The Best Kim Jong-soo Movies, Ranked
39 credits from 2007 to 2025, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) comes out on top with a score of 84. The biggest box office hit is 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) with $53.8M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated Kim Jong-soo Movies
The 7 highest-rated films Kim Jong-soo is credited on. 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) leads with 84, followed by Innocent Witness (2019) at 80. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.
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#1 Movie Echo Score: Score 84 1987: When the Day Comes 2017 · Thriller -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 80 Innocent Witness 2019 · Drama -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 74 Dark Figure of Crime 2018 · Crime -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 72 Bring Me Home 2019 · Thriller -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 71 Alienoid: Return to the Future 2024 · Action -
#6 Movie Echo Score: Score 69 The Drug King 2018 · Drama -
#7 Movie Echo Score: Score 64 Dream 2023 · Drama
Biggest Kim Jong-soo Box Office Hits
Kim Jong-soo's films have made $332M worldwide in total. 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) is the biggest hit at $53.8M, ahead of Smugglers (2023) ($36.9M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1 1987: When the Day Comes 2017 · Thriller $53.8M
- 2
Smugglers 2023 · Crime $36.9M - 3 Dark Figure of Crime 2018 · Crime $29.2M
- 4
Start-Up 2019 · Drama $24.1M - 5
Twenty 2015 · Comedy $22.3M $136K dom. - 6
The Sheriff In Town 2017 · Crime $18.3M - 7 Innocent Witness 2019 · Drama $17.2M
- 8
Seondal: The Man Who Sells the River 2016 · Comedy $14.8M $97.5K dom. - 9
Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman 2023 · Mystery $14.6M $84.4K dom. - 10 The Drug King 2018 · Drama $14.4M
The Best Kim Jong-soo Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Kim Jong-soo has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 13 films, and Innocent Witness (2019) is the pick of them.
- Drama 13 films Innocent Witness 2019 · as Man-ho Movie Echo Score: 80
- Thriller 7 films 1987: When the Day Comes 2017 · as Park Jung-ki Movie Echo Score: 84
- Comedy 6 films Twenty 2015 · as Dong-woo's Uncle
- Crime 5 films Dark Figure of Crime 2018 · as Captain Ma-soo Movie Echo Score: 74
- Action 2 films Alienoid: Return to the Future 2024 · as Government Official Movie Echo Score: 71
- Mystery 2 films Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman 2023 · as Mr. Hwang
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Romance 2 films Life Is Beautiful 2022 · as Mokpo High School Teacher -
History 1 film Kingmaker 2022 · as Park Ki-soo
The Best Kim Jong-soo Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Kim Jong-soo's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 2000s to 2020s.
The Latest Kim Jong-soo Movies
The most recent films Kim Jong-soo is credited on, newest first — starting with Lobby (2025). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
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Lobby 2025 · Motors CEO - Alienoid: Return to the Future 2024 · Government Official
- Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman 2023 · Mr. Hwang
- Smugglers 2023 · Lee Jang-choon
- Dream 2023 · Kim Hwan-dong
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Phantom 2023 · Projectionist -
My Perfect Stranger 2023 · Yoon Byung-gu - Life Is Beautiful 2022 · Mokpo High School Teacher
- Kingmaker 2022 · Park Ki-soo
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Snowdrop 2021 · Kim Man-dong -
Samjin Company English Class 2020 · Bong Hyun-chul -
Samjin Company English Class 2020 · Bong Hyun-chul
The Best Kim Jong-soo Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Kim Jong-soo films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best Kim Jong-soo movie?
1987: When the Day Comes (2017) is the best-rated Kim Jong-soo film, with a Movie Echo Score of 84, ahead of Innocent Witness (2019) (80) and Dark Figure of Crime (2018) (74). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
1987: When the Day Comes: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing Kim Jong-soo movie?
1987: When the Day Comes (2017) made the most at the box office, with $53.8M worldwide, followed by Smugglers (2023) with $36.9M. Together, Kim Jong-soo's films with box office figures have made $332M.
What is the best Kim Jong-soo drama movie?
Innocent Witness (2019) is the best-rated of Kim Jong-soo's drama films, with a score of 80. In other genres: 1987: When the Day Comes (thriller), Twenty (comedy) and Dark Figure of Crime (crime).
What is the newest Kim Jong-soo movie?
The newest film on Kim Jong-soo's filmography is Lobby (2025), with Kim Jong-soo as Motors CEO.
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