Behind Bars and Beyond: Korean Prison Movies You Can’t Miss

April7,2025

A mentally challenged man is wrongly imprisoned for murder and builds an unlikely family with his cellmates.

Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013)

A former cop is jailed and discovers that the prison is run by inmates who control crime on the outside. 

The Prison (2017)

A tough prosecutor is framed for murder, sent to prison, and teams up with a con man to plot his revenge.

A Violent Prosecutor (2016) 

A former cop is jailed and discovers that the prison is run by inmates who control crime on the outside. 

The Prison (2017)

A brutal tale of power and corruption within the justice system, involving crooked cops and dirty deals. 

The Unjust (2010)

A young undercover cop befriends a powerful gangster in prison—blurring the lines between loyalty and betrayal.

The Merciless (2017)  

While not a prison movie, the trapped, survivalist tone feels close. Worth watching for the tension and escape drama. 

Escape from Mogadishu (2021)

Political power struggles and betrayal during the Joseon era, including gripping imprisonment sequences.  

Fengshui (2018)