London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

The Korean Film Archive Youtube Channel

Korean Film Archive YouTube Channel

Continuing some suggestions of what to do when you’re stuck at home…

Many of you will already be aware that the Korean Film Archive has a wonderful YouTube Channel with loads of classic Korean movies, with English subtitles, available for free. Thing is, I’ve never found an index of the channel. So, over the years I’ve been creating one myself in an excel spreadsheet. Here it is, sorted by Director and Year. There may be a couple of films in this list which don’t have English subtitles. My bad – when I started compiling this list I assumed, incorrectly, that all the videos have subtitles. Since I realised my mistake I’ve only consciously included videos which have the subs. Plus, every time you visit the page the videos seem to be sorted in a different order, so I’m sure to have missed some.

And if someone tells me that there’s an official index somewhere, I’m going to kick myself.

Bong Joon-ho has compiled a special playlist for you: seven of his favourite classic Korean movies from the archive: available here.

Director Title
Bae Chang-ho People of Ko-bang Neighborhood / People of the Slum (꼬방동네 사람들 | 1982)
Bae Chang-ho The Flower at the Equator (적도의꽃 | 1983) (now private)
Bae Chang-ho Deep Blue Night (깊고 푸른 밤 | 1984) (now private)
Bae Chang-ho Whale Hunter (고래사냥 | 1984) (now private)
Bae Chang-ho Hwang Jin-ie (황진이 | 1986) (now private)
Bae Chang-ho Hello, God (안녕하세요 하나님 | 1987) (now private)
Byun Jang-ho, Choe In-hyeon, Im Kwon-taek Cruel History of Myeong Dong (명동잔혹사 | 1972)
Choi Ha-won The Old Potter (독짓는 늙은이 | 1969)
Choi Ha-won A Shaman’s Story (무녀도 | 1972)
Choi In-gyu Tuition (수업료 | 1940)
Choi In-gyu Hurrah for Freedom (자유만세 | 1946)
Choi In-gyu The Night before Independence Day (독립전야 | 1948)
Chung Chang-wha The Palace of Ambition (풍운의 궁전 | 1957)
Chung Chang-wha A Bonanza (노다지 | 1961)
Chung Chang-wha Yeraehyang (예라이샹 | 1966)
Chung Jin Woo Love In The Rain (초연 | 1975)
Gwon Cheol-hwi A Public Cemetery of Wol-ha (월하의 공동묘지(기생월향지묘) | 1967)
Gwon Cheol-hwi Father and Sons (오부자 | 1969)
Gwon Yeong-sun A Drifting Story (표류도 | 1960)
Gwon Yeong-sun Soil (흙 | 1960)
Ha Gil-jong Fidelity (수절 | 1973) (restored version here)
Ha Gil-jong March of fools (바보들의 행진 | 1975)
Ha Gil-jong The Ascension of Han-ne (한네의 승천 | 1977)
Ha Gil-jong Byung-tae and Young-ja (병태와 영자 | 1979) (restored version here)
Han Hyung-mo The Hand of Destiny (운명의 손 | 1954)
Han Hyung-mo Free Woman / Madame Freedom (자유부인 | 1956)
Han Hyung-mo Hyperbolae of Youth (청춘쌍곡선 | 1956)
Han Hyung-mo A Female Boss (여사장 | 1959)
Han Hyung-mo A Dream of Fortune (돼지꿈 | 1961)
Han Hyung-mo My Sister Is a Tomboy (언니는 말괄량이 | 1961)
Han Hyung-mo Let’s Meet at Walkerhill (워커힐에서 만납시다 | 1966)
Hong Eun-won A Woman Judge (여판사 | 1962)
Hong Seong-ki The Love Story of Chun-hyang (춘향전 | 1961)
Im Kwon-taek Farewell to the Duman River (두만강아 잘있거라 | 1962)
Im Kwon-taek The Family Pedigree (족보 | 1978)
Im Kwon-taek Pursuit of Death / Jjagko (짝코 | 1980)
Im Kwon-taek Village in the Mist (안개마을 | 1982)
Im Kwon-taek Gilsotteum (길소뜸 | 1985)
Im Kwon-taek Ticket (티켓 | 1986)
Im Kwon-taek Surrogate Mother (씨받이 | 1987)
Im Kwon-taek Come Come Come upwards (아제아제바라아제 | 1989)
Im Kwon-taek Son of the general (장군의 아들 | 1990)
Im Kwon-taek Fly High Run Far-Kae Byok (개벽 | 1991)
Im Kwon-taek Seopyonje (서편제 | 1993)
Im Won-jik Country Bumpkin O-Bok (촌놈 오복이 | 1961)
Jang Il-ho Iljimae the Chivalrous Robber (의적 일지매 | 1961)
Jang Il-ho The Way of Hwarang (화랑도 | 1962)
Jang Sun-Woo Age of Success (성공시대 | 1988)
Jang Sun-Woo A Short Love Affair / Lovers in Woomuk-Baemi (우묵배미의 사랑 | 1990)
Jang Sun-Woo Road to the Racetrack (경마장 가는 길 | 1991)
Jang Sun-Woo The Avatamska Sutra (화엄경 | 1993)
Jang Sun-Woo Petal (꽃잎 | 1996)
Jeon Chang-keun King Gojong and martyr An Jung-Geun (고종황제와 의사 안중근 | 1959)
Jeong In-yeob The Ae-ma Woman (애마부인 | 1982)
Jeong Jin-woo Early Rain (초우 | 1966)
Jeong Jin-woo Gunsmoke (초연 | 1966)
Jeong Jin-woo Student Boarder (하숙생 | 1966)
Jeong Jin-woo A Rose with Thorns (The Rose that Swallowed Thorn) (가시를 삼킨 장미 | 1979)
Jeong Jin-woo Does Cuckoo Cry at Night (뻐꾸기도 밤에 우는가 | 1980)
Jeong Jin-woo Parrot Cries with Its Body (앵무새 몸으로 울었다 | 1981)
Jeong Ji-yeong North Korean Partisans in South Korea (남부군 | 1990)
Jeong Ji-yeong White Badge (하얀전쟁 | 1992)
Jo Keung-ha When Acacias Bloom (아카시아 꽃잎 필때 | 1962)
Jo Keung-ha The Body Confession (육체의 고백 | 1964)
Jung So-young Love Me Once Again (미워도 다시한번 | 1968)
Kang Je-gyu Gingko Bed (은행나무침대 | 1996)
Kang Dae-jin Coachman (마부 | 1961) | Version with commentary
Kim Gang-yun Nameless Stars (이름없는 별들 | 1959)
Kim Ho-seon Young Ja’s Heydays (영자의 전성시대 | 1975)
Kim Ho-seon Winter Woman (겨울여자 | 1977)
Kim Ho-seon Seoul Rainbow (서울무지개 | 1989)
Kim Ho-seon Death Song (사의 찬미 | 1991)
Kim Hong Joon La Vie en Rose / Rosy Life (장미빛 인생 | 1994) (restored version here)
Kim Hwa-rang A Dry-Bones and a Fatty Go to the Nonsan Training Station (홀쭉이뚱뚱이 논산 훈련소에 가다 | 1959)
Kim Ki-Duk Five Marines (5인의 해병 | 1961)
Kim Ki-Duk Horse-year Bride (말띠신부 | 1966) (restored version here)
Kim ki-young Yangsan Province (양산도 | 1955)
Kim ki-young The Sea Knows (현해탄은 알고 있다 | 1961)
Kim ki-young Woman of Fire (화녀 | 1971)
Kim Ki-young Transgression (파계 | 1974)
Kim ki-young A Woman After a Killer Butterfly (살인나비를 쫓는 여자 | 1978)
Kim ki-young Woman of Water (수녀 | 1979)
Kim ki-young The Woman of Fire ’82 (화녀 82 | 1982)
Kim ki-young Carnivorous Animal (육식동물 | 1984)
Kim ki-young Hunting for Idiots (바보사냥 | 1984)
Kim So-dong The Money (돈 | 1958)
Kim Soo-yong An Upstart (구봉서의 벼락부자 | 1961)
Kim Soo-yong Kinship / Bloodline (혈맥 | 1963)
Kim Soo-yong The Classroom of Youth (청춘교실 | 1963)
Kim Soo-yong Sorrow Even Up in Heaven (저 하늘에도 슬픔이 | 1965)
Kim Soo-yong Confession of an Actress (어느 여배우의 고백 | 1967)
Kim Soo-yong Flame in the Valley (산불 | 1967)
Kim Soo-yong Night Journey (야행 | 1977)
Kim Soo-yong Splendid Outing (화려한 외출 | 1978)
Kim Soo-yong The Maiden Who Went to the City (도시로 간 처녀 | 1981)
Kim Soo-yong Late Autumn (만추 | 1982)
Kim Yong-tae Ambiguous Man (미지왕 | 1996)
Kim Yu-jin My Dear Keum Hong (금홍아 금홍아 | 1995) (remastered version here)
Kwak Ji-Kyun Portrait of the Days of Youth (젊은 날의 초상 | 1990)
Lee Byung-il Spring of Korean Peninsula (반도의 봄 | 1946)
Lee Byung-il The Wedding Day (시집가는 날 | 1956)
Lee Byung-il The Love Marriage (자유결혼 | 1958)
Lee Doo-yong Manchurian Tiger (용호대련 | 1974)
Lee Doo-yong Returned Single-legged Man (돌아온 외다리 | 1974)
Lee Doo-yong Spinning the Tales of Cruelty Towards Women (여인잔혹사 물레야 물레야 | 1983) (restored version here)
Lee Doo-yong The Eldest Son (장남 | 1984)
Lee Doo-yong The Eunuch (내시 | 1986)
Lee Doo-yong Bbong / Mulberry (뽕 | 1986)
Lee Hyung-pyo Under the Sky of Seoul (서울의 지붕밑 | 1961)
Lee Hyung-pyo Sad Palace Court (비전 | 1970)
Lee Jang-ho The Money (돈 | 1958)
Lee Jang-ho Heavenly homecoming to stars (별들의고향 | 1974)
Lee Jang-ho It rained yesterday (어제 내린 비 | 1974)
Lee Jang-ho Fine Windy Day (바람불어 좋은날 | 1980)
Lee Jang-ho Declaration of fools (바보 선언 | 1983)
Lee Jang-ho Between the Knees (무릎과 무릎사이 | 1984)
Lee Jang-ho Lee Chang-ho’s Baseball Team (이장호의 외인구단 | 1986)
Lee Kang-cheon Piagol (피아골 | 1955)
Lee Kang-cheon Leaving the Fatherland (두고온 산하 | 1962)
Lee Man-hee Evil Stairs / The Devil’s Stairway (마의 계단 | 1964)
Lee Man-hee A Water Mill (물레방아 | 1966)
Lee Man-hee The Starting Point (원점 | 1967)
Lee Man-hee Way Home / Homebound (귀로 | 1967) (restored version here)
Lee Man-hee Holiday (휴일 | 1968)
Lee Man-hee Starting Point (시발점 | 1969)
Lee Man-hee Break the Chain (쇠사슬을 끊어라 | 1971)
Lee Man-hee The Midnight Sun (0시 | 1971)
Lee Man-hee A Triangular Trap (삼각의 함정 | 1974)
Lee Man-hee The Wild Flower in the Battlefield (들국화는 피었는데 | 1974)
Lee Myung-se Gagman (개그맨 | 1988)
Lee Seong-gu When the Buckwheat Flowers Blossom (메밀꽃 필 무렵 | 1967)
Lee Seong-gu The General’s Mustache (장군의 수염 | 1968)
Lee Seong-gu A Young Zelkova (젊은 느티나무 | 1968)
Lee Seong-gu Cheongnyeo (청녀 | 1974)
Lee Won-se A Special Investigator, One-Armed Kim Jong-Won (특별수사본부 외팔이 김종원 | 1975)
Lee Won-se The Ball Shot by a Midget / A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball (난장이가 쏘아올린 작은공 | 1981) (restored version here)
Lee Yong-min Holiday in Seoul (서울의 휴일 | 1956)
Lee Yong-min Maeng Jinsa’s happy day (맹진사댁 경사 | 1962) (restored version here)
Lee Yong-min A Bloodthirsty Killer (살인마 | 1965)
Mun Yeo-song I am really sorry (진짜 진짜 미안해 | 1976)
Mun Yeo-song Never Never Forget Me (진짜 진짜 잊지마 | 1976)
Mun Yeo-song Crazy for You (진짜 진짜 좋아해 | 1977)
Park Chul-soo 301, 302 (삼공일 삼공이 | 1995)
Park Chul-soo Farewell my darling (학생부군신위 | 1996)
Park Jong-ho Three o’clock P.M. in a rainy day (비오는 날의 오후 3시 | 1959)
Park Jong-ho What Happens in an Alley (골목안 풍경 | 1962) (restored version here)
Park Jong-ho A Woman in the Wall (벽속의 여자 | 1969)
Park Jong-won Our twisted hero (우리들의 일그러진 영웅 | 1992)
Park Kwang-su Chilsu and Mansu (칠수와 만수 | 1988)
Park Kwang-su Single Spark (아름다운 청년 전태일 | 1995)
Park Nam-ok The Widow (미망인 | 1955)
Park Nam-su Where is Miss Young? (미스 영의 행방 | 1975)
Park Nou-sik Devil! Take The Train To Hell (악인이여 지옥행 급행열차를 타라 | 1976)
Park Sang-ho A Happy Businesswoman (또순이(부제:행복의 탄생) | 1963)
Park Seong-bok A Sunflower Family (해바라기 가족 | 1961)
Shin Dong-hun A Story of Hong Gil-dong (홍길동 | 1967)
Shin Sang-ok The Dream (꿈 | 1955) (restored version here)
Shin Sang-ok A College Woman’s Confession (어느여대생의고백 | 1958)
Shin Sang-ok The Flower in Hell (지옥화 | 1958) Restored version here
Shin Sang-ok A Sisters’ Garden (자매의 화원 | 1959)
Shin Sang-ok Dongsimcho (동심초 | 1959)
Shin Sang-ok It’s not Her Sin (그 여자의 죄가 아니다 | 1959)
Shin Sang-ok A Romantic Papa (로맨스 빠빠 | 1960)
Shin Sang-ok Evergreen Tree (상록수 | 1961)
Shin Sang-ok Madam White Snake (백사부인 | 1961)
Shin Sang-ok Mother and a Guest ( (사랑방 손님과 어머니 | 1961)
Shin Sang-ok Prince Yeonsan (연산군 (장한사모편) | 1961)
Shin Sang-ok Seong Chun-hyang (성춘향 | 1961)
Shin Sang-ok Bound by Chastity Rule (열녀문 | 1962)
Shin Sang-ok Tyrant Yeonsan (폭군연산(복수, 쾌거편) | 1962)
Shin Sang-ok A Reluctant Prince (강화도령 | 1963)
Shin Sang-ok Love Affair (로맨스그레이 | 1963)
Shin Sang-ok Deaf Samryong (벙어리 삼룡 | 1964)
Shin Sang-ok Red Scarf (빨간마후라 | 1964)
Shin Sang-Ok Dreams (꿈 | 1967)
Shin Sang-Ok Traces (이조잔영 | 1967)
Shin Sang-ok The Eunuch (내시 | 1968)
Shin Sang-ok Thousand Years Old Fox (천년호 | 1969)
Shin Sang-ok Women of the Chosun Dynasty (이조 여인 잔혹사 | 1969)
Shin Sang-ok Lady of the Court (궁녀 | 1972) (restored version here)
Song Kyung-shik Sa Bangji (사방지 | 1988)
Sul Tai-ho A Case of a College Girl Lee Nan-Hee of Special Investigation Center (특별수사본부 여대생이난희사건 | 1973)
Yang Ju-nam Sweet Dream (미몽 – 죽음의 자장가 | 1936)
Yang Ju-nam The Bell Tower (종각 | 1958) | Version with commentary
Yu Hyun-mok Forever With You (그대와 영원히 | 1958)
Yu Hyun-mok Even the Clouds Are Drifting (구름은 흘러도 | 1959)
Yu Hyun-mok Aimless Bullet (오발탄 | 1961)
Yu Hyun-mok Kim’s Daughters (김약국의 딸들 | 1963)
Yu Hyun-mok The Empty Dream (춘몽 | 1965)
Yu Hyun-mok Descendants of Cain (카인의 후예 | 1968) (restored version here)
Yu Hyun-mok School Excursion (수학여행 | 1969)
Yu Hyun-mok Rainy Season (장마 | 1979)
Yun Bong-chun Yu Gwan-Sun (유관순 | 1959)
Yun Dae-ryong A Public Prosecutor and a Teacher: Byeonsa Recording Version (검사와 여선생: 변사 녹음 버전 | 1948)
Yun Yong-gyu A Hometown in Heart (마음의 고향 | 1949)

5 thoughts on “The Korean Film Archive Youtube Channel

  1. Thank you very much! This ordered list is really useful. I’ve already used it to find the film set in old tongyeong (mr kim’s daughters)

  2. Thanks so much for the list. There are some later films (like Chilsu and Mansu, Lovers in Woomukbaemi, and North Korean Partisans) which I wouldn’t have thought of looking for. But I’m still wondering why The Housemaid has apparently defied subtitling on the site when subtitled prints are available – one was shown at last year’s Busan Festival.

    1. Yes, I wondered why I couldn’t find Housemaid – I did do a special search for it. I speculate that it’s one of the few classic films that makes money in its subtitled Bluray version, and to give it away for free would be shooting themselves (or the commercial supplier of the Bluray) in the foot.

  3. And I see the list includes at least one “adult” film, which requires (in Korea, art least) inputting a phone number to get permission from YouTube to see.

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