There’s no doubt that some of the scariest and thrilling cinematic masterpieces come from the Asian region. In fact, many of these Asian horror movies have led to Hollywood remakes and spin-offs. From unbreakable curses to eerie spirits, the Asian horror film industry has quite a lot to offer. Prepare some popcorn, maybe grab a blanket and get cozy as here are some of Asia’s best ghost movies:
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5 The Ring, Japan (1998)
Toho Co., Ltd.
Based on a 1997 novel by Koji Suzuki, Ringu, or The Ring as known in English, is a cult classic in the horror genre. Not only was The Ring a huge success at the box office and was critically acclaimed in Japan, but it also led to the popularization of Japanese horror films in the West. In fact, the film inspired quite a few English-language remakes and even a Korean remake.
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The Ring follows a reporter, Reiko Asakawa, who is investigating a mysterious videotape, which seems to be cursed as whoever watches it dies seven weeks after viewing it. It’s not just the narrative of the film that draws in the audience causing chills to settle deep in their bones, but rather it’s a combination of the slow-paced, yet shrilling musical score by Kenji Kawa and the earthy, yet horrifying tones of cinematographer Junichiro Hayashi’s lens.
4 Gonjiam: The Haunted Asylum, South Korea (2018)
Showbox
Many people try to get through horror movies by telling themselves that it’s not real. This obviously becomes harder when it comes to found footage horror films. Director Jung Bum-shik’s Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is no different. In fact, it’s definitely scarier when taking into account that the movie is based on a real-life psychiatric hospital of the same name. The movie follows a web series crew as they live broadcast their findings inside the abandoned asylum to gain more viewership. Gonjiam: The Haunted Asylum isn’t your typical horror film that relies on jump scares to creep its audience out. Instead, the movie steadily builds up a sense of dread that leaves the audience feeling queasy and spooked to the core. In addition, the pacing of the show is perfect as the progression from light-hearted humor to blood-curly terror feels very natural. The cast also does a fantastic job at portraying the web series crew. Those who are familiar with the Korean entertainment industry will also be delighted to catch a glimpse of Squid Game’s star Wi Hajoon.
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3 The Wailing, South Korea (2016)
20th Century Studios
Written and directed by Na Hongjin, The Wailing, or Gokseong, is a Korean horror film that will send chills deep into the bones of its audience. The movie centers around a police officer who starts investigating a series of killings and illnesses in a small Korean village. His attempts at unveiling the mysterious, yet gruesome killings become even more desperate as his daughter also becomes a victim of the illness. As the occult movie progresses, the audience soon realizes that it’s very far from the linear horror movie narrative they had expected. Rather, it’s quite complicated with its religious undertones. Moreover, the movie doesn’t rely on jump scares or a thrilling music score to scare its audience. It lulls the audience into the story as they, along with the characters, try to figure out what’s going on. By the time the characters and the audience get an inkling of the horror that awaits them, it’s too late to back out.
2 Shutter, Thailand (2004)
GMM Tai Hub
Shutter is another Asian movie that triggered a series of remakes across the globe. Directed and written by Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, Shutter is a Thai horror film. The narrative of the movie centers around supernatural spirits being captured on film as they haunt a group of schoolmates. Shutter is packed with classic horror movie tropes and jump scares, but what really sets it apart from other horror films are the unexpected plot twists that leave the audience to cover their eyes in horror. Another thing that really makes this film a gem is the direction, especially in the second half of the film. One scene that particularly sticks to mind is the stairs scene, when Tun is trying to descend the hotel stairs, but seems unable to do so. Shutter inspired quite a few remakes including a Hindi one, a Tamil one, and an English language one as well.
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1 Incantation, Taiwan (2022)
Netflix
Netflix’s recent Taiwanese horror film will send chills running down the spine. Incantation is another found footage horror film that centers around a single mother, Li Ronan, whose daughter, Dodo, seems to become a victim of occult horror. From the beginning until the very end, Ronan addresses the audience directly, asking them to not only memorize an insignia but also chant an incantation with her to lift a curse off her daughter. From the get-go, the audience can tell that there are bits and pieces missing from the narrative, but this sense of curiosity is enough to keep the audience engaged with the movie. Of course, the more the audience finds out about Dodo’s curse the less they wish they knew, as a sense of dread begins to set in.
Incarnation very cleverly intertwines religious cult horror with occult horror. The movie has the occasional jump scares, but one of the things that cements the horror is the unique music, which has a mixture of a variety of tempos and textures. The overall narrative has an eerie atmosphere and is almost cyclic in nature. One scene in particular that really conveys the sense of dread and the cyclic nature of the film is the scene where Ronan and Dodo are headed towards a shrine with Ming. It seems as if the three are stuck on the same route as their car passes the same stop sign over and over and over again. For those who want a horror movie that feels believable and scares the socks off one’s feet, then Incantation will definitely not disappoint.
