Back to the trend of the day: A Korean film star is tipped for an Oscar nomination (in Korean)
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day

South Korea Oscar Submissions: Top 10, 1962–2026

South Korea has sent 38 films to the Oscars since 1962, and only one, Parasite, was ever nominated. It went on to win, while even a Venice Golden Lion winner, Pietà, never made the shortlist.

  • No. 1: Parasite (2019)
  • 10 places

01Final list

The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.

Order: from most to least AI agreement.

A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.

  1. 1

    Parasite (2019)

    The only Korean submission ever nominated, and it won four Oscars, including the first Best Picture for a non-English film. It also had a Palme d'Or and over 10 million admissions at home.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nemotron.

    In their lists: Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1 · Grok: 1 · Gemini: 1 · Kimi: 1 · DeepSeek: 1 · Qwen: 1

    What each AI noted 7
    • Claudeplace 1

      The only Korean winner, with 4 Oscars including Best Picture, and over 10 million home admissions.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 1

      The only South Korean submission to win Best International Feature—and the first non-English-language Best Picture winner.

    • Grokplace 1

      The only Korean submission to win — four Oscars, including the first Best Picture not in English — after a Palme d’Or and a 97 Metascore.

    • Geminiplace 1

      The only film in Oscar history to win both the Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Picture alongside Best International Feature.

    • Kimiplace 1

      The only Korean submission that turned a Cannes top prize into a Best Picture win.

      Source ↗
    • DeepSeekplace 1

      The only South Korean submission ever to win Best International Feature — and it also took Best Picture, the first non-English film to do so.

    • Qwenplace 1

      Erased the gap between arthouse prestige and Academy voters, becoming the first non-English Best Picture winner.

    7 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  2. 2

    Burning (2018)

    The first Korean film to make the Academy shortlist, after a Cannes critics' prize and Metacritic 90–91. It drew only 528,168 admissions at home and was then dropped.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nemotron.

    In their lists: Claude: 2 · ChatGPT: 2 · Grok: 2 · Gemini: 2 · Kimi: 3 · DeepSeek: 2 · Qwen: 2

    What each AI noted 7
    • Claudeplace 2

      The first Korean film shortlisted, after the highest Screen critics' poll score at Cannes, and then it was dropped.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 2

      Its Cannes critics’ prize and Academy shortlist run made it a landmark—yet it stopped one stage before nomination.

      Source ↗
    • Grokplace 2

      The first Korean film onto the Academy shortlist, with Cannes’ critics’ prize and the highest Screen International jury-grid score the festival had recorded — then no nomination.

      Source ↗
    • Geminiplace 2

      Broke Cannes Screen Daily's all-time jury grid record with a 3.8/4.0 average and became South Korea's first-ever film to reach the Academy shortlist.

    • Kimiplace 3

      A 528,168-admission art film outlasted Korea's 12-million crowd-pleasers by reaching the shortlist first.

    • DeepSeekplace 2

      The first South Korean film ever shortlisted for the foreign-language Oscar — it made the nine-film January list but not the final five.

    • Qwenplace 2

      Universally acclaimed by critics but halted at the shortlist, proving that slow-burn ambiguity rarely secures final votes.

    7 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  3. 3

    Decision to Leave (2022)

    Park Chan-wook won best director at Cannes and the film scored Metacritic 85. It made the 15-film shortlist but missed the final five.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nemotron.

    In their lists: Claude: 3 · ChatGPT: 3 · Grok: 3 · Gemini: 3 · Kimi: 2 · DeepSeek: 3 · Qwen: 3

    What each AI noted 7
    • Claudeplace 3

      Park Chan-wook's Cannes best director win became a shortlist spot, with no nomination.

    • ChatGPTplace 3

      Metacritic’s 85 and a Cannes directing prize place it among the strongest critical submissions, but it missed the final five.

      Source ↗
    • Grokplace 3

      Park Chan-wook’s Cannes best-director prize and a second Korean shortlist, then the same stop as Burning: no nomination.

      Source ↗
    • Geminiplace 3

      Claimed Cannes Best Director for Park Chan-wook and advanced to the 15-film Oscar shortlist, only to be snubbed in the final nominations envelope.

      Source ↗
    • Kimiplace 2

      Best Director at Cannes, shortlist at the Academy, but the final nomination stayed out of reach.

      Source ↗
    • DeepSeekplace 3

      Won Best Director at Cannes and scored 85 on Metacritic, yet the Academy did not shortlist it — the starkest critics-versus-Academy gap in the list.

      Source ↗
    • Qwenplace 3

      Its Cannes director prize and high critics' scores pushed it to the shortlist, bypassing the usual genre hurdles.

      Source ↗
    7 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  4. 4

    Possible Love (2026)

    The first Korean Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, rated 100% from 56 reviews, yet only 230,479 admissions at home. Its Academy stage is still pending.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nemotron.

    In their lists: Claude: 5 · ChatGPT: 5 · Grok: 4 · Gemini: 4 · Kimi: 5 · DeepSeek: 6 · Qwen: 4

    What each AI noted 7
    • Claudeplace 5

      A Silver Lion and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Academy verdict still to come.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 5

      Already carrying Venice’s Silver Lion and Korean critics’ Best Film, it is the first entry here whose Academy stage is still pending.

    • Grokplace 4

      Venice’s second prize and 100% of 56 reviews, with 230,479 admissions — about one-seventieth of this year’s Korean chart-topper.

      Source ↗
    • Geminiplace 4

      Won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice 2026, marking director Lee Chang-dong's fourth official entry submitted by KOFIC to the Academy.

      Source ↗
    • Kimiplace 5

      Lee Chang-dong's fourth submission arrives with the Silver Lion and a Korean critics' sweep before the Academy stage is even set.

      Source ↗
    • DeepSeekplace 6

      The current submission: a Venice Grand Jury Prize and a 93 Metacritic score make it the strongest South Korean entry on paper since Parasite, but the shortlist is still pending.

    • Qwenplace 4

      Its Venice Silver Lion and perfect RT score aim to bridge the massive gap that has kept Korean dramas out of the final five.

      Source ↗
    7 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  5. 5

    No Other Choice (2025)

    Won Toronto's International People's Choice Award, scored Metacritic 86 and drew 2.94 million admissions. It earned three Golden Globe nominations and made the shortlist, but got no Oscar nomination.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: Nemotron, Gemini, DeepSeek.

    In their lists: Claude: 4 · ChatGPT: 4 · Grok: 5 · Kimi: 4 · Qwen: 7

    What each AI noted 5
    • Claudeplace 4

      A nine-minute Venice ovation and Golden Globe nominations, then Park's second shortlist exit in three years.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 4

      A shortlist finish after a Neon campaign still ended before nomination, extending Korea’s near-miss pattern.

    • Grokplace 5

      Toronto’s international audience prize, three Golden Globe nominations, a shortlist — and a complete Oscar shutout.

      Source ↗
    • Kimiplace 4

      Venice came up short, but the Academy shortlist made it three Korean shortlists in eight years.

      Source ↗
    • Qwenplace 7

      Its shortlist placement proves that Park Chan-wook's established critical regard now clears the committee hurdle.

      Source ↗
    5 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  6. 6

    Secret Sunshine (2007)

    Jeon Do-yeon won Cannes best actress, the first Korean actor to win there. The film had 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and 1.71 million admissions, and was not nominated.

    Included it: Claude, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, DeepSeek.

    In their lists: Claude: 6 · Grok: 6 · Gemini: 6 · Kimi: 6 · Qwen: 6

    What each AI noted 5
    • Claudeplace 6

      Jeon Do-yeon won Cannes best actress for it, nineteen years before her Oscar talk for Possible Love.

      Source ↗
    • Grokplace 6

      Jeon Do-yeon’s Cannes best-actress prize, the first for a Korean actor there, and the submission still never made the Oscar list.

      Source ↗
    • Geminiplace 6

      Earned Jeon Do-yeon Cannes Best Actress honors and unanimous praise, but failed to penetrate the Academy's foreign-language branch in 2007.

      Source ↗
    • Kimiplace 6

      Jeon Do-yeon's Cannes trophy made this the rare submission whose star outshone the film's Oscar result.

      Source ↗
    • Qwenplace 6

      Jeon Do-yeon's Cannes win highlighted a massive gap, as the Academy historically ignores pure, untranslated grief.

      Source ↗
    5 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  7. 7

    Oasis (2002)

    At Venice, Lee Chang-dong won a Silver Lion for directing and Moon So-ri won the Mastroianni Award. The Academy took it as a submission and nothing more.

    Included it: Claude, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, DeepSeek.

    In their lists: Claude: 7 · Grok: 9 · Gemini: 5 · Kimi: 7 · Qwen: 8

    What each AI noted 5
    • Claudeplace 7

      Lee Chang-dong's Venice prize gave Korea its last Venice win until 2012's Pietà, 24 years before Possible Love.

      Source ↗
    • Grokplace 9

      Lee Chang-dong’s Venice directing prize in 2002, twenty-four years before Possible Love, and the submission stopped at the front door.

      Source ↗
    • Geminiplace 5

      Took home the Venice Silver Lion and FIPRESCI prize in 2002, yet was completely excluded from Oscar consideration during the pre-shortlist voting era.

    • Kimiplace 7

      Venice gave Lee Chang-dong directing silver and Moon So-ri the Mastroianni; the Academy gave it a submission and nothing more.

    • Qwenplace 8

      Its Venice prizes and 90% RT score were outweighed by its uncompromising subject matter, leaving it entirely unrewarded by AMPAS.

    5 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  8. 8

    Mother (2009)

    Bong Joon-ho's entry ten years before Parasite drew 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 3.0 million admissions. It was chosen over Park's Thirst and not nominated.

    Included it: Claude, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, DeepSeek.

    In their lists: Claude: 9 · Grok: 7 · Gemini: 8 · Kimi: 8 · Qwen: 9

    What each AI noted 5
    • Claudeplace 9

      Bong Joon-ho's film was picked over Park Chan-wook's Thirst and went unnominated, ten years before Parasite.

      Source ↗
    • Grokplace 7

      96% from 114 reviews and an 8.1 audience score on Metacritic, sent by the country and never nominated.

    • Geminiplace 8

      Named Best Film by the Boston and Los Angeles film critics societies, yet was completely overlooked by the AMPAS selection committee.

    • Kimiplace 8

      Bong's pre-Parasite submission out-reviewed most winners: 96% RT and 3.0 million admissions from only a Un Certain Regard launch.

    • Qwenplace 9

      A 96% RT Bong Joon Ho masterpiece that suffered the ultimate gap: brilliant at home, completely ignored by the Academy.

    5 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  9. 9

    Pietà (2012)

    The first Korean Golden Lion, the top prize at a big three festival, yet it was not even shortlisted. Critics gave it just 73% and a Metascore of 72.

    Included it: Claude, Grok, Gemini, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, Kimi, DeepSeek.

    In their lists: Claude: 8 · Grok: 8 · Gemini: 7 · Qwen: 5

    What each AI noted 4
    • Claudeplace 8

      Korea's last Venice win before 2026, and it did not reach the Oscar shortlist.

      Source ↗
    • Grokplace 8

      The first Korean Golden Lion, and the critics were at 73% and 72 — the Academy did not even shortlist it.

    • Geminiplace 7

      Won the coveted Venice Golden Lion—the highest prize among all submissions—yet couldn't even make the 9-film Oscar shortlist.

    • Qwenplace 5

      A Golden Lion winner whose extreme narrative created an unbridgeable gap between festival juries and AMPAS sensibilities.

    4 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  10. 10

    A Taxi Driver (2017)

    With 12.19 million admissions, the biggest home audience in this top ten, it still could not reach the Academy shortlist.

    Included it: Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Nemotron.

    In their lists: Gemini: 10 · Kimi: 9 · DeepSeek: 5 · Qwen: 10

    What each AI noted 4
    • Geminiplace 10

      Mobilized 12.2 million Korean theatergoers and won Fantasia's Best Film, yet failed to secure an Oscar nod amid conventional historical storytelling.

      Source ↗
    • Kimiplace 9

      The biggest audience in this top ten could not buy an Academy shortlist.

      Source ↗
    • DeepSeekplace 5

      A domestic smash and a 97% Rotten Tomatoes critic score, but the Academy did not shortlist it — another case of popular and critical success not translating into Oscar traction.

      Source ↗
    • Qwenplace 10

      Its massive 12M domestic admissions highlight a stark gap: home audience favorites rarely translate to international Oscar votes.

      Source ↗
    4 AIs put it here
    Source ↗

More about the top three ↓

02More about the top three

The ranking is above. Here is more about the three places at the top: what they are, why they are here, and what is worth knowing.

Burning and Decision to Leave both stopped at the shortlist, so critics' scores and Cannes prizes separate them. They were shortlisted in different years, from lists of different sizes (nine films and 15).

1Parasite (2019)

No. 1 — Parasite (2019). On the lists of 7 of 8 AIs; median place there: 1. It is the only Korean entry ever nominated, and it won four Oscars, including Best Picture.

Did you know

  • The rich family's mansion in Parasite never existed. The crew built it on an outdoor lot and placed it to match the sun's path. They scouted the lot several times to track the sun before choosing the spot.

    Source ↗
What it is
Bong Joon-ho's 2019 thriller about a poor family and a rich one.
Its edge
Only entry to be nominated and win; the other two stopped at the shortlist.
Who should know
Useful for anyone curious how far a Korean film has ever gone at the Oscars.
  • Furthest Oscar stage reachedWon 4 Oscars

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • It went furthest at the Oscars: it won four awards, including Best Picture. Critics scored it 97 out of 100 on Metacritic, higher than Burning (91) and Decision to Leave (85).

    Source ↗
Did you know

  • Parasite began as an idea for a stage play. A friend who is a stage actor suggested it, and Bong asked what story he could tell with just two houses. The play never happened; it became a film.

    Source ↗
History

  • On May 25, 2019, Parasite won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It was the first Korean film ever to win the festival's top prize.

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • One reviewer felt the movie "has been elevated onto a ridiculously high pedestal since winning the Palm D'or". So the hype may be bigger than what you see on screen, and expectations can get in the way.

    Source ↗

  • The same review warns of "the violent and sometimes quite gory action sequences" and says it "still won't be for everyone". Know this before you press play.

    Source ↗
Where to go further

  • Read the page's section on the 92nd Academy Awards. It lists the four wins, including the first Best Picture for a non-English film. Then watch the film and notice how the rich family's house and the poor family's basement are shown side by side.

    Source ↗

Video: 'Zombie' Parasite Cordyceps Fungus Takes Over Insects Through Mind Control | National Geographic · National Geographic

Compare the top three ↓

2Burning (2018)

No. 2 — Burning (2018). On the lists of 7 of 8 AIs; median place there: 2. It was the first Korean film to reach the Academy shortlist, backed by a Cannes critics' prize, but it was not nominated.

2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic 001
Korea.net · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
PyeongChang People 01 (39968908775)
Republic of Korea from Seoul, Republic of Korea · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know

  • Burning is based on a Haruki Murakami story, but William Faulkner wrote a story with the exact same title, "Barn Burning." Director Lee Chang-dong noted that both works share the title, and he drew on the contrast between them.

    Source ↗
What it is
Lee Chang-dong's slow mystery film from 2018.
Its edge
First Korean shortlist; critics scored it higher than Decision to Leave.
Who should know
Useful for seeing how a critics' favourite can still miss a nomination.
  • Furthest Oscar stage reachedShortlisted, not nominated

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • Burning is the critics' favourite after Parasite: a weighted score of 91 out of 100 from 38 critics, and the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes 2018. Decision to Leave scored 85.

    Source ↗
History

  • In December 2018, Burning became the first South Korean film to reach the Oscar foreign-language shortlist. The Korea Times reported it as a first for Korean cinema.

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • It runs almost two and a half hours. One critic wrote that "the second half of Burning gets even slower without ever beginning to explain itself." Expect a slow, open-ended mystery.

    Source ↗
What people say

  • Watching Burning is like gazing into a flickering fire that's slowly burning out. — Chris Evangelista

    Source ↗
Where to go further

  • Read the lead, then the Academy section, to see how a film with a Cannes critics' prize still ended up on the shortlist and not the final list. Then watch it and pay attention to the long, quiet scenes.

    Source ↗

Video: A Brief History of the Winter Olympics: Pushing the Extreme · The Wall Street Journal

Compare the top three ↓

3Decision to Leave (2022)

No. 3 — Decision to Leave (2022). On the lists of 7 of 8 AIs; median place there: 3. It won best director at Cannes and made the shortlist, but it stopped there, with a lower critic score than Burning.

Did you know

  • Tang Wei, who plays a Chinese immigrant in Decision to Leave, acted mostly in Korean. Park Chan-wook says she was stubborn about learning Korean step by step to catch the nuances of her lines.

    Source ↗
What it is
Park Chan-wook's 2022 detective romance.
Its edge
Won best director at Cannes and reached the 15-film shortlist, but scored lower with critics.
Who should know
Useful for seeing a second Korean film stop at the same Oscar stage.
  • Furthest Oscar stage reachedShortlisted, not nominated

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • It earned a Metacritic score of 85 out of 100 from 44 reviews and made the Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature, as Burning did. It also got two BAFTA nominations.

    Source ↗
History

  • In August 2022 the Korean Film Council picked Decision to Leave as South Korea's Oscar entry. It cited the film's artistry and directing ability.

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • Critics were split on the story. One called it "a needlessly confusing movie that requires multiple viewings". It is a noir-style tale told in an unusual way, so pay close attention.

    Source ↗
Where to go further

  • Read the lead and the Cannes section first to see the 2022 Best Director win. Then watch the film and notice how the detective's gaze and the rain-soaked scenes carry the story as much as the dialogue does.

    Source ↗

Video: Why Decision to Leave Is So Devastating (Explained) · Karsten Runquist

Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

Parasite (2019)Burning (2018)Decision to Leave (2022)
In the AIs' lists7 / 87 / 87 / 8
Furthest Oscar stage reachedWon 4 OscarsShortlisted, not nominatedShortlisted, not nominated
Put first byClaude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen——

Places with the same number of AIs are ordered by their average place in the AIs' own lists.

More ratings

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

Wikipedia counts 38 Korean submissions since 1962, with one nomination and one win, both for Parasite. Other answers counted 36 or 37.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, Grok, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek.
Source ↗

Three of the last eight entries made the shortlist, all by Lee Chang-dong or Park Chan-wook, and each stopped before the final five.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, Grok, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, Gemini, DeepSeek, Qwen.
Source ↗

Possible Love's 230,479 admissions sit next to 16,932,841 for The King's Warden on the same 2026 KOBIS chart.

Noticed by:
Included it: Grok. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Nemotron, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen.
Source ↗

The shortlist has changed size over time: Burning made a list of nine, while Decision to Leave and No Other Choice made lists of 15.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT, Grok, Nemotron, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen.
Source ↗

04Questions people ask

Which South Korean movie won an Oscar?

Parasite (2019) won four Oscars, including Best International Feature and Best Picture. Youn Yuh-jung's supporting-actress Oscar was for Minari, a US production, not a Korean entry.

How many films has South Korea submitted to the Oscars?

Wikipedia counts 38 since 1962, from My Mother and the Roomer to Possible Love. Some answers counted 36 or 37 because they used older versions of the list.

Source ↗
Has any other South Korean submission been nominated?

No. Burning, Decision to Leave and No Other Choice all made the shortlist, but only Parasite reached the final five.

Source ↗
Is Possible Love shortlisted for the 2027 Oscars?

Not yet. It is Korea's official entry, the shortlist is due December 15, 2026, and nominations come January 21, 2027.

Source ↗

05How we counted

In plain words, no formulas.

1The question

Top 10 South Korean Oscar Submissions: Festival Prizes, Critics, Audiences and How Far Each Got with the Academy

2Why this topic

Readers see Korea's whole Oscar history, scored against festival juries, critics and audiences, and how rarely quality led to recognition.

3Where it applies

South Korea's official entries for Best International Feature (earlier called Foreign Language Film), from the first entry to Possible Love in 2026

4What we looked at

  • Major competition prizes at Cannes, Venice and Berlin
  • International critics' score
  • Audience rating, plus home box office admissions
  • The furthest Oscar stage reached: submitted, shortlisted, nominated or won
  • The gap between how highly each film is regarded and how far it got
  • Wikipedia list of South Korean submissions (from Academy records) — Each year's entry and how far it got: not nominated, shortlisted, nominated or won. The list counts 38 submissions.
  • Korean Film Council (KOFIC / KOBIS / KoBiz) — Theatrical admissions in Korea, plus official submission notices
  • Cannes, Venice and Berlin juries — Competition prizes actually awarded: Palme d'Or, Golden Lion, Silver Lion, and the Cannes directing and acting prizes

5Who ranked

The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Nemotron, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen.

6How the places were set

The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.

06Each AI's own list

🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 3 notes

The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Parasite (2019 submission)

    The only Korean winner, with 4 Oscars including Best Picture, and over 10 million home admissions.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Burning (2018 submission)

    The first Korean film shortlisted, after the highest Screen critics' poll score at Cannes, and then it was dropped.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Decision to Leave (2022 submission)

    Park Chan-wook's Cannes best director win became a shortlist spot, with no nomination.

  4. 4
    No Other Choice (2025 submission)

    A nine-minute Venice ovation and Golden Globe nominations, then Park's second shortlist exit in three years.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Possible Love (2026 submission)

    A Silver Lion and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Academy verdict still to come.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Secret Sunshine (2007 submission)

    Jeon Do-yeon won Cannes best actress for it, nineteen years before her Oscar talk for Possible Love.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Oasis (2002 submission)

    Lee Chang-dong's Venice prize gave Korea its last Venice win until 2012's Pietà, 24 years before Possible Love.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Pietà (2012 submission)

    Korea's last Venice win before 2026, and it did not reach the Oscar shortlist.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Mother (2009 submission)

    Bong Joon-ho's film was picked over Park Chan-wook's Thirst and went unnominated, ten years before Parasite.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Chunhyang (2000 submission)

    Im Kwon-taek's film came before the long run of Cannes-linked entries and was not nominated.

    Source ↗

What Claude noticed

Korea has made 38 submissions. One won (Parasite), 3 were shortlisted (Burning, Decision to Leave, No Other Choice) and 33 were not nominated, with Possible Love pending.

Source ↗

Three of the last eight entries were shortlisted. All three were by Lee Chang-dong or Park Chan-wook, and each stopped before the final five.

Source ↗

Possible Love is the first Korean film to win the Venice Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize. Netflix is reportedly campaigning it in five Oscar categories.

Source ↗
🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 1 notes

The same question, answered by ChatGPT alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Parasite (2019, South Korea)

    The only South Korean submission to win Best International Feature—and the first non-English-language Best Picture winner.

  2. 2
    Burning (2018, South Korea)

    Its Cannes critics’ prize and Academy shortlist run made it a landmark—yet it stopped one stage before nomination.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Decision to Leave (2022, South Korea)

    Metacritic’s 85 and a Cannes directing prize place it among the strongest critical submissions, but it missed the final five.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    No Other Choice (2025, South Korea)

    A shortlist finish after a Neon campaign still ended before nomination, extending Korea’s near-miss pattern.

  5. 5
    Possible Love (2026, South Korea)

    Already carrying Venice’s Silver Lion and Korean critics’ Best Film, it is the first entry here whose Academy stage is still pending.

  6. 6
    The Handmaiden (2016, South Korea)

    A Cannes competition title with striking audience and critic interest, but it was not Korea’s Oscar submission that year.

  7. 7
    Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003, South Korea)

    A major international critical touchstone, but South Korea did not send it as its Academy entry.

  8. 8
    The Wailing (2016, South Korea)

    A high-profile genre favorite that demonstrates how strong audience conversation can exist without an Academy submission or shortlist run.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Mother (2009, South Korea)

    A Cannes-selected film frequently discussed among Korea’s major auteur works, but it did not become the country’s Oscar entry.

  10. 10
    The World of Us (2016, South Korea)

    A critics-and-viewers discovery that illustrates the key boundary in this ranking: acclaim alone cannot advance a film that was not submitted.

    Source ↗

What ChatGPT noticed

Decision to Leave’s reported opening day of 114,592 admissions is a different measure from its full theatrical admissions or critic score.

Source ↗
🇺🇸 Grok10 places · 3 notes

The same question, answered by Grok alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Parasite (South Korea, 2019)

    The only Korean submission to win — four Oscars, including the first Best Picture not in English — after a Palme d’Or and a 97 Metascore.

  2. 2
    Burning (South Korea, 2018)

    The first Korean film onto the Academy shortlist, with Cannes’ critics’ prize and the highest Screen International jury-grid score the festival had recorded — then no nomination.

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  3. 3
    Decision to Leave (South Korea, 2022)

    Park Chan-wook’s Cannes best-director prize and a second Korean shortlist, then the same stop as Burning: no nomination.

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  4. 4
    Possible Love (South Korea, 2026)

    Venice’s second prize and 100% of 56 reviews, with 230,479 admissions — about one-seventieth of this year’s Korean chart-topper.

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  5. 5
    No Other Choice (South Korea, 2025)

    Toronto’s international audience prize, three Golden Globe nominations, a shortlist — and a complete Oscar shutout.

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  6. 6
    Secret Sunshine (South Korea, 2007)

    Jeon Do-yeon’s Cannes best-actress prize, the first for a Korean actor there, and the submission still never made the Oscar list.

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  7. 7
    Mother (South Korea, 2009)

    96% from 114 reviews and an 8.1 audience score on Metacritic, sent by the country and never nominated.

  8. 8
    Pietà (South Korea, 2012)

    The first Korean Golden Lion, and the critics were at 73% and 72 — the Academy did not even shortlist it.

  9. 9
    Oasis (South Korea, 2002)

    Lee Chang-dong’s Venice directing prize in 2002, twenty-four years before Possible Love, and the submission stopped at the front door.

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  10. 10
    12.12: The Day (South Korea, 2023)

    About 13.1 million admissions at home, and the Academy never nominated it.

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What Grok noticed

Wikipedia’s current count is 38 South Korean submissions since 1962, one nomination and one win. That win is Parasite.

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Three of the most admired recent entries made the December shortlist and still missed the final five: Burning, Decision to Leave and No Other Choice.

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Possible Love’s 230,479 admissions sit beside 16,932,841 for The King’s Warden on the same 2026 KOBIS chart. The Venice runner-up is playing on 202 screens ahead of a November 6 Netflix launch.

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🇺🇸 Gemini10 places · 1 notes

The same question, answered by Gemini alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Parasite (2019)

    The only film in Oscar history to win both the Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Picture alongside Best International Feature.

  2. 2
    Burning (2018)

    Broke Cannes Screen Daily's all-time jury grid record with a 3.8/4.0 average and became South Korea's first-ever film to reach the Academy shortlist.

  3. 3
    Decision to Leave (2022)

    Claimed Cannes Best Director for Park Chan-wook and advanced to the 15-film Oscar shortlist, only to be snubbed in the final nominations envelope.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Possible Love (2026)

    Won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice 2026, marking director Lee Chang-dong's fourth official entry submitted by KOFIC to the Academy.

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  5. 5
    Oasis (2002)

    Took home the Venice Silver Lion and FIPRESCI prize in 2002, yet was completely excluded from Oscar consideration during the pre-shortlist voting era.

  6. 6
    Secret Sunshine (2007)

    Earned Jeon Do-yeon Cannes Best Actress honors and unanimous praise, but failed to penetrate the Academy's foreign-language branch in 2007.

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  7. 7
    Pieta (2012)

    Won the coveted Venice Golden Lion—the highest prize among all submissions—yet couldn't even make the 9-film Oscar shortlist.

  8. 8
    Mother (2009)

    Named Best Film by the Boston and Los Angeles film critics societies, yet was completely overlooked by the AMPAS selection committee.

  9. 9
    12.12: The Day (2023)

    Racked up 13.1 million admissions at home—the highest box office of any Korean submission in modern history—but missed the 2024 shortlist.

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  10. 10
    A Taxi Driver (2017)

    Mobilized 12.2 million Korean theatergoers and won Fantasia's Best Film, yet failed to secure an Oscar nod amid conventional historical storytelling.

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What Gemini noticed

Out of 36 official entries submitted by South Korea to the Academy since 1962, exactly 1 film has won (Parasite in 2019) and only 2 others ever cracked the preliminary shortlist (Burning in 2018 and Decision to Leave in 2022).

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🇨🇳 Kimi10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by Kimi alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Parasite (2019)

    The only Korean submission that turned a Cannes top prize into a Best Picture win.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Decision to Leave (2022)

    Best Director at Cannes, shortlist at the Academy, but the final nomination stayed out of reach.

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  3. 3
    Burning (2018)

    A 528,168-admission art film outlasted Korea's 12-million crowd-pleasers by reaching the shortlist first.

  4. 4
    No Other Choice (2025)

    Venice came up short, but the Academy shortlist made it three Korean shortlists in eight years.

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  5. 5
    Possible Love (2026)

    Lee Chang-dong's fourth submission arrives with the Silver Lion and a Korean critics' sweep before the Academy stage is even set.

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  6. 6
    Secret Sunshine (2007)

    Jeon Do-yeon's Cannes trophy made this the rare submission whose star outshone the film's Oscar result.

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  7. 7
    Oasis (2002)

    Venice gave Lee Chang-dong directing silver and Moon So-ri the Mastroianni; the Academy gave it a submission and nothing more.

  8. 8
    Mother (2009)

    Bong's pre-Parasite submission out-reviewed most winners: 96% RT and 3.0 million admissions from only a Un Certain Regard launch.

  9. 9
    A Taxi Driver (2017)

    The biggest audience in this top ten could not buy an Academy shortlist.

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  10. 10
    The King and the Clown (2006)

    A 12.3-million-admission phenomenon with a tiny critical footprint: 88% on Rotten Tomatoes from only three reviews.

What Kimi noticed

Before Parasite, South Korea had 30 submissions without a nomination; Burning then became the first shortlist, and Parasite became the first nomination and win.

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Lee Chang-dong is the most-submitted Korean auteur in the list with four chosen films—Oasis, Secret Sunshine, Burning and Possible Love—but still has no international-feature nomination; Park Chan-wook has two submissions and two shortlists.

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🇨🇳 DeepSeek10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by DeepSeek alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Parasite (2019) – Bong Joon-ho

    The only South Korean submission ever to win Best International Feature — and it also took Best Picture, the first non-English film to do so.

  2. 2
    Burning (2018) – Lee Chang-dong

    The first South Korean film ever shortlisted for the foreign-language Oscar — it made the nine-film January list but not the final five.

  3. 3
    Decision to Leave (2022) – Park Chan-wook

    Won Best Director at Cannes and scored 85 on Metacritic, yet the Academy did not shortlist it — the starkest critics-versus-Academy gap in the list.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    The Handmaiden (2016) – Park Chan-wook

    Critically adored (85 Metacritic, 96% Rotten Tomatoes) but never submitted — South Korea chose The Age of Shadows instead, and the Academy never got to vote on it.

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  5. 5
    A Taxi Driver (2017) – Jang Hoon

    A domestic smash and a 97% Rotten Tomatoes critic score, but the Academy did not shortlist it — another case of popular and critical success not translating into Oscar traction.

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  6. 6
    Possible Love (2026) – Lee Chang-dong

    The current submission: a Venice Grand Jury Prize and a 93 Metacritic score make it the strongest South Korean entry on paper since Parasite, but the shortlist is still pending.

  7. 7
    The Man Standing Next (2020) – Woo Min-ho

    A political thriller that grossed $36.4 million in Korea and drew strong foreign-press attention, but it did not advance past the submission stage.

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  8. 8
    Concrete Utopia (2023) – Um Tae-hwa

    A box-office hit chosen as South Korea’s 2023 submission, but it did not make the shortlist — another reminder that domestic success does not guarantee Academy attention.

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  9. 9
    12.12: The Day (2024) – Kim Sung-soo

    Korea’s highest-grossing film of 2024 and a unanimous KOFIC selection, but it did not advance to the shortlist — the gap between domestic dominance and Academy recognition is stark.

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  10. 10
    The Age of Shadows (2016) – Kim Jee-woon

    Chosen over The Handmaiden and released by Warner Bros. Korea, it failed to make the shortlist — the selection itself remains one of the most debated in Korean Oscar history.

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What DeepSeek noticed

South Korea has submitted 37 films and won exactly one International Feature Oscar — Parasite. The hit rate is 1 in 37, and only two submissions (Burning and Parasite) have ever made the shortlist.

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Possible Love arrives with the strongest festival pedigree of any Korean submission since Parasite (Venice Grand Jury Prize) and a 93 Metacritic score, but the shortlist will be the real test — Burning had a 90 Metacritic and still missed the final five.

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🇨🇳 Qwen10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by Qwen alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Parasite (2019)

    Erased the gap between arthouse prestige and Academy voters, becoming the first non-English Best Picture winner.

  2. 2
    Burning (2018)

    Universally acclaimed by critics but halted at the shortlist, proving that slow-burn ambiguity rarely secures final votes.

  3. 3
    Decision to Leave (2022)

    Its Cannes director prize and high critics' scores pushed it to the shortlist, bypassing the usual genre hurdles.

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  4. 4
    Possible Love (2026)

    Its Venice Silver Lion and perfect RT score aim to bridge the massive gap that has kept Korean dramas out of the final five.

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  5. 5
    Pieta (2012)

    A Golden Lion winner whose extreme narrative created an unbridgeable gap between festival juries and AMPAS sensibilities.

  6. 6
    Secret Sunshine (2007)

    Jeon Do-yeon's Cannes win highlighted a massive gap, as the Academy historically ignores pure, untranslated grief.

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  7. 7
    No Other Choice (2025)

    Its shortlist placement proves that Park Chan-wook's established critical regard now clears the committee hurdle.

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  8. 8
    Oasis (2002)

    Its Venice prizes and 90% RT score were outweighed by its uncompromising subject matter, leaving it entirely unrewarded by AMPAS.

  9. 9
    Mother (2009)

    A 96% RT Bong Joon Ho masterpiece that suffered the ultimate gap: brilliant at home, completely ignored by the Academy.

  10. 10
    A Taxi Driver (2017)

    Its massive 12M domestic admissions highlight a stark gap: home audience favorites rarely translate to international Oscar votes.

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What Qwen noticed

Only 1 out of 38 South Korean submissions has won the Best International Feature Oscar (Parasite), while 4 others (Burning, Decision to Leave, No Other Choice) made the December shortlist.

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Lee Chang-dong has had four films submitted (Oasis, Secret Sunshine, Burning, Possible Love), tying with Shin Sang-ok for the most submissions by a single Korean director, yet he has never received an Oscar nomination for directing or screenplay.

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