As people continue to isolate themselves inside houses owing to the prolonged virus spread, it’s about time that even those who only watch films at cinemas have turned on televisions and downloaded mobile applications searching for movies to binge-watch on.

Although online streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Watcha and Wavve, in Korea also offer amazing assortment of films, most require a small contribution of monthly subscription, which may come as a burden for some. 

Here are some of the places to stream great contents without charges.


Classics on Open Culture

An online cultural education space, the Open Culture website offers the links to some 1,150 films for free. Although the genres are limitless, ranging from indies, film noirs, documentaries and what more, the contents on Open Culture are mostly comprised of the classic masterpieces of different genres and countries.

Among the list of links, you can find the link to the Korean Film Archive’s YouTube Channel, which provides around 190 classic and modern Korean feature films for free. For those people unfamiliar to Korean films, the videos have been categorized according their production dates, directors and lead actors and actresses. The channel also provides some uniqe playlists, such as director Bong Joon-ho’s favorite Korean films. English subtitles are provided.

Check out www.openculture.com/freemoviesonline for the list of masterpieces from around the world.


Documentaries on IDFA

The world’s largest documentary film festival is giving a free access to viewers to some 300 films from its acclaimed collection of documentary films in the bid to pass the time of isolation.

Starting March 17, the International Documentary Film-festival Amsterdam has put up on its website some of the titles screened during the festival held between 1988 and 2019. While over 300 titles are available inside the Netherlands, around 200 documentaries will be accessible outside the country.

Not all the contents will be available throughout the time period, but IDFA promises to keep the online collection as broad and diverse as possible.


Japanese indie films on JFF Online

A good news for those lovers of Japanese films -- Japanese Film Festival magazine, in partnership with a renowned Japanese independent film competition Moosic Lab, has launched a streaming video service Japanese Film Festival Online. 

A line-up of nine long features and three short independent films that were presented at the Moosic Lab fest since 2012 can be viewed on the JFF magazine website.


Watcha free for the quarantined

Streaming platform Watcha is providing a free pass for those people who have been quarantined due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

Starting last month, Watcha has been providing free access to all its contents on the streaming platform Watcha Play to those people who have been officially confirmed of the virus or have been ordered of self-quarantine due to concerns of infection. The free streaming service is valid throughout the quarantine period. 

Since last month, Watcha also been providing one-month free coupon for Watcha’s kids contents for the parents of children in the Daegu and South Gyeongsang Province, which were the hardest-hit regions by the COVID-19 in the nation. In addition, the Korean OTT firm also offers a 100-day free coupon for soldiers who have been banned from leaving their bases due to the virus outbreak.

By Choi Ji-won (jwc@heraldcorp.com)