20 Amazing South Korean Movies You Must See Before You Die

3. A Tale Of Two Sisters

Train To Busan
B.O.M. Film Productions Co.

The Korean ghost story folk tale of the sisters Rose Flower and Red Lotus has always been a popular subject for film adaptations in the country. A silent version from 1924 was the first feature film entirely produced by Korean filmmakers and producers and there have been four more versions since. But none of them are quite like this strange and creepy horror.

Kim Jee-woon, who would go on to make bizarre spaghetti western tribute The Good, The Bad, And The Weird and dark thriller I Saw The Devil (both also worth a watch), first made his name with this story of the fractured psyche of a girl recently released from a mental institution.

Like any good gothic fairy tale, A Tale Of Two Sisters comes equipped with family secrets, a lavish remote mansion of seemingly endless rooms, and a wicked stepmother played with monstrous grandeur by Yum Jung-ah.

Kim's art direction and the cinematography of Lee Mo-gae make this one of the most stylish, beautifully composed and lush gothic horrors in years. Atmospheric and imaginative, A Tale Of Two Sisters is a film full of satisfyingly dark twists and revelations.

Contributor
Contributor

Loves ghost stories, mysteries and giant ape movies