8 Movies Like Made in Korea You Must See

Netflix’s ‘Made in Korea‘ is the story of Shenba (Priyanka Mohan), a young girl from a rural area of Tamil Nadu, India. She is passionate about Korean culture, including its movies and shows. Shenba spends her life dreaming of a trip to Korea, often facing mockery from her family and friends for her ambitious goal. Upon reaching adulthood, she finally gets the opportunity to fly to Korea, expecting it to be the happiest time of her life. However, her hopes are dashed when her lover betrays her, leaving her stranded in Seoul.

Dealing with language barriers and financial struggles, her dream vacation quickly turns into a terrible experience. As she seeks a way out of her predicament, she encounters various people in Korea who offer her hope and valuable life lessons. Directed by Ra Karthik, the Indian Tamil-language drama movie highlights important social issues. If you are looking for movies similar to ‘Made in Korea,’ you will enjoy this list of deeply human and heartfelt films.

8. Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Directed by Audrey Wells, ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ revolves around the life of Frances Mayes (Diane Lane), a professor in her 30s whose life is suddenly disrupted by a divorce. Heartbroken and left without much money, she accepts an invitation from her best friend, Patti (Sandra Oh), to visit Tuscany, Italy. During her trip, Frances makes an unexpected choice to buy a run-down house in the region. She hopes to find new meaning in life through this new adventure, but may find out that not everything in life can be planned. Adapted from Frances Mayes’ memoir of the same name, the romantic comedy-drama is an intricate tale of self-discovery. Akin to ‘Made in Korea,’ the narrative features a female protagonist hoping to piece her life back together in a foreign land, where she meets people who offer her new perspectives.

7. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ chronicles the experiences of seven elderly people from the UK who travel to Jaipur, India. They arrive at a dilapidated hotel managed by Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel), a hopeful man seeking to improve his life. Amongst the tourists, Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) is recently widowed, Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) hopes to find lost love, and others have their own issues to deal with. With each of the seven tourists looking to gain different things from the trip, their experiences in India affect them in unexpected ways.

As their stories intertwine, they begin to see life from a different angle. Directed by John Madden and adapted from the novel titled ‘These Foolish Things’ written by Deborah Moggach, the comedy-drama movie is a moving depiction of human connection. The idea of finding meaning on a foreign trip, the element of unlikely friendships, and the Indian visual flavors connect the narrative to the world and characters of ‘Made in Korea.’

6. Eat Pray Love (2010)

Helmed by Ryan Murphy, ‘Eat Pray Love’ is a biographical romantic drama movie that follows writer Elizabeth “Liz” Gilbert (Julia Roberts), who faces a personal crisis that ends her marriage to Stephen. Liz enters a brief relationship with actor David Piccolo (James Franco), but soon realizes that she needs a journey of self-discovery. She first travels to Italy to rekindle her passion for food, then to an ashram in India for spiritual balance, and finally to Indonesia to gain some deep insights into her life. However, her travels lead her to cross paths with people who might change her life forever. As she learns more about herself, she must also find the strength to hope for a better future. Based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s eponymous memoir, the film captures the essence of ‘Made in Korea’ through its focus on female self-discovery, intercultural communication, and forging one’s own destiny.

5. The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

Based on Sue Monk Kidd’s eponymous novel, ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and set in the 1960s. A teenager from South Carolina, named Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning), has a tough emotional equation with her father and is also tormented by the memory of her dead mother. Seeking an escape, Lily flees with her housekeeper and friend, Rosaleen “July” Boatwright-Daise (Jennifer Hudson), to a small town that holds the key to Lily’s mother’s history.

Upon arrival, a conflict arises when Rosaleen attempts to exercise her right to vote as a Black woman, leading to a dangerous situation. Lily and Rosaleen find sanctuary with the latter’s sisters, who are beekeepers. Living with them, the teenager begins to experience life afresh, while uncovering secrets about the past. Lily’s journey in the drama film is similar to Shenba’s ups and downs in ‘Made in Korea,’ as both characters try to find themselves in unfamiliar environments, while also dealing with the weight of the past.

4. Wild (2014)

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, ‘Wild’ deals with the experiences of Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon), who begins a challenging solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995. Having no prior hiking experience, this journey is an attempt to find direction in her life, which deteriorated following the death of her mother, Barbara “Bobbi” Grey (Laura Dern). Bobbi’s passing also causes the failure of Cheryl’s marriage to Paul (Thomas Sadoski).

Beyond confronting the physical demands and unexpected threats of the more than thousand-mile trail, Cheryl aims to emerge from this experience with a renewed purpose. Based on the memoir ‘Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail’ by Cheryl Strayed, the adventure drama movie is a layered tale of a woman in a crisis. The theme of self-discovery, the immense mental struggles, and the representation of female agency make the film complementary to ‘Made in Korea.’

3. Dhak Dhak (2023)

The Indian road trip drama movie ‘Dhak Dhak’ follows Manpreet Kaur Sethi “Mahi” (Ratna Pathak Shah), a videographer named Shashi Kumar Yadav “Sky” (Fatima Sana Shaikh), a recently engaged Manjari (Sanjana Sanghi), and a modest homemaker named Uzma (Dia Mirza Rekhi). These four women, from different social backgrounds in Delhi, find themselves stuck in life and hope to find new experiences. Breaking social norms, they come together under unique circumstances and plan a bike trip.

Their ultimate aim is to ride their bikes across the Khardung La Pass, one of the highest motorable roads in the world. However, this journey brings unexpected physical and mental issues, as well as circumstances that test their loyalty to each other. Directed by Tarun Dudeja, the Hindi-language film, like ‘Made in Korea,’ is about women finding a voice in unfamiliar territories. Both movies feature moments of dilemma, the element of self-discovery, and unexpected friendships.

2. English Vinglish (2012)

‘English Vinglish’ centers on Shashi Godbole (Sridevi), a gentle, kind-hearted homemaker from Pune whose lack of English proficiency leads to insults from her educated husband and daughter. Her entrepreneurial abilities and other skills go unrecognized by her family because of their narrow view of her linguistic knowledge. A turning point occurs during a visit to her sister in Manhattan, where she chooses to enroll in a short-term class that promises to teach English to beginners.

She encounters a diverse group of fellow English learners who give her new perspectives. Through new friendships and simple English words, Shashi goes through an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Written and directed by Gauri Shinde, the Indian Hindi-language comedy drama is a tale of hope and learning. Shashi’s experiences with linguistic challenges in a foreign country complement Shenba’s struggles to speak Korean in ‘Made in Korea.’ Both women face overwhelming odds as they try to earn the respect they deserve.

1. Queen (2013)

Directed by Vikas Bahl, ‘Queen’ is the story of Rani Mehra (Kangana Ranaut), a modest and unassuming girl from Delhi, whose life shatters when her fiancé, Vijay Dhingra (Rajkumar Rao), breaks off the engagement just a day before the wedding. Dejected, Rani travels to Paris alone, her intended honeymoon destination. As she struggles with deep melancholy and issues of self-confidence, she meets Vijayalakshmi (Lisa Haydon), a woman who teaches her to be free and daring. On this foreign trip, Rani attempts to let go of her inhibitions and befriends people from different parts of the world, who offer her fresh perspectives on life. Rani’s journey in the Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama reflects Shenba’s self-discovery in ‘Made in Korea.’ Both characters explore foreign cultures, languages, and people, while also bringing their Indian perspectives to the equation.