Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg
If you're looking for ways to spice up your Halloween, look no further.
Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, there is an abundance of horror flicks to accompany you this eerie season.
So grab your popcorn and blankets (in case you need something to hide in) and take a pick among 13 Asian horror movies that are bound to give you nightmares.
Viewer discretion: This article is filled with disturbing images.
1. Audition
Photo via IMDB
Based on a novel by Ryu Murakami, "Audition" is a Japanese psychological horror film that has an unsettling but spookily effective premise.
"A widower accepts his friend's offer to audition girls in order to search for his new wife. However, the girl he likes does not appear to be the one she claims to be."
The film may seem like a romantic drama at first but don't be fooled as it is laced with plenty of disturbing and gruesome moments.
Witnessing the film unfold, especially as a sinister atmosphere creeps in, is like stumbling inadvertently toward doom.
Where to watch: Available on Amazon Prime. But not in Singapore.
2. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum
Photo via IMDB
If you enjoy bingeing on ghost-hunting videos on YouTube, you will feel right at home with "Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum."
This 2016 Korean thriller stars Wi-Ha Joon (you may recognise him from "Squid Game"), who leads a group of ghost hunters in the film.
"The crew of a horror web series travels to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast. It soon encounters much more than expected as it moves deeper inside the nightmarish old building."
Expect loads of disturbing imagery and unexpected jump scares.
Fun fact: According to IMDB, the asylum is loosely based on a real-life psychiatric hospital in South Korea.
Yikes.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix.
3. Shutter
Photo via IMDB
If you've watched the 2008 American horror film "Shutter", then we highly recommend the original 2004 Thai film of the same name.
"A young photographer and his girlfriend discover mysterious shadows in their photographs after a tragic accident. They soon learn that you can not escape your past."
From its rattling jump scares to its compelling narrative, this film is bound to stick with you for a long time.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix. But not in Singapore.
4. Roh
Photo via IMDB
Set in the past, "Roh" is an indie Malaysian film that tells a folktale of a Malay family's supernatural peril.
"A strange girl visits a vulnerable mother and her two children with a frightening prediction, and the forest comes alive with terrors."
Interestingly, compared to other horror flicks, the 2019 film does not rely on fancy visual effects or jump scares to amplify its eeriness.
Instead, vivid imagery is used to convey its narrative. Some examples include burning trees against the backdrop of vegetation and lots of blood.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix.
5. Impetigore
Photo via IMDB
With a title like "Impetigore," one might expect this 2019 Indonesian horror to be a wall-to-wall bloodbath.
While it is sprinkled with grisly moments, the horrific imagery on display is reasonably restrained and only used when dramatically necessary.
"A woman inherits a house in her ancestral village, but she is unaware that members of the community have been trying to locate and kill her to remove the curse that has plagued them for years."
Although the pacing is slow, one should continue watching "Impetigore" for its artistic style and menacing tone.
Where to watch: Available on Disney Plus+.
6. Incantation
Photo via IMDB
As one of the highest-grossing Taiwanese horror films in 2022, "Incantation" is a must-watch if you are a horror film fanatic.
Directed by Kevin Ko, this Taiwanese supernatural film has a simple yet intriguing premise.
"Six years ago, Li Ronan was cursed after breaking a religious taboo. Now, she must protect her daughter from the consequences of her actions."
Unlike other found footage horror flicks, "Incantation" makes an attempt at breaking the fourth wall.
For instance, the character, Ronan, directly addresses viewers throughout the film, encouraging them to send blessings to her daughter by chanting an incantation.
Where to watch: Netflix.
7. The Eye
Photo via IMDB
What would happen if you gained the ability to see ghosts?
That was the same nightmarish fate violinist Wong Kar Mun suffered after getting an eye transplant.
"A blind girl gets a cornea transplant so that she will be able to see again. She gets more than she bargained for upon realising she can also see ghosts."
Also known as "Seeing Ghosts," this Hong Kong-Singaporean thriller has become a horror cult classic after its release in 2002 thanks to its captivating cinematography and storyline.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix.
8. The Wailing
Photo via IMDB
"The Wailing" is one of those films that is best experienced without much context.
Filled with intricate twists and turns, this 2016 South Korean zombie horror is a wild ride from start to finish.
"Soon after a stranger arrives in a little village, a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman, drawn into the incident, is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter."
While the zombie genre is not new (especially in South Korean films), the film manages to stand out with its unsettling ambiguity and escalating paranoia.
Highly recommended if you enjoyed "Train to Busan" and "Kingdom".
Where to watch: Available on Netflix. But not in Singapore.
9. A Tale of Two Sisters
Photo via IMDB
Inspired by a Joseon Dynasty-era folktale, "A Tale of Two Sisters" is a poetic psychological horror that is not for the faint of heart.
Set in a gothic-style mansion in the South Korean countryside, the 2003 film has a multi-layered blend of haunted house horror and psychological trauma with an evil stepmother in the mix.
"On returning home from a mental health facility, two sisters find that along with their stepmother, they have to find a way to deal with their late mother's ghost who begins to haunt them."
Where to watch: Available on Netflix.
10. Dumplings
Photo via IMDB
Craving a delicious bowl of dumplings?
Well, you might want to hold on to that thought after watching this horrifying 2004 Hong Kong flick.
"Aunt Mei's famous homemade dumplings provide amazing age-defying qualities popular with middle-aged women. But her latest customer - a fading actress - is determined to find out what the secret ingredient is."
Without giving away important plot details, we would not recommend eating a meal while watching this movie. Especially not dumplings.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix. But not in Singapore.
11. Wedding 93
Photo via IMDB
Take the elements of a found footage horror movie and a documentary, and you have an intriguing film like "Wedding 93".
"A wealthy rural Cambodian groom, Bol, falls in love with his bride, Rah, whose reaction to the arranged marriage unfolds in a series of bizarre incidents that leave everyone believing she must be possessed."
This is definitely one horror film that will leave you with a lot of questions as not much is known about the shown footage.
Where to watch: Not available on any major streaming sites.
12. Cure
Photo via IMDB
"Cure" is a Japanese nihilistic thriller that is reminiscent of "Silence of the Lambs" with its serial killer-esque trope.
Awash in hypnotic dread, this 1997 film delves into the psyche of a serial killer through the perspective of police detective, Kenichi Takabe.
"A frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done."
Watch this for a hallucinatory journey into the darkest recesses of the human mind.
Where to watch: Not available on any major streaming sites.
13. The Maid
Photo via Netflix
"The Maid" features familiar traditions and habits that are quintessentially local.
Set during the seventh lunar month, the 2005 film follows domestic helper Rosa who is unknowingly taken into the world of the dead after breaking the culture's rules.
"A young woman comes to Singapore to work as a maid for a well-off family, and quickly senses dark secrets and sinister forces at play in their home."
While familiarity with the Hungry Ghost Festival will help you feel more acquainted with "The Maid," the film can be equally as scary for those who know little about the customary event.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix.
Top image via IMDB.