10 Taiwanese Horror Movies to Terrify You – Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. Yesterday we checked out 10 Interesting Indonesian Horror Movies. Today, we are off to Taiwan to check out 10 Taiwanese Horror Movies to Terrify You.

Taiwan’s catalogue of horror movies isn’t quite as extensive as some of its Asian neighbours. Much of that is, probably, down to the relatively small population. With that being said, there are still some absolutely fantastic horror movies that have come out of Taiwan in recent years.

Taiwanese horror approaches a broad range of subjects and doesn’t seem quite as supernatural focused as some of the other Asian powerhouse horror nations. That doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing any ghosts and spirits in this list, though. There are still plenty of those. We will be adding a part 2 to this list in the near future so keep checking back. Without further ado, let’s take a look at 10 Taiwanese Horror Movies to Terrify You.

10. Mon Mon Mon Monsters (2017) – Bullying the Beast

Why it Ranked: Directed by Giddens Ko, who we will be seeing again a little later in this list. Mon Mon Mon Monsters is one of those movies that really makes you root for the fiendish, flesh eating ghouls. The teens here are not very likable at all. This is a movie that is marketed as a comedy but it is pretty difficult to find the humour in it. Particularly thanks to some of the horrifying ways the group find to torment their victim.

Synopsis: The story follows a frequently bullied teen who finally manages to join up with the cool kids by indulging in their anti-social tendencies. While committing a burglary, the group find a flesh eating monster who they decide to kidnap to hide their crimes. Leading the boy on a journey of morality as he questions the awful things the friends are doing.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

9. The Bridge Curse (2020) – Don’t Look Back

Why it Ranked: The Bridge Curse really harkens back to those early 2000’s Asian paranormal horror stories that we all loved so much. With that being said, you know what to expect here. Spirits, slow building tension, lots of teenagers screaming at the top of their lungs. There are a good number of movies similar to this from Taiwan. The Bridge Curse was followed up by Nu guiqiao 2: Yuan gui lou and you also have The Rope Curse series to chew on if this is your kind of thing. Just don’t expect too much.

Synopsis: The Bridge Curse (Nu guiqiao) is one of a few movies on this list to have a video game adaptation and one of a few titles released through Netflix. Directed by Lester Hsi, the story follows a group of university students needing to come up with an initiation challenge for new members. They opt for something fairly simple: you have to cross a bridge. Not just any old bridge, of course; that would be too easy. This bridge just so happens to be haunted by a vengeful spirit.

Where to Watch: Netflix

8. The Tenants Downstairs (2016) – Peeping Tom’s Playground

Why it Ranked: Based on a novel by the director of Mon Mon Mon Monsters Giddens Ko. Director Adam Tsuei doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to the voyeurism aspects of The Tenants Downstairs. This is one of those movies that spares no details so expect plenty of adult situations and a lot of gore. It’s pretty effective stuff that starts off slow but picks up in the middle. Think of it like 13 Cameras meets torture horror and you are half way there. Pretty decent for fans of this type of thing.

Synopsis: We have some voyeuristic horror for you next in the form of The Tenants Downstairs (Lou xia de fang ke) from 2016. The story follows a sadistic landlord who, after inheriting an apartment block, spies on his various tenants through a series of video cameras in their homes. Manipulating them at his will and causing chaos in the apartment block.

Where to Watch: Rare Horror Imports

7. Get the Hell Out (2020) – Politics is Dead

Why it Ranked: Get The Hell Out is, very much, in the vein of comedy zombie horror movies like Shaun of the Dead, Juan of the Dead, and I Am a Hero, in as much as it approaches the subject with tongue in cheek. The comic book aesthetics go a long way to helping the movie stand out a bit. Especially considering the fact that the story doesn’t do a whole lot to prop things up. This is just a fun movie to turn off your brain and enjoy some gory silliness.

Synopsis: Directed by I.-Fan Wang, Get The Hell Out (Tao chu li fa yuan) follows an unlikely security guard becoming a legislator in the government. Only to find himself in a fight for survival after a viral outbreak turns the entire parliament into zombies.

Where to Watch: Fandango At Home, AsianCrush

6. The Abandoned (2022) – Heartless in the City

Why it Ranked: Directed by Ying-Ting Tseng, The Abandoned is a bit of a mystery, whodunit, crime thriller that does enough to be pretty damn entertaining. It reminds me of similar serial killer thriller movies from South Korea and Japan in its pacing and style. Our protagonist’s mental state is well reflected in the dark and dreary presentation of the film, keeping The Abandoned a pretty moody affair throughout. Well worth checking out and it is a Netflix film so should be included with your subscription.

Synopsis: Perhaps more of a dark thriller than a horror movie, The Abandoned (Cha wu ci xin) still has plenty of crossover appeal to keep horror fans engaged. Especially concerning the sombre atmosphere. The story follows a police officer who finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation after the discovery of a corpse missing its heart suggesting a serial killer might be at large.

Where to Watch: Netflix

5. Silk (2006) – Trapping a Ghost

Why it Ranked: Directed by Chao-Bin Su, Silk (Gui si) is an interesting mix of science fiction and the paranormal. It takes a little while to get into and it’s hard to deny just how convoluted the story can be in parts. With a few story elements going pretty unexplained, but Silk feels very unique and quite refreshing given the standard format of paranormal Asian horror from the 2000s. I really enjoyed the science fiction aspects.

Synopsis: A group of spirit hunting scientists, led by a Japanese man called Hashimoto, manage to trap the essence of a child using a device based on the Menger Sponge. Locking the boy in a room, they observe him and notice that he mouths words that none of them can understand. Hoping to uncover secrets about the afterlife, the team hires a reluctant lip reader to interpret what the child is saying, resulting in them learning terrifying truths.

Where to Watch: Rare Horror Imports

4. The Tag-Along (2015) – The Girl in Red

Why it Ranked: The Tag-Along focuses on the Taiwanese urban legend of The Little Girl in Red. A tale dating back to 1998 that connected a strange death to the appearance of a little girl wearing red in a video with the man while on a hike with friends. The video took Taiwan by storm and became a viral hit before viral hits were really a thing. The Tag-Along, basically, retells this story in a more dramatic way. It’s an interesting watch though a little formulaic in parts. I am a big fan of horror based on urban legends so I felt as though The Tag-Along really scratched that specific itch. This movie went on to become the best selling horror movie in Taiwan and spawned a whole bunch of sequels so there is plenty more where that came from.

Synopsis: The Tag Along (Hong yi xiao nu hai) follows the story of a man whose Grandmother goes missing while hiking with friends. After receiving a mysterious camera from an unknown source, he sees a video, filmed by his aunt, of his Grandmother being followed by a girl in a red dress. Confused, the man begins an exploration into the mystery behind what happened and what connection the girl in the red dress had to the disappearances.

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

3. Incantation (2022) – Do You Know the Name?

Why it Ranked: This movie was, actually, based on a supposedly true story of a family who claimed they were haunted by demons of Chinese folklore. Naturally, it only takes very lightly from the true story but it’s interesting that this has some basis in reality. Incantation is an unsettling, little, supernatural horror flick that would go on to become Taiwan’s highest grossing horror movie of all time. Personally, I found it to be a little overly long and it goes a bit over the top with the supernatural horror tropes but it is still one of the best supernatural found footage horror movies in years and one of the best Taiwanese horror movies ever.

Synopsis: Found Footage horror is, for the most part, a Western phenomenon but it seems as though each Asian horror loving nation will put out at least one found footage title. Incantation (Zhou) is Taiwan’s contribution to the genre. The story follows a woman who, after being cursed due to breaking a religious taboo, does everything in her power to avoid passing the curse on to her young daughter.

Where to Watch: Netflix

2. The Soul (2021) – Transplanting Identity

Why it Ranked: What seems like a fairly ordinary horror, thriller, movie goes in some seriously bizarre directions thanks to a strong science fiction leaning in The Soul. It’s fascinating stuff and the multitude of twists and turns keep the, otherwise, rather drama heavy story plodding along at a nice clip. I’m not sure that the ending is going to vibe with everyone. I am willing to bet that some viewers will think it is ridiculous but I found it a pretty enjoyable and novel concept. Well worth watching.

Synopsis: Directed by Taiwan’s Wei-Hao Cheng. 2021’s The Soul (Ji hun) is a collaboration between Taiwan and China. The story sees the leader of a corporation, researching a cure for cancer, being murdered with his own son, seemingly, being the culprit. A terminally ill prosecutor takes on the case. Eventually finding himself, and his wife, becoming more and more tangled up in a bizarre mystery.

Where to Watch: Netflix

1. The Sadness (2021) – Lust and Violence Unleashed

Why it Ranked: We need a splatter horror on this list, right? Well, how about we slap one at number one? The Sadness is incredibly violent. When you combine zombies with splatter horror, you should expect things to get pretty nasty and that’s exactly what happens here. This movie has gained a bit of a reputation ever since its release in 2021. Some seriously visceral scenes stand out as being, frankly, a bit over the top and ridiculous. While the practical effects deserve special mention for just how fantastically gnarly they are. Awesome stuff but don’t expect your typical zombie fare. This is far more gruesome and nasty than you might be ready for.

Synopsis: The Sadness (Ku bei), by director Rob Jabbaz, gives us plenty of the red stuff and a whole lot of zombies, too. As the city is overcome by a virus which turns people into mindless killers, a couple are left in a desperate fight to reunite against the odds.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

Terror in Taiwan

There we have it, 10 Taiwanese horror movies that prove this island nation is a rising star in the Asian horror scene. From the mind-bending sci-fi of The Soul to the sheer, unadulterated brutality of The Sadness, there is something here for every kind of horror fan. It’s a catalogue that is growing in both size and quality, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.

We’ll be back soon with Part 2, but in the meantime, why not check out some more of our Asian horror rankings? I’ll be back soon with more lists. Stay spooky.

🇹🇼 Quick Picks: Taiwanese Horror Essentials

• 🏆 The Extreme Choice: The Sadness (2021)
• 👻 The Viral Hit: Incantation (2022)
• 🧠 The Sci-Fi Twist: The Soul (2021)
• 👹 The Urban Legend: The Tag-Along (2015)
• 🧟 The Zombie Comedy: Get the Hell Out (2020)