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Folklore

Folklore

2018–2021Ended2 seasons13 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

Bringing together some of the most talented Asian directors working within the genre sphere, this new anthology series creates an atmosphere unlike anything that’s come out of the region before.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Folklore?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Folklore streaming on HBO Max.

Subscription

Reception

Is Folklore worth watching?

Folklore's Midcredits score is the 11th percentile of all shows, from 813 ratings across 2 sources. 39% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

11th percentile

Better received than 11% of shows

35th percentile among Horror11th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)16th
Approval (how many liked it)8th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

61 /100

16th percentile of all shows

47th percentile among Horror17th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

39% liked it

8th percentile of all shows

27th percentile among Horror7th percentile among 2010s
39% rated it 7–1061% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

56th percentile

770 ratings across platforms

68th percentile among Horror61st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 2% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is an anthology of Asian folklore tales focused more on cultural exploration than traditional horror scares.

Fans praised

  • unsettling atmospheric anthology grounded in Asian folklore
  • each episode offers creative eerie storytelling tied to cultural legends
  • modern settings enrich traditional beliefs for deeper meaning

Detractors panned

  • not scary or effective as horror
  • acting, writing, and production feel amateurish or cheap
  • uneven quality across episodes, only first episode stands out

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive70

fresh folklore anthology but familiar tropes within genre

AtmosphereDivisive65

unsettling but not terrifying for most

Plot and storyDivisive50

uneven storytelling quality per episode

Emotional impactDivisive50

first episode has heart, others lack emotional connection

ActingDivisive40

weak performances, especially in later episodes

TensionDivisive35

not scary or suspenseful

Effects and spectacle30

poor special effects and cheap visuals

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2021 · 7 episodes

  • S2E1

    The Rope

    Nov 14, 202149 min
  • S2E2

    The Day the Wind Blew

    Nov 21, 202154 min
  • S2E3

    Broker of Death

    Nov 28, 202150 min
  • S2E4

    7 Days of Hell

    Dec 5, 202156 min
  • S2E5

    Grandma's Kiss

    Dec 12, 202160 min
  • S2E6

    The Excursion

    Dec 19, 202147 min
  • S2E7
    S2E7

    Ayizah, Ayizah

    Sep 16, 202244 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Folklore like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
DreadTense
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Anthology episodes · 6% of showsAnthology seasons · 2% of shows
ToneThe series treats its folklore source material seriously and without irony, aiming for unsettling rather than jump scares.
The rideThe series maintains a sustained atmosphere of creeping dread across many episodes.
StructureAnthology format with no overarching narrative device; episodes are self-contained.
Episode formatThe series is an anthology with each episode a self-contained story.
Season formatEach season presents a new set of episodes, with no continuing narrative across seasons.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves viewers reflecting on the cultural myths and the unease of the tales long after.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeAs an anthology of diverse folk horror tales from different Asian countries, no single plot archetype dominates the series; each episode follows its own shape.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% (this title) · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% (this title) · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 14% of showsTradition vs change · 3% of showsOppression · 2% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores how ancient myths enforce moral codes and justice, often through supernatural retribution against wrongdoers.
StanceThe series presents myths and their consequences with a neutral, observational eye, letting the stories speak for themselves.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticMagical realism
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingVarious Asian countries where local myths and superstitions are alive in modern settings
MusicThe score likely blends traditional Asian instruments with modern orchestration to enhance the cultural dread.

Content guide

Is Folklore okay for kids?

TV-14

Folklore is rated TV-14.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • Hungary18
  • MexicoC
  • Poland18
  • RO18
  • SingaporeM18
  • SwedenFrån 15 år

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Folklore have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Folklore?

Cast

Li Wenqiang
Dolly De Leon
as Lourdes
Maguire Jian
as Lim
Dido de la Paz
as Celso
Sivakumar Palakrishnan
as Arup
Rosh Barman
as Eugene
Aric Hidir Amin
as Saiful
Mon Confiado
as Jong
Louis Wu Luoyi
as Mr. Kang
Jay Valencia Glorioso
as Mameng

Crew

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What other shows share a tag with Folklore?

51 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: folk horror. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.