Best movies like Sa Bang-ji
A unique, carefully handpicked, selection of the best movies like Sa Bang-ji Starring Lee Hye-young, Bang Hee, Kwak Jeong-Hee, Park Am, and more. If you liked Sa Bang-ji then you may also like: Untold Scandal, Painted Fire, Chunhyang, The Concubine, Poison Ivy and many more popular movies featured on this list. You can further filter the list even more or get a random selection from the list of similar movies, to make your selection even easier.
Sa Bangji was an intersex person who according to historical records lived during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty. Taken in by a kindly benefactor, Sa Bangji lives in a monastery that is one day visited by a young widow, Lee So-sa, who is in mourning following the death of her husband. The pair’s meeting seems predestined, with the erotic attraction between Sa Bangji and Lee So-sa soon evolving into something far more transcendent – and dangerous. While aspects of the film – its stylised depiction of female actors and sex – identify it as a product of its time, Sa Bangji is undeniably a milestone in screen representations of intersex people, a film that refuses to shy away from the horrendous stigmatization faced by its titular character.
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Painted Fire
In a time of political and social unrest in 19th century Korea, uncouth, self-taught painter Jang Seung-up explores his natural talent amidst the repressive world around him.
The Concubine
Living a torturous life of poverty and barely able to survive, Hwa-yeon decides to offer herself as one of the king’s concubines. Once inside the royal palace, two men are immediately seized by the woman - the Grand Prince Seong-won, a megalomaniacal ruler drunk with power and lust, and Kwon-yoo, who has everything to lose if his desire for Hwa-yeon is exposed.
Poison Ivy
A seductive teen befriends an introverted high school student and schemes her way into the lives of her wealthy family.
The Fortress
Ancient Korea, 17th century. The powerful Khan of the Jurchen tribe of Manchuria, who fights the Ming dinasty to gain China, becomes the first ruler of the Qing dinasty and demands from King In-jo of Joseon to bow before him; but he refuses, being loyal to the Mings. On December 14th, 1636, the Qing horde invades Joseon, so King In-jo and his court shelter in the mountain fortress of Namhan and prepare to defend the kingdom.
The Treacherous
The story of Joseon's tyrant king Yeonsan who exploits the populace for his own carnal pleasures, his seemingly loyal retainer who controls him and all court dealings, and a woman who seeks vengeance.
The Pirates
At the cusp of the founding of Joseon Dynasty, an envoy from China is delivering Emperor’s Ming’s Royal Seal. But nature in the form of a giant whale intervenes and swallows the royal seal. When a generous reward is offered to whomever can retrieve the royal seal from the belly of the whale, the race is on. A group of mountain bandits led by Jang Sa Jung and a group of pirates led by Yeo Wol go after the lost treasure, but who will get to to it first?
The Scent
A detective Seon-woo, who moonlights as a private investigator, has a beautiful new client Soo-Jin. The woman asks the detective to take photos of her husband in the midst of having an affair with another woman. When the detective goes to take pictures he discovers that the woman's husband is already dead. Now the detective becomes a suspect. The detective is chased by another detective Gil-ro. He must now set out for the real killer.
The Swordsman
After being blinded in a coup against the king, Joseon's greatest swordsman goes into hiding, far removed from his city's anguish. But when traffickers kidnap his daughter, he has no choice but to unsheathe his sword once more.
Farewell My Darling
When old Mr. Park dies, his first son Chan-Wu, a film director, and his troublesome daughter Mi-Seon hurriedly come back to their rural hometown, and third son Chan-Se comes back to Korea from America. As the quiet country village gets busy preparing funeral, the house in mourning becomes a meeting place where villagers gather to ask how they are getting along and meet old friends. The children mourn their father's death and above all Mi-Seon, who caused her parents a lot of grief, can't stop crying. Chan-Wu, the chief mourner, has a revelation about his career, and Chan-Se prepares to sing hymns for the Confucian funeral service. Old Man Park's sister sells insurance products and gradually the funeral service becomes for the living rather then the dead.
The Throne
Ancient Korea, July 4, 1762. The Crown Prince Hyojang, posthumously named Sado, son of King Yeongjo of Joseon, is accused of treason. Thus, the king asks him to commit suicide, but his closest vassals prevent it, so the king orders the prince to get inside a wooden rice chest, where he suffers deprivation of food and water.
Net Games
The successful publicist Adam Vance of the SFC is in the middle of a campaign to get an important Japanese client and is needy of sex because his traumatized wife Jennifer Vance was raped one year ago and is totally frigid, refusing to have sex. His close friend and colleague Ray Walters suggests Adam to visit the porn site cyber chat.net, where lonely people have erotic conversation. Adam meets Angel, a luscious woman and hacker while his wife is visiting her rapist in the prison with her therapist as part of her treatment. When Adam decides to finish his virtual affair with Angel, he is chased and blackmailed by the deranged sexy killer.
The Princess and the Matchmaker
The film will follow Princess Songhwa, who refuses her fate to marry one of four suitors. While Seo Do-yoon, skilled at interpreting marital harmony signs is selected as the person to ascertain her best match.
Lost Flower: Eo Woo-dong
A triangular relationship between Eo Woo-dong, her husband Lee Dong, and fantasy character Moo-gong, highlights on the first half of the Joseon Dynasty and portrays the contradicted life of the high class people, criticizing the modern day Korean society.
Sweet Angel Mine
Paul, a young man from London, arrives in the small Nova Scotia town of Milestone, where his long lost father was last seen years earlier. Paul is eager to find out what brought his father to this remote community. He meets Rauchine, a young, beautiful and unaffected girl who lives with her unstable mother and domineering grandmother on a nearby island, who is eking out a harsh and isolated living. Paul finds himself enmeshed in a web of jealousy, bitterness and fear as his attraction to Rauchine begins to grow. After a failed attempt to leave the island with Paul, Rauchine must make a crucial decision and break the cycle of violence and death that has marked her life.
War of the Arrows
After the death of their father, two siblings are raised by their father's best friend. However, when one gets kidnapped just before her wedding, the other rises against the Mongols.
Forbidden Quest
A noble, high-class scholar starts to write erotic novels in 18th century of Chosun dynasty and falls in love with a king's woman.
The Assassin
An action historical drama depicting the story of Joseon's best swordsman Yi Nan in front of an irreversible fate.
The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure
A gutsy crew of Joseon pirates and bandits battle stormy waters, puzzling clues and militant rivals in search of royal gold lost at sea.
Empire of Lust
A brilliant general distinguishes himself by protecting the dynasty's borders while keeping an eye on one of the sons of the king.
The Last Princess
Under the oppressive Japanese colonial rule, Deok-hye, the last Princess of the declining Joseon Dynasty, is forced to move to Japan. She spends her days missing home, while struggling to maintain dignity as a princess. After a series of failed tries, Deok-hye makes her final attempt to return home with help of her childhood sweetheart, Jang-han.
The Grand Heist
Ice suddenly becomes a more valuable commodity during the Joseon Dynasty and a gang of eleven professionals are assigned to protect the market situation from irresponsible people.
I Am The King
The movie depicts the three months before Choong-nyung (the future Sejong the Great) becomes king. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which follows the history of the Joseon Dynasty between 1413 and 1865, leaves out records of this crucial period. While future generations would come to know him as King Sejong, the legendary figure who created the Korean alphabet and advanced the country’s scientific research and law, Prince Choong-nyung was originally dismissed as a reclusive bookworm. When his older brothers Yangnyeong and Hyoryeong fail to impress their father King Taejong, the king makes a royal command for Choong-nyung to become the next ruler of the kingdom instead.
The Royal Tailor
Depicts the love lives, jealousies and desires of those that work within the Sanguiwon during the Joseon Dynasty period. The Sanguiwon are responsible for the attire worn by royalty. Dol-Seok is the best master artisan in charge of royal attire. He views set rules as paramount to his job. Kong-Jin is a genius like designer, born with dexterity and an excellent sense. He was brought to the palace by nobleman Pan-Soo who first spotted his talent. The King and Queen then become embroiled in a critical case because of the royal attire made by Dol-Seok and Kong-Jin.
The Face Reader
An exceptionally talented face reader becomes entangled in a bloody power struggle between a child king and his uncle who plans to usurp the throne.
Forbidden Dream
A true historical drama about King Sejong, the greatest ruler in Joseon history who sought to enhance national prosperity and military power through astronomy, and Jang Yeong-sil, the most remarkable scientist.
The Magician
A Princess in the Joseon Dynasty travels to the Qing Dynasty to marry. On the way to there, she meets a young magician and falls in love with him.
The Surrogate Womb
A barren noblewoman encourages her husband to take a young peasant as a surrogate to secure the male line.
Heung-boo: The Revolutionist
During a time of poverty and despair in the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, a satirical street play that pokes fun at the ruling class while giving a prophecy of ‘a new leader to save the world’ becomes immensely popular among the people. The author of the fable, Heung-boo, subsequently gains fame around the country and is sought after by both the oppressive political power and the rebellion leader who want to use his name and talent for their differing agendas.
The Great Hero Yi Sun Shin
A famous general who defeated Japanese invaders with the world's first iron ship, 'Turtle battleship' during Chosun dynasty, was intrigued against by many villainous retainers. Even when he was reduced to a much lower rank, he served in the war worrying about the nation's wellbeing. This film depicts General Lee Sun-Shin who is probably the most famous general in Korean history, based on his 'Wartime Diary.'
The General in Red Robes
General Kwak, despite having retired from military service, organizes a small army to resist the onslaught of an invasion from Japan in the early Chosun Dynasty
The Eternal Empire
This film depicts the struggles of the Royal Party and the Old Party to obtain political power. In 1800, The Royal Party insisted that the political power should be centralized to the King, but the other party (The Old Party) insisted that the political power should be centralized to the majority of the ministers. One day, official Jang was ordered by the King to arrange and edit the record of the former King Yeongjo. All of a sudden, Jang dies. Soon it was disclosed that Jang was killed by the Old Party because of their connection with the book. For this incident , the King tried to get rid of key members of the Old Party, but the Old Party resists the King's will. What was in the book? Who was involved? Why? The political intrigue will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Madam
Ma-nim (Kim Jeong-ah-II) becomes a widow after her husband dies from sickness and she arrives at Bukgando to get remarried. Her new husband is a handsome and wealthy man but he is killed by a Japanese even before she spends a night with him. Ma-nim is alone in the big house once again. Everyone by her husband's side leaves and only the grandfather and slave named Bau are left behind. One day, Ma-nim notices that Bau has a way of staring at her and she is overcome by a strange feeling. She'd to oppress her desires as a woman because of her two short marriages and strict identity. Bau had never made love with a woman before but she didn't mind his gaze on her. The two of them start a forbidden love behind grandfather's back...
Untold Scandal
In late 1700s Korea, Lady Cho challenges the playboy Lord Jo-won into seducing and sleeping with her husband's coming young, virgin concubine. Lady Cho agrees to sleep with him if he succeeds.