Asian culture, A to Z.

Kung Fu Hustle

Hong Kong film directed by Stephen Chow in 2004, a wild action comedy set in 1940s Shanghai. A small-time crook tries to join the fearsome Axe Gang but discovers that the residents of a slum called Pig Sty Alley are actually concealed martial arts masters. An extravagant tribute to classic kung fu films, Looney Tunes cartoons, and Fred Astaire dance movies, the film was an international hit with over $102 million at the worldwide box office.

Hero

Wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou in 2002, in which a nameless warrior presents himself before the King of Qin, claiming to have eliminated his three most fearsome assassins. Each account offers a different version of events, illustrated by a distinct symbolic color palette (red, blue, white, green). A worldwide hit with over $177 million at the box office, the film is a visually dazzling meditation on sacrifice, power, and national unity.

Fallen Angels

Hong Kong film directed by Wong Kar-wai in 1995, a neo-noir drama set in nocturnal Hong Kong. Five lonely characters live parallel stories of love and disconnection in a dazzling and alienating metropolis: a hitman and his partner who never meet, a mute ex-convict who forces passersby to use his improvised services. Aesthetically flamboyant with its distorted wide-angle photography and hypnotic soundtrack, the film captures the essence of Wong Kar-wai's cinema.

Infernal Affairs

Hong Kong film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak in 2002, a crime thriller in which a cop infiltrates the triad while a triad mole infiltrates the police, each trying to unmask the other before being discovered. This gripping duel between two men trapped in their double identities has become a Hong Kong cinema classic and directly inspired Martin Scorsese's Hollywood remake The Departed, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2007.

Seven Samurai

Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa in 1954, in which a village of farmers recruits seven ronin samurai to protect them from bandits threatening to plunder their harvest. Over three hours long, this epic fresco is considered one of the greatest films in cinema history and has influenced countless works, notably John Sturges' The Magnificent Seven. The film established Kurosawa as the master of Japanese cinema and popularized the 'assembling the team' narrative structure.

Rashomon

Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa in 1950, in which four witnesses give radically contradictory versions of a murder and rape committed in a forest in medieval Japan. Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1951 and an Honorary Academy Award in 1952, the film invented the narrative concept known as the 'Rashomon effect' and revealed Japanese cinema to the Western world. It is unanimously considered one of the most influential films in cinema history.

The Handmaiden

South Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook in 2016, an erotic thriller set in 1930s Korea under Japanese occupation. A con man sends a pickpocket to be hired as handmaiden to a wealthy Japanese heiress to seduce her and steal her fortune, but alliances reconfigure in unpredictable ways. Adapted from Sarah Waters' novel Fingersmith, the film is praised for its dizzying twists, sumptuous direction, and bold exploration of female desire.

Memories of Murder

South Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho in 2003, inspired by the real Hwaseong serial murder case that terrorized rural South Korea in the 1980s. Two detectives with radically opposing methods try to unmask an elusive serial killer in a frustrating and emotionally devastating investigation. Regarded as a masterpiece of crime cinema worldwide, the film launched Bong Joon-ho's international career.

My Neighbor Totoro

Animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli in 1988. Two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, move to the countryside near the hospital where their mother is being treated and discover Totoro, a benevolent forest spirit. A timeless animation classic, the film became the symbol of Studio Ghibli whose logo features Totoro's silhouette, and remains one of the most beloved works in world cinema across all generations.

Princess Mononoke

Animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli in 1997. Prince Ashitaka, struck by a deadly curse, discovers a conflict between forest spirits led by Princess Mononoke and the humans of a mining town led by Lady Eboshi. An epic ecological fresco that redefined Japanese animation, the film was the highest-grossing at the Japanese box office upon release and paved the way for Studio Ghibli's worldwide recognition.

Decision to Leave

South Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook in 2022, a romantic neo-noir in which a meticulous detective investigates the suspicious death of a mountaineer and develops an obsession with the deceased's mysterious widow. Winner of the Best Director prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, the film is a Hitchcockian hall of mirrors of dazzling visual elegance, blending police investigation and all-consuming passion. It marks a turning point in Park Chan-wook's filmography toward more restrained and emotionally complex cinema.

Shoplifters

Japanese film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda in 2018, portraying a marginal Tokyo family that survives through shoplifting and takes in a little girl neglected by her parents. Winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the film is a tender and devastating exploration of chosen family bonds, invisible poverty, and the cracks in Japan's social system. It confirmed Kore-eda as one of the greatest humanists in contemporary cinema.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Wuxia film directed by Ang Lee in 2000, a co-production between China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States. In Qing dynasty China, warrior Li Mu Bai entrusts his legendary sword 'Green Destiny' to a friend, but it is stolen by a young aristocrat with hidden martial talent. The first Mandarin-language film to surpass $100 million at the worldwide box office, it won 4 Academy Awards including Best Foreign Language Film and introduced the wuxia genre to mainstream Western audiences.

In the Mood for Love

Hong Kong film directed by Wong Kar-wai in 2000, set in 1960s Hong Kong. Two neighbors, Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen, discover that their respective spouses are having an affair and develop a relationship marked by restrained desire and melancholy. Regarded as one of the greatest romantic films ever made, it won the Best Director prize at the Cannes Film Festival and regularly tops lists of the best films of the 21st century.

Oldboy

Revenge thriller directed by Park Chan-wook in 2003, the second installment of his 'Vengeance Trilogy.' Oh Dae-su is imprisoned for 15 years in a hotel room without explanation, then released to discover the truth behind his confinement. Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, the film is celebrated for its stylized violence, iconic corridor fight scene, and devastating final twist.

All of Us Are Dead

South Korean zombie drama of 12 episodes adapted from Joo Dong-geun's webtoon Now at Our School, released on Netflix in 2022. A virus transforms high school students into zombies, and the survivors must organize to escape the quarantined school. A teen horror thriller that propelled the Korean zombie genre to the top of Netflix's worldwide charts.

Twenty-Five Twenty-One

South Korean drama of 16 episodes written by Kwon Do-eun, aired on tvN in 2022. Against the backdrop of the 1998 Asian financial crisis, an 18-year-old fencer and a 22-year-old journalist meet and experience an unforgettable first love. A nostalgic and poetic coming-of-age story celebrating the beauty of first loves and the pain of growing up.

Signal

South Korean crime drama of 16 episodes written by Kim Eun-hee, aired on tvN in 2016. A present-day profiler communicates via an old walkie-talkie with a detective from the past to solve cold cases inspired by real Korean criminal cases. A critically acclaimed time-travel thriller, considered one of the best Asian crime series ever produced.

Move to Heaven

South Korean drama of 10 episodes released on Netflix in 2021. A young autistic man and his uncle, a former convict, take over the family trauma cleaning business and discover the untold stories of the deceased through their personal belongings. A touching and delicate drama exploring grief, memory, and the invisible bonds between the living and the dead.

Begin Again

Chinese romantic drama of 35 episodes aired on Hunan TV in 2020. Lu Fangning, a demanding businesswoman in the luxury sector, and Ling Rui, a talented but rebellious designer, clash in the world of haute couture before falling in love. A corporate romance with polished aesthetics set in the Chinese fashion world.

Word of Honor (Shan He Ling)

Chinese wuxia drama of 36 episodes adapted from Priest's danmei novel Tian Ya Ke, aired on Youku in 2021. Zhou Zishu, a former master assassin of a government organization, meets Wen Kexing, the mysterious leader of Ghost Valley, and the two men travel together through the martial arts world. An international success that strengthened the popularity of the wuxia-danmei genre.

Story of Yanxi Palace

Chinese historical drama of 70 episodes written by Zhou Mo, aired on iQiyi in 2018. Wei Yingluo, a palace maid during Emperor Qianlong's reign, climbs the ranks of the imperial harem to avenge her sister's death. A Chinese cultural phenomenon that became the most searched TV show on Google worldwide in 2018.

Love O2O

Chinese drama of 30 episodes adapted from Gu Man's novel, aired on Jiangsu TV in 2016. A brilliant computer science student meets the number one player of an MMORPG and their virtual romance transforms into a real love story. A pioneering romantic comedy of the 'e-sport romance' genre that launched Yang Yang's international career.