For Korean film fans, 2022 is shaping up to be a year to look forward to, as streaming operators like Netflix continue to invest in Korean content and projects with stellar casts begin to be distributed in the U.S. New Korean films ranging from sweet romances to thrilling spy movies to heartbreaking dramas are set to hit screens. As streaming distributors continue to invest in Korean content and distribute their star-studded projects in the U.S., a variety of new Korean films are hitting the screen, from sweet romances to thrilling spy thrillers to heartbreaking dramas. Here are some of the new Korean films to watch this year (once you've seen them all, be sure to consult our guide to the best K-dramas).

Starring two idol actors (Girls' Generation's Seohyun and U-Kiss's Lee Jun-yeong), this romantic comedy follows two colleagues pursuing a BDSM partnership. Ji-woo is in love with her new co-worker Ji-hoo when she accidentally receives his package. Instead of panicking, she becomes interested in BDSM, and Ji-hoo invites her to enter into a dominant/submissive relationship; will the two stick to BDSM or develop a romantic relationship?

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Remake/sequel to the 2014 hit. Self-proclaimed "good bandit" Woo Moo-chi (Kang Ha-neul) and his men are rescued by pirate captain Hye-ran (Happiness's Han Hyo-joo) and his crew when they are marooned in the middle of the ocean; the two groups stumble upon a map to a lost royal treasure and band together to retrieve it; the two groups are forced to fight for the treasure, but the pirate captain (Kang Ha-neul) and his crew are not happy about it, The two groups unite to retrieve it and confront a gang of mercenaries led by the villainous Bu Heung-soo (Kwon Sang-woo).

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Park Hye-su of "Squid Game" and Jin-young of "GOT7" co-star in this spy vs. spy action thriller set in a city in northeast China. Former chief prosecutor Han Ji-hoon (Park) has recently been demoted to legal advisor to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in South Korea. While working in a city near the border with North Korea, he becomes entangled in a world of spies from the North, South, China, Japan, Russia, and even the United States, all fighting over government secrets. The protagonist, Yaksha, played by Sol Kyung-gu, is the city's ruthless NIS operative who brings Ji-hoon onto his team.

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Before playing a hero cop in "Squid Game," he played a deranged serial killer in this 2021 thriller. This unique thriller is told from Kyung Mi's point of view and uses voice mixing and sign language to show how the heroine escapes the killer's pursuit.

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In this mystery thriller, which just hit streaming in the U.S., "Outlaw" star Yoon Gesang plays Kang Ian, a man whose consciousness switches to a different body every 12 hours. After waking up from a car accident with no memory, Ian, a skilled fighter, must find out who he is while outwitting many people from the other side of the law who want to kill him.

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The film follows Ji-woo (newcomer Kim Dong-hwi), a private school student who is ostracized by his peers for being poor, and Hak-seon (Old Boy, I Saw the Devil), a school guard who is also a genius mathematician who has defected from North Korea. Choi Min-sik), a school security guard who is also a genius mathematician who defected from North Korea. When Ji-woo asks Hak-seon to teach him mathematics, an unexpected bond develops between the two, and they learn important things about each other.

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Ma Dong-seok, aka Dong Lee from "Train to Busan" and "Eternal," reprises his role as "Beast Detective" Ma Seok-do in this sequel to 2017's hit action "Outlaw. Four years after "Outlaw," Detective Ma and Inspector Jeong Il-man (Choi Gui-hwa) are sent to Vietnam on a covert operation to arrest Kang (Song Sook of "My Liberation Notebook"), a sadistic man who kidnaps wealthy Korean tourists for ransom.

Premieres May 20

The long-awaited sequel to 2018's The Witch: available on Viki (open in new tab)) follows a new girl (played by Shin Xia) who is experimented on in a secret laboratory. When an accident leaves the lab in ruins, siblings Kyung Hee (Park Eun Bin) and Dae Gil (Song Yoo Bin) take her under their protection and offer her a normal life.

Premiere: in theaters June 17

Director Kim Han-Min's prequel to 2014's The Admirals: available on Prime Video (opens in a new tab). This 16th-century historical epic depicts the 1592 Battle of Hansando, in which Admiral Yi Sun-shin, played by Park Hae-il, defeated a Japanese naval force attempting to conquer Joseon.

Premiere: July 29

This action film is directed by Jeong Byung-gil of "Bad Girl" and "Confessions of a Murderer" fame. The film follows a young man who attempts to unravel the myriad mysteries hidden in his missions while overcoming his amnesia.

Premiere In this star-studded disaster thriller, authorities investigating a viral terrorist threat discover that a suspect is aboard an international flight bound for the United States. Starring Song Gang-ho (Parasite), Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game), and Lim Siwan (Run On).

Premieres August 12

This action-packed film is set in 1988, on the opening day of the Seoul Summer Olympics. Amidst the festivities, the Sanggye-dong Supreme Team investigates the movement of illegal slush funds. Seoul Vibe features a stellar cast, including Yoo Ah In (Hellbound and Burning), Ko Kyung Pyo (Answer Me 1988), and Park Choo Hyun (Extracurricular Class).

Premiere: August 26 on Netflix

Directed by Choi Dong-hoon, the genre-bending film tells the story of a war between aliens and humans that takes place in historical and modern Korea. When a mysterious time portal opens, Daoist warriors from the Goryeo Dynasty in search of a legendary sword collide with fighters from the year 2022 in pursuit of an alien imprisoned in a human body. The film features a Daoist warrior (Ryu Jun-yeol of "Reply 1988"), a guard (Kim Woo-bin of "Our Blues") who escorts the aliens, and a woman who can shoot lightning (Kim Tae-ri of "The Handmaiden").

Premieres August 26

This is the first Korean film directed this year by revered Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. The film depicts unexpected encounters surrounding "Baby Box," a small space where babies can be left anonymously. The film is also highly anticipated for its star-studded cast, which includes Song Gang-ho of "Parasite," Bae Doona of "Kingdom" and "Sense8," Gang Dong-won, and Lee Ju-young of "Itaewon Gumi.

Premiere: undecided (world premiere at Cannes Film Festival)

Returning with his first Korean film since 2016's The Handmaiden, director Park Chan-wook tells the story of a police officer (Park Hae-il of The Host) investigating a crime in the mountains. When he meets the wife of the victim, played by Tang Wei, the police officer has mixed feelings of suspicion and interest.

Premiere: TBD (World Premiere at Cannes Film Festival)

Lee Jung-jae of Squid Game makes his directorial debut and stars in this spy thriller set in the 1980s. An elite South Korean intelligence agent (Lee) discovers the dark truth about his own country as he pursues a North Korean spy. Jung Woo-seong (of Innocent Witness) (who co-founded the entertainment company Artist Company with Lee) also stars.

Premiere TBD (World Premiere at Cannes Film Festival)

Dystopian thriller from director Yong Sang-ho of "Train to Busan" and "Hellbound". In the midst of devastation, a war breaks out between survivors in the only human shelter. The only way to win and end the war is to clone the legendary mercenary JUNG_E, played by Kim Hyun-joo, into an immortal robot.

First aired in: 1999, this romantic comedy begins when 17-year-old Na Bo-ra (Kim Yu-jung from "Lovers in the Red Sky") meets her first love, Hyun-jin (Park Jung-woo from "Hospital Playlist"). Years later, she meets him again after a sweet but sad love affair and revives a nearly forgotten teenage romance.

Premiere: TBD on Netflix

The highly anticipated disaster action film "Concrete Utopia" with a gorgeous cast is also scheduled for release this year. After a major earthquake destroys Seoul, survivors gather in the only remaining apartment building. The film stars Lee Byung-hun of "Squid Game," Park So-jung of "Itaewon Gumi," and Park Bo-young of "Strong Woman.

Premiere: undecided

Another promising film, "Wonderland," is set in the virtual world of the same name and uses artificial intelligence to reunite people who may never meet again. The film stars Gong Yoo of "Squid Game," Bae Suji of "Miss A," Park Bo Gum of "Record of Youth," Choi Woo-shik of "Parasite," and Tan Wei.

Premiere: undecided