10 More Horror Movies From Terrifying Taiwan – Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. We are still building up our Asian horror movie catalogue of lists. Today, we are checking out more Taiwanese horror movies with this list of 10 More Horror Movies from Terrifying Taiwan.

As we mentioned in our first list of 10 Terrifying Taiwanese Horror Movies, Taiwan’s horror catalogue isn’t quite as extensive as some of the other Asian horror nations. That doesn’t mean that we don’t want to check out every Taiwanese horror we can get our hands on, though. Some of the titles on our last list were fantastic.

Many of the titles here form part of a series so expect to see the same names a few times. A lot of these movies are great options for those of you who enjoy your horror light, as well. There is a strong folklore focus here but most of these movies are purely there to scare you. They don’t want to make you think too much which is great when you just want to enjoy some horror thrills. Without further ado, let’s take a look.

10. The Rope Curse (2018) – A Streamer’s Worst Nightmare

Why it Ranked: We talked about The Bridge Curse in our previous list of Taiwanese horror movies. The Rope Curse (Zong xie) follows a fairly similar formula. The Rope Curse is a fairly generic supernatural horror movie. A lot of Asian horror focuses on curses and they tend to play out as spiritual revenge films. This movie doesn’t offer a lot new to the formula but if you enjoy films like this then there is plenty to like. It’s always interesting to see horror movies based on a country’s local folklore and legends so this is worth checking out for that reason alone.

Synopsis: The story focuses on a Taiwanese ritual that is, supposedly, used to cleanse the spirits of those who were hanged by a rope. Looking to gain some online fame, a live streamer films himself conducting the ritual, little realising that the rope belonged to a bullied girl who cursed it and his disrespectful act will result in chaos.

Where to Watch: Netflix

9. The Rope Curse 2 (2020) – More Ropes, More Rituals

Why it Ranked: Director Shih-Han Liao is back with another entry into the Rope Curse series in 2020’s The Rope Curse 2. This is, really, more of the same but with the added addition of some possession horror to freshen things up a little. Lots of predictable scares, formulaic possession stuff that you would expect to see in an American horror like The Conjuring, and a simple plot. Again, it’s cool to see a different culture’s beliefs and folklore weaved into a horror movie. Though some knowledge of Taiwanese legends will probably go a long way to helping you enjoy this movie.

Synopsis: The story follows a Taoist priest attempting to help out a young person with psychic powers whose Aunt has become possessed after a ritual gone wrong. Resulting in a fight between good and evil.

Where to Watch: Netflix

8. The Tag-Along 2 (2017) – The Little Girl in Red Returns

Why it Ranked: The Tag-Along 2 (Hong yi xiao nu hai 2) is, obviously, the sequel to the extremely successful Taiwanese horror movie The Tag-Along which we discussed in our previous list. The plot of the original movie was based on the urban legend of the girl in the red dress. This urban legend took Taiwan by storm in the late 90s and The Tag-Along 2 is more of the same. The story here doesn’t feel quite as well formulated as the original’s and there are a few messy parts. Still, if you are looking for more spooky spirit scares, you can’t go too far wrong with The Tag-Along 2.

Synopsis: Directed by Wei-Hao Cheng. The story follows a mother’s search to find her missing teenage daughter after she mysteriously vanishes, along with a girl wearing a red dress.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), AsianCrush

7. The Tag-Along: Devil Fish (2018) – A Fishy Tale of Terror

Why it Ranked: Okay, maybe this whole Tag-Along thing is going a little bit too far now. The Tag-Along: Devil Fish (Ren mian yu: Hong yi xiao nu hai waizhuan) has a very strange setup. Now, bear with me for a second. The Tag-Along: Devil Fish is a prequel to the original movie and, sort of, ties them all together. But what about this fish business? Okay, so Taiwanese folklore speaks of a fish-like creature with a human face that is something of a demon. A demon which has now been tied into the urban legend of the little girl in the red dress. It’s a bit complicated and you will have to watch all three movies to really catch up. It makes sense once you get into it so enjoy.

Synopsis: Directed by David Chuang. A fisherman captures a fish that has a strange connection to the local legend of the girl in the red dress. When the fish is brought home, the people around it are suddenly haunted by strange visions that hint at something truly dark. These two separate stories are then intertwined with the story of the Tiger Temple Priest from the second Tag-Along movie.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)

6. The Bridge Curse 2: Ritual (2023) – AR Horror Gone Wrong

Why it Ranked: I did say there would be a lot of sequels on this list and The Bridge Curse 2: Ritual (Nu guiqiao 2: Yuan gui lou) is no exception. Director Lester Hsi returns with the second entry into the Bridge Curse series. Again, the focus is on students as they find themselves at the mercy of spirits. This time, however, there is barely a bridge in sight. Something that fans of horror movies set on bridges (I bet there is loads of you) will be rather disappointed about. It’s the same old thing. Formulaic scares, spooks, and a few thrills. Fans of the original seem a bit split on which they prefer. You’ll have to watch for yourself and make up your mind.

Synopsis: The story follows a group of students who test out a, supposedly, haunted augmented reality horror game at their university. Unwittingly unleashing a swarm of evil spirits that were once contained in the game.

Where to Watch: Netflix

5. The Heirloom (2005) – A House Full of Secrets

Why it Ranked: The Heirloom, by director Leste Chen, is a horror movie based on Taiwanese legend. The Heirloom is a fairly traditional haunted house horror. You know what to expect here. Spooky stuff happening, the residents of the house being unnerved. The history of the house being uncovered which hints at something strange. It’s all pretty formulaic but still very watchable. I am always impressed at how many Asian horror movies consist of someone inheriting a home that just so happens to be hiding secrets. It’s a very common formula.

Synopsis: It follows the story of a man who returns to his home island, from the UK, after inheriting a house. A house that had stood, strangely, empty for the last twenty years. After him and his fiancée move in, strange things begin to happen. Hinting that the home may not be the fortuitous gift he once thought.

Where to Watch: Rare Horror Imports

4. Invitation Only (2009) – A Party To Die For

Why it Ranked: Fantastic Taiwanese horror director Kevin Ko is back with his feature-length debut, 2009’s Invitation Only (Jue ming pai dui). The Incantation director cut his horror teeth with this story. Invitation Only is a little bit of a splatter horror with regards to the elements of torture and violence. This is a film that goes heavy on the sadism and nastiness. It feels very familiar, especially to people who have watched a lot of this type of thing. Still, Invitation Only feels quite different to most Taiwanese horror thanks to its Western style plot. Worth checking out.

Synopsis: Five people arrive at a party, little realising that there is a sinister motive behind the invite. What seems like a night of fun quickly reveals itself to be an evening full of torture, violence, and murder.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)

3. Soul (2013) – Possession in the Mountains

Why it Ranked: Mong-Hong Chung‘s Soul (Shi hun), from 2013, was Taiwan’s entry into the Oscar’s Best Foreign Movie category in 2014. Set in the middle of a tropical jungle on a mountain, I can’t think of too many horror films that feel quite like this, let alone Taiwanese horror movies. Soul is a possession movie with a bit of a twist. Going in a few directions you might not expect and veering from the supernatural into the psychological. It’s a fantastic movie and feels quite different from everything else on this list.

Synopsis: The story follows a quiet 30-year-old man who collapses at work. Moving to the mountains to be cared for by his father, a harrowing event reveals the truth behind the man’s condition. Hinting that there may be a demon inside of him that now controls his every action.

Where to Watch: Netflix

2. Detention (2019) – Horror in the White Terror

Why it Ranked: Detention (Fan xiao), directed by John Hsu, is probably the best movie on this list and one of the best Taiwanese horror movies ever. Detention is, obviously, very heavy on the drama. Acting as something of a period piece focusing on a very turbulent time in the country’s history. The scares are there, more, to support what is, at its heart, a political drama. It’s still a solid horror movie, though, and has plenty of atmosphere to keep genre fans interested. This movie was actually based on a video game and caused no small amount of controversy on the mainland of China.

Synopsis: It is a movie set during Taiwan’s White Terror period where freedoms were very limited, gatherings were restricted, and certain books were banned. The story follows a secret book club where students meet with teachers to discuss forbidden subjects.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)

1. Nina Wu (2019) – The Price of Stardom

Why it Ranked: Okay, this Taiwanese, Malaysian, and Myanmar collaboration might be cheating. Nina Wu is far more of a drama heavy thriller than a horror movie but it deserves mention because it is a very good film. Directed by Midi Z, the subject matter of Nina Wu seems fairly tame until you start to actually get into the mind of the character. You then quickly realise that this is, in reality, a cleverly disguised psychological horror that is beautifully filmed but legitimately quite disturbing. Nina Wu puts the spotlight on the movie industry in a way that should be eye opening to anyone who doesn’t know the abuse that women suffer at the hands of the people in charge. It’s shocking to think about the things that take place and this depiction of something so terrible definitely qualifies this movie as a horror. Well worth watching but not exactly fun.

Synopsis: The story follows an aspiring actress who gets a part in a 70’s spy movie after devoting herself to the role entirely. Finally thinking she is about to live her dream, it soon turns into a nightmare as she realises that the movie is not what she thinks and will demand far more of her that she realises.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), Mubi

More Terror from Taiwan

That wraps up our second delve into the world of Taiwanese horror. From the political nightmares of Detention to the psychological trauma of Nina Wu, Taiwan offers a unique blend of folklore and modern anxiety that is well worth exploring. If you are looking to expand your Asian horror horizons, these titles are a great place to start.

We are constantly adding new lists to our collection, so be sure to check back for more global scares. If you enjoyed this, why not take a look at some more of our Asian horror rankings? I’ll be back soon with more lists. Stay spooky.

🇹🇼 Quick Picks: Taiwanese Horror for Your Vibe

• 🏆 The Masterpiece: Detention (2019)
• 🧠 The Psychological Horror: Nina Wu (2019)
• 👻 The Classic Haunting: The Heirloom (2005)
• 🔪 The Slasher Choice: Invitation Only (2009)
• ⛰️ The Unique Setting: Soul (2013)