Korean indie films have a rich and illustrious history. Emerging in the 1980s, they have flourished across various formats and genres, ranging from politically charged documentaries to thrillers and horror. The 2000s marked another significant shift in indie filmmaking, introducing new trends and approaches.

Three names stand out as reminders of Korean indie films’ impact on the international scene: Hong Sang-soo, Lee Chang-dong, and Kim Ki-duk. Hong Sang-soo gained global recognition by winning the Dragons and Tigers Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival with The Day a Pig Fell into the Well in 1996. Soon after, Lee Chang-dong and Kim Ki-duk followed suit, earning prestigious awards at the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival. Their films offered thought-provoking insights into aspects of life that mainstream cinema often avoided, such as grappling with the conundrums of coping with ruthlessly random misfortunes.

These directors not only revitalized interest in indie films but also contributed to the diversity of Korean cinema. However, a new trend has emerged in the indie scene, particularly since the 2000s, marking a shift from the legacy of these early masters. The following are three films that encapsulate this evolving trend.

 

1. Breathless (2009)

The literal translation of the original Korean title of this film is Dung Fly, likely referring to the main character, Sang-hun—a lowlife loan shark henchman. In Korean slang, “dung fly” symbolizes a thug or thuggish behavior, aptly describing Sang-hun’s persona. He works for an illegal moneylender, using violence to collect debts from desperate individuals with nowhere else to turn. A victim of severe childhood domestic violence, Sang-hun remains deeply traumatized, unable to understand the roots of his own violent tendencies.

The film offers no resolution to his vicious cycle of violence, where violence begets more violence. From the outset, it pushes the audience’s tolerance for brutality to its limits, evoking a near-physical reaction as if gasping for air. This may explain why the international distributor titled it Breathless.

The camera moves quickly and often stays in extreme close-ups, heightening the intensity of violent encounters. The proximity between aggressors and victims captures raw emotional impacts—hatred, revulsion, fear, and panic—creating a visceral viewing experience. This is a world far removed from abstract existential musings; instead, Breathless drags indie filmmaking into a gritty, grounded, and profoundly contemporary realm.

2.The King of Jokgu (2013)

 Jokgu is a sport that combines elements of football and volleyball, resembling sepak takraw. Played with a soccer ball, the game requires players to use only their feet to send the ball over a net, similar in height to a tennis net. While sometimes dismissed as not being a “real” sport, Jokgu enjoys widespread popularity among college students and military recruits.

 

The film’s main character, Man-seop, has just completed his national military service and returned to campus life. As a passionate Jokgu player, he is disheartened to discover that the school’s Jokgu court has been removed. Determined to bring it back, he launches a campaign for a new court, defying advice to focus on practical concerns such as his career prospects.

This light-hearted and entertaining movie carries a positive message for the younger generation: there is no shame in pursuing one’s dreams, no matter how impractical or unrealistic they may seem. Produced by Gwanghwamun Cinema, an indie film production collective founded by young directors, The King of Jokgu sheds the stereotype of indie films as overly serious, finding a way to connect with a broader audience.

3. House of Hummingbird (2018)

This movie takes an unflinching look at the reality of a 14-year-old girl. Directed by Kim Bo-ra, House of Hummingbird is an intimate and deeply personal story, yet it delicately intertwines the social context of 1994—a year marked by the collapse of a bridge over the Hangang River, which claimed 32 lives. The film is part of a growing trend in indie cinema that explores highly personal experiences against the backdrop of significant historical events.

House of Hummingbird captures fleeting moments in the life of Eun-hee, a teenage girl, and her family, avoiding exaggerated drama. It offers a quiet, restrained observation of her journey through universal teenage experiences: her first boyfriend, the heartbreak that follows, confrontations with her parents, and the discovery of a romantic friendship. From this ordinary life, violence suddenly intrudes—her brother strikes her. The act is not shown on screen, but its gravity is palpable, perhaps because its occurrence feels so starkly out of place in the otherwise subdued rhythm of her daily life.

Into this fabric of personal struggles and violence, the collapse of the bridge is thrust. Eun-hee’s shock and frustration in processing the event intersect with her own turmoil, creating a poignant interplay between the personal and the historical. The film uses her personal perspective as a lens through which to view the broader societal tragedy. Some critics argue that this approach risks reducing history to a personal level, yet such narratives, particularly from female directors, continue to offer compelling ways to connect personal and collective experiences.

While indie films may occupy a small niche in the broader film industry in terms of box office revenue, their bold creativity has an undeniable influence on filmmaking. Their experimentation with form and content might soon find its way to your streaming queue.