I waited a long time to watch this movie because I was genuinely interested in it. I love anthologies where multiple directors contribute since it’s fascinating to see how they tell their stories. Thankfully, “Horror Stories” is an excellent example of what South Korean horror cinema brings to the genre, creating new forms of fear while allowing viewers to pick their favorite tale within one film.
Just like the old anthology series from my childhood, like Amazing Stories or Tales from the Crypt, this movie delivers similarly strong horror tales (though, I admit, I’m easily impressed). It will leave viewers wanting more and more. Despite running over an hour and a half, it felt so short! Of the four stories, two stood out for me alongside the central narrative that ties everything together.
Horror Stories (2012)
The film begins with a young girl held captive by a psychopath. To stay alive, she tells him horror stories because it’s the only thing that calms him down enough to sleep.
- Kim Ji Won (The Heirs, To the Beautiful You, What’s Up?) stars as the captive girl.
- Yoo Yeon Seok (Reply 1994, Born to Sing, Gu Family Book) plays the menacing psychopath.
The stories she tells are as follows:
1. Sun and Moon
This first tale hooked me with its camerawork and the tension among its characters, most of whom are children throughout the plot.
- Kim Hyun Soo (Good Doctor),
- No Kang Min (26 Years), and
- Ra Mi Ran (Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Children…) star in this segment.
2. Fear Plane
The second segment was my least favorite, as it leaned more toward action and suspense rather than pure horror. Its short runtime didn’t allow for much development.
- Choi Yoon Young (The Queen of the Classroom) and
- Jin Tae Hyun (All About My Romance) appear here.
3. Kongji, Patzzi
The third story is my second favorite. It’s extreme, exceptionally acted, and features great filmmaking techniques.
- Nam Bo Ra (Shark),
- Jung Eun Chae (My Bittersweet Life),
- Bae Soo Bin (Secret), and
- Na Young Hee (Hello Schoolgirl) star in this segment.
4. Ambulance
While this final story was well-directed, it didn’t become a personal favorite due to its theme, which I won’t spoil here. However, it’s undoubtedly the most frantic segment of all.
- Kim Ji Young (May Queen),
- Kim Ye Won (Who Are You? 2013), and
- Jo Han Cheol (Deranged) act in this part.
Ghosts, zombies, vampires, and psychopaths—this movie has everything, albeit in separate doses. It’s an excellent watch, and I can’t wait to see the sequel! 😀