Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and In the Mood for Love are undoubtedly some of the most iconic movies Hong Kong has given to the world. However, the city’s cinematic excellence spans many genres. Hong Kong’s directorial geniuses have explored eroticism through their impeccable on-screen works, giving audiences a host of adrenaline-raising flicks that might be too hot to handle. Are you in a zestful mood, looking for a raunchy title to lift your spirits? You’ve landed at the right place. Let’s take you through the sexiest Hong Kong movies that’ll get your heart racing with their erotic moments.
From fuelling your desires and passions to beautifully unwrapping the art of seduction, these movies are unapologetically steamy without compromising on well-rounded storylines, strong female characters and gripping plots. Erotic thriller movies first emerged in Hong Kong in the 1960s. They fully gained momentum in the 1990s and 2000s with the establishment of the (notorious) X-rated category.
Whether it’s Lily Ho’s Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan invigorating your senses with its sheer intensity or Leslie Cheung‘s Days of Being Wild bringing your wildest fantasies to the big screen. There are plenty of options to spice up your next binge-watch session. Keep reading to know more.
Sexiest Hong Kong movies of all time that are too hot to handle
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Days of Being Wild
Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai
Cast: Leslie Cheung, Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau, Jacky Cheung and Tony Leung,
Release date: 15 December, 1990
Synopsis: Navigating the lives of multiple lovelorn individuals, Days of Being Wild has a darkly dreamy allure, and presents an intensity and depth of emotions that has a lasting impact on viewers. Set in 1960s Hong Kong, the film revolves around Yuddy, a seemingly emotionless playboy who mercilessly goes about breaking hearts while searching for his biological mother. Among many of his seducing escapades, he lures Li-zhen but refuses to indulge in a serious relationship with her. A policeman is caught in the middle of this turbulent love affair, and a tale of suppressed desires ensues.
Fun fact: Days of Being Wild forms the first title of the informal trilogy which includes In the Mood for Love and 2046.
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan
Directed by: Chor Yuen
Cast: Lily Ho, Hua Yueh, Betty Pei Ti
Release date: 9 July, 1972
Synopsis: Ai Nu is a poor family’s only daughter, who got kidnapped and sold to The Four Seasons Brothel run by a ruthless woman named Lady Chun Yi. The story takes an adventurous turn when Ai Nu becomes the centre of attention in a police investigation following a series of murders at the brothel. The erotic moments displayed were too daring and unapologetically steamy for the time the film was released.
Fun fact: Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan was remade by Shaw Brothers Studios in 1984 as Lust for Love of a Chinese Courtesan.
Erotic Ghost Story
Directed by: Lam Ngai Kai
Cast: Amy Yip, So Man, Hitomi Kudo and Manfred Wong
Release date: 19 May, 1990
Synopsis: Influenced by Hollywood’s The Witches of Eastwick, this Category III-rated Hong Kong classic is loaded with the themes of lust, female sexual desires and erotic romps. Yip, Man and Kudô play three fox spirits who have landed on Earth in a human form. After helping a doomed scholar, these three women start getting lustful thoughts about him, unfurling their carnal desires. Eventually, they realise that they have been tricked by the man, who turns out to be a dangerous demon.
Fun fact: The movie was a box office hit, spawning a sequel which released in 1991.
Love Actually... Sucks!
Directed by: Scud
Cast: Osman Hung, Linda So, Haze Leung
Release date: 7 July, 2011
Synopsis: Scud interlaces stories of unconventional love, from incestuous sibling romance, a teacher-student affair, a deadly love triangle, a paranoid lesbian couple lost in role-play chaos and more. The convention-defying movie, with steamy scenes and eroticism on full display, explores multiple themes and subjects considered taboo in Hong Kong. Inspired by real-life events, it’s a bittersweet comedy about love gone wrong.
Fun fact: The film forms a part of the seven publicly released films by Scud, which include City Without Baseball, Permanent Residence, Amphetamine, Voyage, Utopians and Thirty Years of Adonis.
The Golden Lotus
Directed by: Li Han-hsiang
Cast: Peter Yang, Hu Jin, Tien Lie, Chen Ping, Jackie Chan
Release date: 17 January, 1974
Synopsis: The film (which also marked a young Jackie Chan’s debut) is one of the boldest and most intense cinematic wonders showcasing the licentious sex life of a merchant. Hsi-Men Ching woos a beautiful woman Pan Chin-lien, plotting and killing the latter’s husband together. However, both of these adulterers don’t enjoy a smooth sailing life after. The Golden Lotus is packed with action, drama and sensual bits in equal parts.
Fun fact: It is based on a novel of the same name by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng.
Viva Erotica
Directed by: Derek Yee and Lo Chi-Leung
Cast: Leslie Cheung, Karen Mok, Shu Qi
Release date: 28 November, 1996
Synopsis: The erotic comedy takes viewers inside the life of Kwok-Wing, an unsuccessful film director and Chung, his producer. To revive their dwindling careers, the duo accepts an offer by a gangster financier to make raunchy films and gain financial stability. Caught between compromising his artistic integrity, and removing his financial troubles, a mafia boss and his jealous girlfriend, Kwok-Wing must lock his decision.
Fun fact: Despite being a Category III film owing to its sexual content, Viva Erotica was loved by critics and audiences alike. It went on to win multiple Hong Kong Film Awards.
Lust, Caution
Directed by: Ang Lee
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Tang Wei, Joan Chen
Release date: 26 September, 2007
Synopsis: Set in 1938 Hong Kong and World War II-era Shanghai, the film narrates the story of a group of students from the University of Hong Kong as they plot the assassination of a top political agent, Mr. Yee. A young woman named Wang Jiazhi finds herself entrapped in a game of seduction, love and murder.
Fun fact: The movie is based on a 1979 novel by Eileen Chang. It bagged Lee his second Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival.
Crazy Love
Directed by: Roman Cheung
Cast: Shui-Wah Fok, Loletta Lee, Kai-Chung Mak
Release date: 17 March, 1993
Synopsis: Loletta Lee’s vigour, energy and erotic performance are in full steam in Crazy Love. The movie navigates the life of Jane, a free-spirited girl who visits Hong Kong as opposed to a study trip to the UK she lied about to get her parents’ approval. Wanting to exact revenge on her cheating boyfriend, she searches for different sexual partners before unexpectedly falling in love with a struggling young scriptwriter named David.
(Hero and featured image credit: IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
'Days of Being Wild', 'Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan' and 'Erotic Ghost Story' are considered to be the sexiest Hong Kong movies of all time.
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Written by
Kriti Nayyar
Senior Digital Writer, Wellness, Culture, Astrology, Tech
Kriti is a stay-at-home dog mama, whose knack for telling interesting stories keeps her erstwhile monotonous life sane. A literature & journalism degree holder, you'll find her binging on Agatha Christie novels while critiquing the everyday state of affairs. On Kriti's seldom social outings, she's seen devouring coffee sangria with appetizing bread on the side.
