Looking for some thrilling films and series to watch? iQiyi has a mine of classic and contemporary thrilling films and series inspired by the mysticism and folklores unique to and where Asia is best known for. Turn off the lights and enjoy horror at its most thrilling with these titles.
7 Thrilling Asian Films and Series You Should Watch
The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim
The new young-adult mystery thriller series The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim stars Nam Da-reum, Kim Sae-ron and Yoon Sun-ho. Ga Doo-shim (Kim Sae-ron) wishes to spend her teenage years as a regular high school student but can’t do so because she’s destined to be a shaman who chases evil spirits. She soon transfers to a new class and meets Na Woo-soo (Nam Da-reum), a straight-A student with a perfect life coming from a good and wealthy background. Teaming up together and discovering their unique abilities to bust ghosts, they soon step into one adventure to the next fighting against evil.
Bangkok Haunted
Released in 2001, when it recorded high earnings in the box office during its release, Bangkok Haunted is a film about ghostly possessions told by three women. The first story, Legend of the Drum, brings a dancer’s spirit to life that possesses an old drum discovered by an antique dealer. Black Magic Woman is about a love potion that makes women irresistible to men but is extracted from corpses and comes with a horrifying price. Revenge reveals horrifying consequences when the truth about a tragic past is revealed.
Spellbound
Starring Son Ye-jin, Spellbound is a romantic thriller from 2011 that revolves around a chance meeting between a street magician Ma Jo-goo (Lee Min-ki) and a woman named Kang Yeo-ri (Son Ye-jin). Inspired by Yeo-ri’s melancholic expression, Jo-goo invites her to work with him. The ghost show they come up with makes quite a splash among the audience and keeps the team enthusiastic. Yeo-ri rarely attends the team’s celebration parties and ends up in an awkward situation after finally attending one. Jo-goo becomes more interested in Yeo-ri despite the embarrassment and soon walks into Yeo-ri’s house to find her surrounded by visible ghosts. What’s more frightening is that the ghosts start following Jo-goo, eventually giving us a glimpse into Yeo-ri’s tragic past.
Tales from the Dark
From Hongkong, Tales from the Dark (Part 1 & 2) were released in 2013 and are based on the writings of the popular Chinese author Lilian Lee (Farewell My Concubine). Both films feature three different stories with a strong cast from Hongkong, including Simon Yam, Kelly Chen, Tony Leung, and Siu Yam-yam in Part 1, and Teddy Robin, Gordon Lam, Fala Chen, and Kelvin Kwan in Part 2.
The Cursed
The Cursed is a 2020 South Korean suspense series that brings together talented and iconic actors Sung Dong-il, Uhm Ji-won, Jung Ji-so, Jo Min-soo, and Jung Moon-sung. In the series, a devil exists in the largest IT enterprise, which is only known by a girl with mysterious skills and a journalist with a great sense of justice. They join hands to destroy the devil’s apocalyptic plan.
Intruder
A sibling who went missing after 25 years mysteriously returns in Intruder, a 2020 South Korean suspense thriller starring Song Ji-hyo, Kim Mu-yeol, Ye Su-jeong, and Heo Jun-seok. The film unravels the suspicions of traumatized architect Seo Chul (Kim Mu-yeol) when his sister suddenly appears and things started to drastically change in their lives, prompting Seo Chul to dig deeper into the real identity of the person who claims to be his sister.
The Ferryman: Legends of Nanyang
Streaming on August 24 is the horror mystery thriller The Ferryman: Legends of Nanyang, an iQiyi Original and exclusive series starring Lawrence Wong, Qi Yu Wu, and Kate Kin. The series includes 36 stand-alone episodes where Xia Dong Xing and Zhao Li help wandering souls in the mortal world with their unfinished business.
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