Best Korean Films About Horses
Published on
When we talk about horse movies, we can safely say that this isn't a very saturated niche. There aren't many horse racing movies being produced, at least not compared to other themes, like superheroes.
Advertisement
But if we add an additional filter and include only Korean movies about horses, the selection becomes even more narrow.
It's safe to say that there are only a few movies that are actually made around horses. However, many others include horse elements, that might not be the main subject of the movie but are still enough to fuel your equestrian passion.
So, whether you are a seasonal horse racing bettor, someone who loves horses, or someone who appreciates human's most loyal companions, these are some of the Korean movies that might be worth the watch.
Horse Culture in Korea
Most people don't know but horses are actually well embedded in Korea's history and way of life. Korea has the Jeju horse, which is a breed native to Jeju Island, and it is a horse with incredible stamina, endurance, and ability to thrive in the island's harsh conditions without horseshoes.
Even nowadays, this breed is used for racing and riding, which showcases their shift from traditional roles to farm and draft horses.
Horse riding has been a crucial aspect of Korean culture for thousands of years. The roots go back to the Koguryo period ( BC 277 - AD 668), where horsemanship was really important when selecting talents.
Today, this tradition is kept alive with a renewed enthusiasm for horse riding sweeping across the country, demonstrated through the establishment of riding clubs and the annual national amateur riders' competition.
South Korea also has a decent horse racing culture with many horse races across the year. While it might not be as popular as the 2024 Kentucky Derby picks in the USA, there is still plenty of horse racing action in the country.
Korean Horse Movies
So, since Korea has a rich history with horses, this means that we can find a lot of equestrian movies, right? - Wrong. The selection is limited, but let's go through some of them that contain the most horse elements.
This is probably one of the rare movies that focuses on horse racing in Korea. And one of the rare movies to feature a female rider as the main star.
The plot of "Grand Prix" revolves around a girl's quest to become Korea's first notable female rider. Seo Joo-hee has a breakdown with her favorite horse during a race and must overcome her emotions to return to the track and fight for her ambition. There is also a romance in the plot with a male jockey named Woo-Seok.
The Korean Racing Authority (KRA) is backing the film, which is a wise decision for Korean horse racing. This is not only good for the sport but for the entire horse culture in Korea.
The movie features beautiful and really talented actors, which makes it the perfect watch for the younger generations. This is a good thing since youngsters need to carry the horse passion into the future.
___________
"Grand Prix" is directed by Yang Yoon-ho, and features Kim Tae-hee, Yang Dong-geun, Park Geun-hyung, Go Doo-shim, Park Sa-rang, Woo Hyun. Release date in Korea: 2010/09/16.
"Lump of Sugar" was the first Korean film to deal with horse racing, and it did it in a realistic yet amusing manner, becoming a box office triumph despite the existence of titles like "The Host" and "The King and the Clown" that also showed in 2006. Some footage from the race was captured at the Stratford upon Avon horse racing track in England.
The plot focuses on Si-Eun (Lim Soo-jung, young Si-eun played by Kim You-jung), the daughter of an impoverished rancher whose late mother was a horse jockey. The girl spends most of her time with her mother's thoroughbred, called General.
Unfortunately, the horse dies during birth, in a highly dramatic and startlingly realistic scenario, but Si-eun assures the dying mare that she will care for her child, whom she names Thunder.
Si-eun, who secretly wishes to follow in her mother's footsteps, nurtures the young horse as if she were his mother, dreaming of racing him to the track someday.
___________
"Lump of Sugar" is directed by Lee Hwan-gyeong, and features Lim Soo-jung, Park Eun-soo, Kim You-jung, Kim Ki-cheon, Kwon Byung-gil, Choi Hak-rak. Release date in Korea: 2006/08/10.
"Champ" (2011)
Now let's highlight something more light-hearted. "Champ" is a sports comedy-drama that is perfect for a family movie night. The movie is about a former horse jockey who went blind after losing his wife in an accident. This doesn't sound too light-hearted, right?
Well, here is where things change. He gets a second chance with the help of his daughter an injured horse.
Two broken souls compete for the race of their lives. He is no longer able to work and lives an aimless life with his little daughter. Things get worse when he loses all of his cash after attempting to cheat at the horse track and escapes to a secluded property on Jeju Island.
There, he meets Woo-bak, a furious and limping horse, and trains him to race. Against all odds, Seung-ho and Woo-bak finish first in the preliminary round, but when the officials discover Seung-ho's blindness, they are excluded from the finals.
___________
"Champ" is directed by Lee Hwan-gyeong, and features Cha Tae-hyun, Yu Oh-seong, Park Ha-sun, Kim Su-jung, Park Won-sang, Baek Do-bin. Release date in Korea: 2011/09/07.
Final Words
As we mentioned before, there aren't many horse-themed movies in Korea, despite the country's rich horse culture. But these are some of the hidden gems that are mostly focused on horse racing.
So, if you are a horse lover, and want to watch a Korean movie, you cannot go wrong with any of the movies we mentioned before.