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1980s – today

Contemporary Asian Cinema

Stylish, genre-crossing and formally ambitious work from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Since the 1980s, East Asia has produced some of the world's most inventive cinema. Hong Kong's Wong Kar-wai and John Woo mixed genre and style, Korean directors such as Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho and Lee Chang-dong turned thrillers and dramas into sharp social portraits, and Bong's Parasite became the first non-English film to win Best Picture in 2020. Japan gave Hirokazu Kore-eda's family dramas and Hayao Miyazaki's animated worlds, Taiwan and mainland China added Ang Lee, Edward Yang and Jia Zhangke. Shared strengths are visual flair, genre play and close attention to class and family.

Where
South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and China
When
1980s to the present
Key figures
Wong Kar-wai, Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, Lee Chang-dong, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Hayao Miyazaki, Jia Zhangke, Takeshi Kitano
Landmark films
Chungking Express (1994), Spirited Away (2001), Oldboy (2003), Parasite (2019)
Legacy
Made East Asia a leading centre of world cinema

What to look for

  • Genre films treated with striking style and social insight
  • Strong visual design and rich colour
  • Class, family and rapid social change as common subjects

Famous Directors

Wong Kar-waiHong KongEdward YangTaiwanPark Chan-wookSouth KoreaBong Joon-hoSouth KoreaHayao MiyazakiJapanShohei ImamuraJapanZhang YimouChinaAng LeeTaiwan / USAHirokazu Kore-edaJapanTsai Ming-liangTaiwan (born in Malaysia)Jia ZhangkeChinaTakeshi KitanoJapanLee Chang-dongSouth KoreaHong Sang-sooSouth KoreaJohn WooHong Kong / USAJohnnie ToHong KongAnn HuiHong KongKim Ki-dukSouth KoreaTrần Anh HùngFrance / VietnamDiao YinanChinaSemih KaplanoğluTurkeyMetin ErksanTurkeyWang Quan'anChinaXie FeiChina
See all 32 directors
Şerif GörenTurkeyTakashi MiikeJapanNaomi KawaseJapanRyusuke HamaguchiJapanJuzo ItamiJapanWang BingChinaStanley KwanHong KongBrillante MendozaPhilippines

Top 100 rated films

  1. Spirited Away 2001 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 8.6
  2. Parasite 2019 · Bong Joon-ho · IMDb 8.5
  3. Princess Mononoke 1997 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 8.3
  4. Oldboy 2003 · Park Chan-wook · IMDb 8.3
  5. To Live 1994 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 8.3
  6. Howl's Moving Castle 2004 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 8.2
  7. A Brighter Summer Day 1991 · Edward Yang · IMDb 8.2
  8. My Neighbor Totoro 1988 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 8.1
  9. Yi Yi 2000 · Edward Yang · IMDb 8.1
  10. The Handmaiden 2016 · Park Chan-wook · IMDb 8.1
  11. Raise the Red Lantern 1991 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 8.1
  12. Memories of Murder 2003 · Bong Joon-ho · IMDb 8.1
  13. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 1984 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 8.0
  14. Castle in the Sky 1986 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 8.0
  15. In the Mood for Love 2000 · Wong Kar-wai · IMDb 8.0
  16. Nobody Knows 2004 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 8.0
  17. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring 2003 · Kim Ki-duk · IMDb 8.0
  18. Dead Souls 2018 · Wang Bing · IMDb 8.0
  19. Tampopo 1985 · Juzo Itami · IMDb 7.9
  20. Chungking Express 1994 · Wong Kar-wai · IMDb 7.9
  21. Hero 2002 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 7.9
  22. Life of Pi 2012 · Ang Lee · IMDb 7.9
  23. Shoplifters 2018 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.9
  24. Still Walking 2008 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.9
  25. 3-Iron 2004 · Kim Ki-duk · IMDb 7.9
  26. Til Madness Do Us Part 2013 · Wang Bing · IMDb 7.9
  27. The Ballad of Narayama 1983 · Shohei Imamura · IMDb 7.8
  28. Kiki's Delivery Service 1989 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 7.8
  29. The Wind Rises 2013 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 7.8
  30. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2000 · Ang Lee · IMDb 7.8
  31. Eat Drink Man Woman 1994 · Ang Lee · IMDb 7.8
  32. Like Father, Like Son 2013 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.8
  33. Monster 2023 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.8
  34. Poetry 2010 · Lee Chang-dong · IMDb 7.8
  35. Oasis 2002 · Lee Chang-dong · IMDb 7.8
  36. Summer Snow 1995 · Ann Hui · IMDb 7.8
  37. Porco Rosso 1992 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 7.7
  38. The Terrorizers 1986 · Edward Yang · IMDb 7.7
  39. Joint Security Area 2000 · Park Chan-wook · IMDb 7.7
  40. Not One Less 1999 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 7.7
  41. The Road Home 1999 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 7.7
  42. Sense and Sensibility 1995 · Ang Lee · IMDb 7.7
  43. Brokeback Mountain 2005 · Ang Lee · IMDb 7.7
  44. Mother 2009 · Bong Joon-ho · IMDb 7.7
  45. Hana-bi 1997 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.7
  46. Kikujiro 1999 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.7
  47. The Killer 1989 · John Woo · IMDb 7.7
  48. Hard Boiled 1992 · John Woo · IMDb 7.7
  49. Fengming: A Chinese Memoir 2007 · Wang Bing · IMDb 7.7
  50. Intentions of Murder 1964 · Shohei Imamura · IMDb 7.6
  51. Vengeance Is Mine 1979 · Shohei Imamura · IMDb 7.6
  52. Ponyo 2008 · Hayao Miyazaki · IMDb 7.6
  53. That Day, on the Beach 1983 · Edward Yang · IMDb 7.6
  54. Taipei Story 1985 · Edward Yang · IMDb 7.6
  55. Happy Together 1997 · Wong Kar-wai · IMDb 7.6
  56. Ju Dou 1990 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 7.6
  57. The Wedding Banquet 1993 · Ang Lee · IMDb 7.6
  58. After Life 1998 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.6
  59. Our Little Sister 2015 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.6
  60. Peppermint Candy 1999 · Lee Chang-dong · IMDb 7.6
  61. Boat People 1982 · Ann Hui · IMDb 7.6
  62. Happy Hour 2015 · Ryusuke Hamaguchi · IMDb 7.6
  63. A Confucian Confusion 1994 · Edward Yang · IMDb 7.5
  64. Fallen Angels 1995 · Wong Kar-wai · IMDb 7.5
  65. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance 2002 · Park Chan-wook · IMDb 7.5
  66. The Story of Qiu Ju 1992 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 7.5
  67. House of Flying Daggers 2004 · Zhang Yimou · IMDb 7.5
  68. Lust, Caution 2007 · Ang Lee · IMDb 7.5
  69. Rebels of the Neon God 1992 · Tsai Ming-liang · IMDb 7.5
  70. Maborosi 1995 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.5
  71. A Scene at the Sea 1991 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.5
  72. Dolls 2002 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.5
  73. Secret Sunshine 2007 · Lee Chang-dong · IMDb 7.5
  74. Bullet in the Head 1990 · John Woo · IMDb 7.5
  75. The Mission 1999 · Johnnie To · IMDb 7.5
  76. A Simple Life 2011 · Ann Hui · IMDb 7.5
  77. 13 Assassins 2010 · Takashi Miike · IMDb 7.5
  78. Drive My Car 2021 · Ryusuke Hamaguchi · IMDb 7.5
  79. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy 2021 · Ryusuke Hamaguchi · IMDb 7.5
  80. Pigs and Battleships 1961 · Shohei Imamura · IMDb 7.4
  81. Center Stage 1991 · Stanley Kwan · IMDb 7.4
  82. Days of Being Wild 1990 · Wong Kar-wai · IMDb 7.4
  83. 2046 2004 · Wong Kar-wai · IMDb 7.4
  84. The Hole 1998 · Tsai Ming-liang · IMDb 7.4
  85. I Wish 2011 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.4
  86. After the Storm 2016 · Hirokazu Kore-eda · IMDb 7.4
  87. Xiao Wu 1997 · Jia Zhangke · IMDb 7.4
  88. Platform 2000 · Jia Zhangke · IMDb 7.4
  89. Sonatine 1993 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.4
  90. Kids Return 1996 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.4
  91. Zatoichi 2003 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.4
  92. Burning 2018 · Lee Chang-dong · IMDb 7.4
  93. A Better Tomorrow 1986 · John Woo · IMDb 7.4
  94. Election 2 2006 · Johnnie To · IMDb 7.4
  95. Song of the Exile 1990 · Ann Hui · IMDb 7.4
  96. The Taste of Things 2023 · Trần Anh Hùng · IMDb 7.4
  97. Sweet Bean 2015 · Naomi Kawase · IMDb 7.4
  98. The Insect Woman 1963 · Shohei Imamura · IMDb 7.3
  99. The Eel 1997 · Shohei Imamura · IMDb 7.3
  100. A Taxing Woman 1987 · Juzo Itami · IMDb 7.3