In contrast to last year, where the overwhelming majority of erotic movies came from Japan, the category definitely moved beyond in 2025, particularly since Korean productions came to the fore, highlighting that the the Korean soft porn industry is quite vibrant, with a plethora of titles coming out every year, occasionally finding their way to cinema screens. In the same path, Taiwan and Philippines showcased the positive lack of censorship in that regard, while the surprise came from Indonesia, a country who is quite strict regarding erotic scenes.
In this list, we tried to focus on titles where the erotic is one of the key elements, while trying to stay away from exploitation or soft-porn (S. Korean and Filipino cinema is filled with these btw) for the most part, instead focusing on “regular” movies that simply include this aspect, in order to titillate or even make their comments through it. Without further ado here is the list, in random order. Some films premiered in 2024 (a number actually), but since they mostly circulated in 2025, we decided to include them.
10. This City is a Battlefield by Mouly Surya (Indonesia)
The way the erotic triangle is shaped and the relationship of the three protagonists is explored is quite intriguing, adding a very appealing element of eroticism, and thus, entertainment in the film
9. Bomba Bernal by Khavn
As with most of Khavn’s work, “Bomba Bernal” is far from a film for everyone. However, for those willing to challenge their preconceptions of what a documentary, or a film, in general, can be, and who are unafraid of a little (or a lot of) provocation, there is plenty to appreciate, in a movie that is as thought-provoking as it is wildly entertaining.
Floating between arthouse and cult territory, it is a work of rare visual and emotional intensity, a haunting, seductive experience that demands to be felt as much as interpreted.
7. I Would Rather Kill You by Kim Sang-hoon (S. Korea)
The erotic content is steamy and extended, especially during the middle portion, which features a prolonged montage of Sang-cheol having sex with both sisters. The sequence appears to be the narrative centerpiece, and while all the actors are visually appealing, which certainly helps, the scenes are executed with a surprising degree of taste, despite some initial violence. In the end, if one word were to describe the sex scenes with one word, it would be tame.
6. Forbidden Fairytale by Lee Jong-suk (S. Korea)
The focus on female sexuality and the diverse ways women perceive and fantasize about sex rounds out the film’s rich thematic landscape.
Kominami crafts a work that carefully straddles cheeky eroticism and gentle introspection. While the only character to appear nude is Reiko, the film’s erotic tension remains palpable
4. Skin of Youth by Ash Mayfair (Vietnam)
Ash Mayfair structures the narrative in distinct parts, with three key sections standing out. The first introduces San and Nam’s complex but affectionate relationship, where their shared focus is to raise funds for San’s surgery. This segment includes a number of graphic erotic scenes, a bold and unconventional choice by Mayfair, given how rare sex scenes including trans people are in Vietnamese, and more broadly, Asian, cinema.
“Hidden Face” is ultimately titillating, engaging, stylishly shot and performed, standing as a prime example of the modern erotic thriller
The charisma of the female protagonists drives the narrative, while the bittersweet, romantic, queer storyline is complemented by a middle chapter that turns particularly steamy, with no fewer than three sex scenes. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
1. Dreamboi by Rodina Singh (Philippines)
As Diwa claims ownership, the same descent becomes celebratory, the music shifting to something more seductive and party-like. Singh uses these tonal shifts to externalize Diwa’s interior transformation, changing her from victim of structural violence to architect of her own pleasure. (Matt Ordonez)
