10 Asian Horror Movies Everyone Needs To Watch

The scariest, most terrifying horror pictures from Asia.

By Fiona Dodwell /

When it comes to horror, Asia undoubtedly has some of the greatest offerings in the genre. Many of us may know about the Hollywood remakes of some of the more well-known films, such as The Ring, but there is an abundance of other great features that may have escaped your notice.

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Asian horror often has a greater focus on the paranormal realm rather than violence. Also, there are often creepy themes involving technology, such as videos, the internet and photographs. In many of the movies in this list, you'll find features that explore everything supernatural, from demons, to witchcraft, to traditional ghostly hauntings.

Korea, Japan and Thailand (amongst others) appear to be leading the way in the horror field. Masters of suspense, the gems being released from their continent are often highly tense and uncomfortable to watch. The influence of Asian culture and mythology are clearly present in many of these films, serving as a rich backdrop to the horrific stories being told.

So, whether you are into haunted dolls, vengeful spirits, occult spells or cursed items, there's certainly something in this list to please every horror fan. If you like your movies to scare you long after the lights go up, these ten films are more than worth your time.

10. The Eye

The Eye is a Hong Kong-Singaporean production that is directed by the Pang Brothers, Danny Pang Phat and Oxide Pang Chun. Starring Angelica Lee and Lawrence Cheng, the movie tells the story of central character Wong Kar Mun who has an eye transplant. Whilst the operation is supposed to give the young woman hope for a fresh start and the ability to see, things take a terrible turn for the worst soon after the procedure.

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After the transplant, Mun soon finds her life spiralling into a living nightmare, as instead of enjoying her newfound vision, she finds that she now has the ability to see the supernatural realm all around her. This leads to some terrifying experiences for the character, who then has to uncover the reason why her new vision has brought such terrible revelations with it.

The film is very intense, with some very unsettling scenes. The Eye has plenty of scares to offer, but never resorts to anything tacky. Instead, what we have here is a well-told story with a fantastic cast.

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