Movies Like Traveler from the North

If you liked Traveler from the North (2013), a movie directed by Lee Won-sik, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
The Net (2016)
★ 7.4/10
A poor North Korean fisherman finds himself an accidental defector, and is groomed to be a spy by an ambitious South Korean military officer.
2
Escape (2024)
★ 7.3/10
After completing his required decade of military service and being honored as a hero, a North Korean sergeant makes a sudden shocking attempt to defect to the South, risking life and limb for the chance to finally…
3
The Suspect (2013)
★ 6.9/10
Betrayed and on the run, a former North Korean agent tries to seek revenge on the man who killed his wife, find his missing daughter, and uncover the secrets hidden inside the eyeglasses of a dead man.
4
My Name Is Loh Kiwan (2024)
★ 7.3/10
After defecting from North Korea, Loh Kiwan struggles to obtain refugee status in Belgium, where he encounters a dejected woman who has lost all hope.
5
V.I.P. (2017)
★ 7.7/10
A son to a high-ranked official in North Korea commits a series of murders going across the countries around the world. The movie depicts the following events as South Korea, North Korea and Interpol start chasing down…
6
Nameless Gangster (2012)
★ 6.8/10
Ik-hyeon, a corrupt officer, joins forces with another crook, Hyung-bae, to continue his illegal activities before he loses his job. Eventually, he decides to escape and pin the blame on his partner.
7
Serve the People (2022)
★ 6.5/10
Mu-kwang volunteers to be a kitchen police of Sa-taek, the divisional commander, dreaming of success. One day, Mu-kwang meets Su-ryeon by chance, who is a young and beautiful wife of the commander. Soon, he feels a…
8
Anne of Green Gables (2016)
★ 7.2/10
Anne Shirley, an orphan, is fostered by farmer Matthew Cuthbert and his sister Marilla, who were expecting a boy to be sent them to help with their farm work. They accept Anne, who quickly endears herself to them and…
9
Beyond Utopia (2023)
★ 7.7/10
A courageous pastor uses his underground network to rescue and aid North Korean families as they risk their lives to embrace freedom.
10
Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2022)
★ 6.4/10
A young woman with psychokinetic powers breaks out of a Louisiana asylum and makes her way to New Orleans, where she falls into the city’s netherworld of misfits and miscreants.
11
Silenced (2011)
★ 8.2/10
Based on actual events that took place at Gwangju Inhwa School for the hearing-impaired, where young deaf students were the victims of repeated sexual assaults by faculty members over a period of five years in the…
12
Escape from Mogadishu (2021)
★ 7.1/10
Diplomats from the North and South Korean embassies in Somalia attempt a daring joint escape from Mogadishu when the outbreak of civil war leaves them stranded.
13
Legend of the White Dragon (2026)
★ 6.7/10
Forced to hide in the shadows, fugitive hero Erik Reed must clear his name to reunite with his family. Standing in his way is a mysterious villain obsessed with destroying the White Dragon for good.
14
To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021)
★ 7.5/10
Senior year of high school takes center stage as Lara Jean returns from a family trip to Korea and considers her college plans — with and without Peter.
15
She Rides Shotgun (2025)
★ 7/10
Newly released from prison and marked for death by unrelenting enemies, Nate must now protect his estranged 11-year-old daughter, Polly, at all costs. With scant resources and no one to trust, Nate and Polly forge a…
16
Coin Locker Girl (2015)
★ 7/10
Il-young tries to get away from her adoptive mother because she does not want to get involved in her mother's criminal activities.
17
The Mole: Undercover in North Korea (2020)
★ 7.1/10
A real-life undercover thriller about two ordinary men who embark on an outrageously dangerous ten-year mission to penetrate the world's most secretive and brutal dictatorship: North Korea.
18
I Saw the Devil (2010)
★ 7.8/10
Kyung-chul is a dangerous psychopath who kills for pleasure. Soo-hyeon, a top-secret agent, decides to track down the murderer himself. He promises himself that he will do everything in his power to take vengeance…
19
The Roundup: No Way Out (2023)
★ 7.2/10
Detective Ma Seok-do changes his affiliation from the Geumcheon Police Station to the Metropolitan Investigation Team, in order to eradicate Japanese gangsters who enter Korea to commit heinous crimes.
20
Smugglers (2023)
★ 6.5/10
During the 1970s, in Kunchon, there were women divers who were able to dive without equipment, including two best friends Choon-ja and Jin-sook, Jin-sook's brother and Hammer. They always collected seafood under water…