In Korea, the portrayal of superheroes in film and television was largely absent until the 2000s. The genre gained momentum with films like Haunters (2010), Psychokinesis (2018), and The Witch series, exploring themes of power, identity, and new technologies such as genetic engineering. The recent success of Disney Plus’s Moving marks a significant shift, ushering in a new era of superpower narratives in Korean entertainment.
That said, Korean cinema hasn’t been entirely devoid of superhero-themed films. Titles like Volcano High (2001), Arahan (2004), and Jeon Woo-chi (2009) featured characters with extraordinary abilities. However, these superpowered individuals were often martial arts masters at the pinnacle of their craft, wielding abilities such as superhuman physicality, control over space and time, and energy blasts. These characters typically fought to maintain their esteemed positions in the martial arts world, prevent the balance of good and evil from tipping toward chaos, or seek vengeance for past grievances.
Unlike these martial arts films or the more fantastical, hero-centric approach of Marvel’s Captain America or Spider-Man, the new wave of Korean superhero films focuses on micro-level issues, from human vulnerability to family dilemmas, while sometimes grappling with social issues, inviting reflection on broader societal concerns. Haunters (2010), for example, is a thriller about Cho-in, a man who possesses the supernatural ability to control others with his gaze. He uses this power to commit crimes. However, his life changes when he encounters Kyu-nam, a man uniquely immune to his powers. The film follows their intense cat-and-mouse chase as Kyu-nam seeks to stop Cho-in’s reign of terror, while also delving into Cho-in’s strained relationship with his mother and Kyu-nam’s efforts to protect his friends.
Psychokinesis (2018), directed by Yeon Sang-ho, tells the story of Seok-heon, a down-on-his-luck man who gains telekinetic powers after drinking water from a meteorite-infused spring. As he learns to control his newfound abilities, he uses them to help his estranged daughter, Roo-mi, who is fighting against a corrupt construction company threatening her business and neighborhood. The film blends action, comedy, and a fantastical display of Seok-heon’s superpowers, with a central focus on rebuilding the father-daughter relationship.
The Witch series (The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion and The Witch: Part 2. The Other One) deviates somewhat from this focus on family.
Ja-yoon in The Witch: Part 1 stands apart from characters in other recent Korean superhero films. She is a genetically modified human weapon with superhuman strength, created in a secret laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Baek, a brain science expert. As a young girl, Ja-yoon narrowly escapes the massacre of the experiment subjects, who are roughly her age, after the corporation controlling the lab decides to abandon the project due to the potential exposure of their illegal experimentation on children. Ja-yoon’s superpowers, a result of biotechnological manipulation, highlight the darker side of scientific control, making her character far more complex and tragic.
However, the relationship between Dr. Baek and Ja-yoon reflects a complex, almost mother-daughter dynamic, aligning the film with traditional Korean superpower narratives where family ties often play a central role. Dr. Baek, as Ja-yoon’s creator, can be seen as her “mother” and even refers to herself this way, akin to the quasi-parental bond between Frankenstein and his creation. Despite this connection, they engage in a violent battle, as Ja-yoon must confront and overpower the person who created her in order to live the life she chooses. This tension mirrors themes common in Korean superhero films, where characters struggle within familial relationships. Therefore, despite the darker undertones of their relationship, the film doesn’t stray far from the genre’s core, where family plays a pivotal role in shaping both conflict and resolution.
Korean superhero films are still in their early stage, and their future direction remains uncertain.
These films may increasingly reflect technological advancements like biotechnology, leading to dystopian narratives that explore the darker aspects of scientific control, as seen in The Witch series. Alternatively, the genre might take a lighter, more playful approach, as showcased in Moving, where minor yet entertaining superpowers are woven into everyday life. Whether delving into dystopian worlds or crafting unique, superpowered realities, the genre is undoubtedly one to watch as it will continue to evolve in exciting and unpredictable ways.
