I’ve been watching the South Korean apocalyptic TV series,Happiness(2021), and whilst it’s not been that scary, it did inspire me to reflect on my Asian horror film journey.
So, I’ve pulled together a list of the movies I’ve found to be up there with the scariest. Whether it’s the supernatural elements, outright wackiness, or ramped-up creep factor, here are my picks of the most terrifying Asian horror films you’ll ever see:
1.Audition(1999)
What ’s it about : Auditionis based on Ryu Murakami ’s 1997 novel , and if you ’ve read any of Murakami , you ’ll hump the content are never light work .
The film tells the story of Aoyama , a widower who wants to start dating again . With the avail of his celluloid - producer champion , Aoyama set up auditions for a fake output , with the hidden bearing of discover his next married woman .
If you imagine deceiving women into go out him is the most messed up part , it does n’t even begin to wrap up what the celluloid has in store . When Aoyama becomes intrigued by a withdrawn young woman , Asami , they start out a human relationship , but not all is what it seems . Asami has her own dark preceding and sadistic tendency that belch to the surface .
Don’t say I didn’t warn you about the ladder scene.
Country : Japan
Watch for : A gripping psychological retaliation fest that builds up to one of the most harrowing , eye - natural covering ( if you love , you have it away ) final sequences I ’ve ever examine .
2.Train to Busan(2016)
What ’s it about : Train to Busanis one of my all - time best-loved repugnance movies to ever survive , like ever !
The film watch over a group of passenger who become trapped on a train when a rapidly spread zombie virus breaks out . But guess what , there ’s an infected rider on the caravan with them !
In this tense flick , the center story focalize on a human race and his estranged daughter fighting for endurance .
Omega Project / Viayoutube.comWhat’s it about:Auditionis based on Ryu Murakami’s 1997 novel, and if you’ve read any of Murakami, you’ll know the contents are never light work.The film tells the story of Aoyama, a widower who wants to start dating again. With the help of his film-producer friend, Aoyama sets up auditions for a fake production, with the secret aim of finding his next wife.If you think deceiving women into dating him is the most messed up part, it doesn’t even begin to cover what the film has in store. When Aoyama becomes intrigued by a withdrawn young woman, Asami, they begin a relationship, but not all is what it seems. Asami has her own dark past and sadistic tendencies that bubble to the surface.Country:JapanWatch for:A gripping psychological revenge fest that builds up to one of the most harrowing, eye-covering (if you know, you know) final sequences I’ve ever seen.
Country : South Korea
Watch for : Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just another gore - filled , flesh - munch zombie movie . With an ensemble cast conduct byGong Yoo(ahem , the charming salesman at the starting ofSquid Game ) , each and every lineament has deepness and is forced to make choices which make this brutal story one that truly sticks with you . It ’s claustrophobic , the automaton ’s ferocity and speed are straight-out terrifying , and it ’ll have you an emotional crash before the end credit start to roll .
3.Ringu(1998)
What ’s it about : Yes , my traumatized vernal ego is still out here recommend this to you .
Forget the American remaking , Ringuis the unfeigned top - level , ghost - mount - out - of - the - idiot box chills . free-base on the novel by Koji Suzuki , Ringuis a supernatural psychological horror pic about a unsaved videotape .
In the film , a newsperson is racing to inquire the unusual occurrences , in which it seems that whoever watches the tape give-up the ghost seven days after doing so . But time is of the essence given that she has catch the video herself , and so believing she has been anathemise , enlists the help of her psychic ex - married man .
What unfold is a dark whodunit surround a young girl call Sadako .
ascertain for : A genuinely spooky , old - fashioned , ghost storycomplete with jolty and jarring filmmaking that makes you thankful videotape are n’t such a immense affair anymore .
4.Satan’s Slaves(2017)
What ’s it about : After their mother dies from a mysterious unwellness , a family is haunted by strange visions before coming to realize that their mother ’s ghost has refund from the grave . Why ? Because she need to call for her children to fulfill a fiendish pact made years ago .
Country : Indonesia
Watch for : This is one for the supernatural - occult - possession horror fans . It ’s low and filled with apprehension with really grisly contraband magic , satanic cult , and Beelzebub - worshipping chronological sequence .
5.Ju-On: The Grudge(2002)
What ’s it about : My young teenage self also suffered at the hands of this one . There ’s a theme happening here !
Ju - On : The Grudgeis another supernatural J - Horror movie that was also remade by the West . But , as in many foreign - to - West remaking cases ( sorry to say it ) , there is just no comparing the original .
Ju - Ontells the write up of a 23 - twelvemonth - old societal worker who is hired to take maintenance of an older lady whose family had move to a damned house but ends up entangled in the life story - threatening torment . The tale seems to have come from popular folklore legends in Japan , whereby some consider that anonryō(a touch ) is able to retrovert to the physical earth so as to seek vengeance . Even just thinking about stuff like this gives me the chills !
Watch for : The Grudge ’s gurgling randomness is enough to stop anyone from sleeping for nights on end , but what I also love so much about this film is how granulose and low - budget it is , which just makes everything finger much more authentic and nail - biting . Ju - Ontruly builds up the tensity and serves up the jump scare with some desirability .
6.The Wailing(2016)
What ’s it about : A plague of mysterious , vehement deaths excite up discombobulation and unease in a ostensibly peaceful village . But , when police officer Jong - Goo comes to investigate , he becomes embroil up in supernatural distrust and despair as he con more about the town filled with hysteria and crazed symptoms , whilst also facing the tumultuous exorcism helm by a shaman .
Watch for : The Wailing ’s ambiguity is what I constitute the most terrific , along with scene of frantic rituals , intuitive gore , and a sense of bareness rooted at its substance . It ’s really a film fill with apprehension that refuses to suffice a lot of your question , and it does n’t need start scares to station the fearfulness direct to your intestine .
7.A Tale of Two Sisters(2003)
What ’s it about : Two sisters , Soo - mi and Soo - yeon , are raised by an abusive stepmother after they lose their birth female parent .
After Soo - mi is released from a mental institution , she return home with her sister , only to be assemble with the ghosts that are haunt their house — apparently representative of the family ’s dark and sore history .
The plastic film is seemingly inspired by theJanghwa Hongryeon jeon folktale .
follow for : A Tale of Two Sistersis an unnerving story full of twists and turns that I found genuinely quite terrifying , and I think that comes from the psychological build - up and eerie storytelling it offer up . From memory , it only has about two or three major jump - scares but , boy , when they appear , do they get you good . All in all , it ’s probably one of my favorite Asiatic horror on this list !
8.House(1977)
What ’s it about : Houseis an data-based comedy repulsion about a schoolgirl who journey to her ailing aunty ’s land home , where she and six of her friends come aspect to expression with supernatural occurrings as they are all devoured by the abode , one by one .
I first experiencedHouseas part of my first - yr university degree , and when I say that this film is batshit unbalanced , I mean it ! disregarding of the drollery elements , there ’s something aboutHousein all of its frenzied and bonkers sequence that absolutely faze me .
Watch for : The concluded obscenity of it all , honestly , I ’ve never seen a film quite like it or that comes close to the wacky ways ofHouse . Watch if you like the sound of sever heads taking trajectory , evil cat spirit portraits , and menage appliances coming to life . It is an dead demented ghost story !
9.Dark Water(2002)
What ’s it about : You may have heard ofDark Waterbecause it ’s yet another J - horror that was afterward remade in America .
The Japanese original is a dour slow burner of a horror that follows newly - individual florists' chrysanthemum , Yoshimi , who is battle a bitter divorce and struggling to keep custody of her young girl , Ikuko . She move into a rundown flat to begin a clean starting time , but it is plagued with humidity and prostrate to making water .
unusual things set about to happen and the mother - daughter duo starts seeing enervate thing , from phantasmal visions of a petty girl to someone else ’s whisker appearing in their piss , all the while with Ikuko ’s health deteriorating .
Watch for : An atmospheric and eerie latent hostility - building horror that will make you want to avoid the third floor in any flat closure ! It ’s full of elusive J - horror figure of speech , and the watery sour imagery keeps the bleak tone in check . Plus , as the tiresome bubbling panic is finally supplant with more outright scares ( my personal favorite nightmare : ghostly hands film up from the water ) , you ’ll start to see that the payoff is all deserving it .
10.Pulse(2001)
What ’s it about : In a once - bustling Tokyo , suicides are on the ascent and mass have stopped going to work . The street are desert as everyone is squeeze indoors to shield themselves from an invisible threat , but , in the superlative of loneliness , engineering science means mass can remain attached . That is until sour souls endeavor to invade the physical earth through the internet .
surprisal : this plastic film was also make over in America in 2006 !
Watch for : Devoid of any major saltation - scares , Pulseworks so well thanks to its creepy-crawly and sibylline instant , with face - wreck coarse-grained specter encounters terminated with tense echoes of other spirits and pure suspense .
11.Dumplings(2004)
What ’s it about : Aunt Mei is known for puddle dumplings with miraculous rejuvenating abilities . So when Mrs. Li , a former actor find her married man is get an involvement , she becomes do-or-die to make him pay aid to her again . Mrs. Li goes to Aunt Mei for help and to see more about the secret ingredient in the dumpling , but things get more complicated when Mei must flee the country and the dumplings ' power get down to fade forth from Mrs. Li .
Country : Hong Kong
Watch for : Finding out the secret ingredient in Mei ’s dumplings alone was enough to put me off consider or feed one for the rest of my spirit . The scares in this photographic film amount from the squeamish - ness it prey off , the grisly details that trickle throughout the secret plan , and the way it lets your vision turn over watching something middling mundane ( a fair sex eating a dumplings ) into a sickening tum - churning experience .
12.I Saw the Devil(2010)
What ’s it about : National Intelligence Service agent Kim Soo - hyun localize out on a seeking for revenge after his married woman is brutally mangle by a psychopathological serial killer named Jang Kyung - chul .
entrust me when I say the sound of the plot does n’t do the film justice .
Watch for : I Saw the Devilis definitely not for the faint - hearted . This one scares me the most in the sense that it feels a lot more realistic than the residue of the movies on the list ! It features a really disturbing plotline made all the more harrowing with immense wildness ( we ’re talking dismemberment and a whole mickle of distortion ) , plus it ’s really emotionally heavy and a tough journeying to endure . This one stuck with me for a foresighted sentence !
13.Noroi:The Curse(2005)
What ’s it about : In this pseudo - documental panache horror , Kobayashi , a paranormal journalist goes missing after completing a documentary . But thanks to the found footage which we are led to believe was filmed by Kobayashi ’s tv camera operators , we before long come to understand how one investigation into strange noise can lead to untangle the mystery of a infernal entity name Kagutaba .
look out for : The found - footage aesthetic lures you into the imitation make-believe that what you are ascertain is actual . This is n’t a raw trope , give that we see retrieve - footage has been used many meter in horror to generate a sense of realism and dread , butNoroidelivers it with such a jolting - around - the - boundary vogue that you ca n’t help but get the creeps .
What ’s also crazy aboutNoroiis that not only is it empty of leap - scares , but there are no quirky special impression , and the vehemence imply is mostly seen off - screen . So how then is it so scary ? It ’s the atmospheric build - up of dread , the inculpate meaning behind what ’s on the screenland , and that Kagutaba ’s mask is outright dreadfully fuzz - raising .
14.Shutter(2004)
What ’s it about : After fleeing the scene of an chance event , a vernal lensman and his girlfriend notice cryptic shadows in their evolve photographs . Upon investigating the strange phenomenon , the match and their friends find that they are being haunted .
Country : Thailand
Watch for : Shutteris full of twists turns and some pretty scream - worthy jump scares throughout ( do n’t say I did n’t monish you about the ladder scene ) . Plus the shock bring out at the film ’s conclusion is an insanely chilling surprise that I did not see coming ! Definitely worth a watch if you have n’t see it before .
15.Macabre(2009)
What ’s it about : Macabreis an Indonesian slasher movie in which two newlywed , Adjie and Astrid , and three of their ripe friends , head teacher on an interstate road trip in a last endeavour to conciliate Adjie with his estranged sister . But , when the chemical group lean into a strange girl who claims she has been robbed , they offer their help and finish up at her isolated business firm .
Watch for : Hardcore thrills that ring theme ofThe Texas Chainsaw Massacrethat somehow feel arguably more deranged . Macabreliterally feels like it serves up line in every scene ; it ’s crimson and raving mad , and it ’s by all odds enough to keep me on the main roads at nighttime !
16.The Eye(2002)
What ’s it about : After being unreasoning for most of her life , 20 - class - old fiddler Wong Kar Mun undergo a corneal organ transplant to regain her imaginativeness . But shortly the high spirits turns to dread as she begins experiencing ghostly encounters .
Mun turns to a psychologist for help who trust the newfangled cornea are the problem , and as they travel to the donor ’s hometown to investigate , her symptom only worsen .
( Sound conversant ? Yes , this film was also remade by the West in 2008 and star Jessica Alba . )
Country : Hong Kong | Singapore
Watch for : If the plot is n’t enough to make you never want to open your eyes again , then rest assured thatThe Eye’scinematography and way of storytelling are still enough to rage up the anxiousness during a horror - pic nighttime in . That lift scene in peculiar … yikes !
