Best Korean Sports Movies

Despite the fact it's nowhere near Hollywood in terms of popularity, Korean cinema is all about quality over quantity. In Asia, Korean cinema is known for its diverse range of genres, so it's more than just horror which is globally recognized. Sports dramas have gained a lot of traction in the past few years, ranging from emotional and heart-warming tales to adrenaline-pumping action and the ever-present underdog story.

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Since there are so many Korean sports movies to watch, it may be confusing where to start. This is where we come in - here are the best Korean sports movies you must watch.

"Forever the Moment"

Perhaps the best-known Korean movie on this list, "Forever the Moment" chronicles the women's handball team journey to the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics. It has a star-studded cast that includes Moon So-ri, Uhm Tae-woong, and Kim Jung-eun.

A little background about the real events that inspired this movie - the South Korean women's handball team won silver in a close game against Denmark, but the match could have easily gone the other way. It was a spirited performance that no one saw coming. South Korea was not a favorite at 토토사이트 and no one gave the team even a slight chance of reaching the knockout rounds, let alone winning a silver medal. But, the girls performed to their best led by a fantastic coach, and this movie tells that story.

It follows Kim  Hye-kyeong, a former handball player who coaches in the Japan Handball League. When the South Korean coach suddenly quits, Hye-kyeong is called into action. She accepts reluctantly, especially knowing that she's taking an undisciplined squad. The coach calls into action a former gold medallist (Han  Mi-sook), which causes friction between the players in the squad. It all takes a turn to the worse, but at the same time, the occurrences present an opportunity for growth.

Despite almost no chances at the bookies, the team beats all odds to win a silver medal. It could have easily been gold as South Korea leads the Danish team near the end, losing on penalties after a tense overtime. It's a gripping sports drama you have to see, even if you're not a fan of the sport. The movie is available on Netflix, and is a must-watch for all sports fans.

"Champion"

Arm wrestling may not be the most popular sport in the world, but it surely makes the cut as an interesting one to see on the big screen. "Champion" is a movie about that. An American/Korean wrestler goes to South Korea for a competition but discovers that he has a sister he never knew about. What follows is a tremendous and compelling sports drama about the main character's focus on arm wrestling and emotional wrestling with the new discovery.

There are a few intense arm wrestling matches in "Champion", and the intense training montages make it a real favorite of sports bettors and fans. The movie stars Kwon Yul, Han Ye-ri, and Ma Dong-seok and is available on Amazon Prime.

"Dream - 2020"

Per The Korean Film Council's Korea Box Office Information System, it had over 93,000 viewers on opening day. Its dreamy success story is just as crazy as the premise. The movie is about a group of homeless men who train hard to compete in the Homeless World Cup of football, with a cranky coach at the helm.

The sports drama was directed by Lee Byeong-heon-I, and stars Lee Ji-eun and Park Seo-joon in the lead roles. The coach, Yoon Hong-dae, receives a disciplinary provision and is given a challenging job - to organize and train a group of homeless men for the Homeless Cup. Here's a fun fact - the movie is based on a real story. The cup in question is supposedly the 2010 Homeless Cup, a relatively unknown competition that is hard to find even at sports betting sites.

Despite the challenge, the coach manages to get his team ready and fly to Europe to play in the Cup. The team doesn't win the tournament but captures the hearts of sports fans around the world with a spirited performance. We won't spoil the end, but it's safe to say the movie ends on a high note. "Dream - 2020" is available to stream on Netflix.

"My Annoying Brother"

Released in May 2017, "My Annoying Brother" is one of the most successful Korean sports films of all time. It topped the local box office immediately after release and hit over 1 million views in just four days. By New Year's Eve, the movie hit over 3 million views thanks to its heart-warming story, which aims for a compassionate and powerful emotional message while remaining rooted in reality.

The movie stars Park Shin-hye, Do Kyung-soo, and Cho Jung-seok in the lead roles. It's a story about a national judo athlete (Do Kyung-soo), who takes a bad kick during a match, which damages his optic nerves. As a result, he goes blind. His older brother (Cho Jung-seok), takes advantage of this situation to get out of prison early.

They were never close and must work around their differences in a unique situation to overcome numerous obstacles. As the two work to repair their relationship, the older brother discovers a shocking truth. He must race time to help his blind brother win gold at the Rio Paralympics, as a final and noble act in his life.

It's a very emotional drama about the power of siblings, and how they can go to the end of the Earth to help each other. If you're looking for one of the top Korean sports dramas, "My Annoying Brother" is available on Netflix.

"As One"

In terms of theme, "As One" is pretty close to "Forever the Moment". This time, it tells the incredible story of the unified Korean table tennis team at the 1991 World Table Tennis "Championship". It was a rare moment in Korean sport where athletes from South and North Korea joined forces for the championship. That's what makes it one of the top Korean movies of all time, especially in the sports niche.

The movie's intense matches and excellent action and camaraderie show the unifying power of sports and friendship. It's a must-watch for everyone who loves sports dramas and available on Netflix.