There’s a vast world of South Korean dramas, from endearing romances to electrifying thrillers. The industry has been thriving on international views for more than a decade. And thanks to Netflix, the popularity of K-dramas (as they’re globally known) has undoubtedly skyrocketed. When viewers scroll through their streaming library, they can see thrillers, dramas, and some of the best South Korean rom-coms on Netflix.
Thriller K-dramas, perhaps, are always a top choice for moviegoers due to their unique storytelling, complex characters, suspenseful plots, cultural insights, and high production values. But there’s also a very interesting genre with more ominous qualities —these dramas are somewhat dark and gritty, with a mind-bending quality to them. On top of it all, they deal with some of the darkest human emotions and impulses — making them interesting to watch. FromStrangertoThe Silent Sea, there are plenty of mind-blowing shows that will satisfy viewers on Netflix.
10’Extracurricular' (2020)
Created by Jin Han-sae
A uniquehigh school show on Netflix,Extracurricularfollows a student named Oh Ji-soo (Kim Dong-hee), who leads a double life as a part-time criminal to make money to support himself. However, things take a dark turn when he becomes involved with a classmate who is also leading a double life as a sex worker. The two got entangled in a dangerous web of crime and violence, with their lives and futures at stake.
Extracurricularkeeps the audience on the edge of their seats since the plot is well-crafted and the pacing is excellent with each episode building on the tension and suspense of the previous one.It’s also a balanced mix of crime, thriller, and coming-of-age genres, with unique twists that set it apart from other shows in the category. The cinematography and soundtrack are also top-notch, adding to the overall vibe of the show.
Extracurricular
Watch on Netflix
9’The Silent Sea' (2021)
Created by Park Eun-kyo
Set in a dystopian future where Earth is facing catastrophic water shortage,The Silent Seafollows a team of scientists sent on a mission to retrieve a mysterious sample from an abandoned research station on the Moon. The team is led by Han Yoon-jae (Gong Yoo), a former astronaut who is haunted by a tragic incident from his past. He is joined by a group of experts, including a biologist, a medical officer, and an engineer.
The Silent Seapresents an innovative sci-fi mystery with lots of unexpected twists and turns. While the pacing is erratic, the immersive digital effects make up for it by making the improbable appealing. Additionally, the program didn’t fully develop its characters, but aficionados of the genre may easily overlook this because the tension is what keeps the audience on edge.
The Silent Sea
8’Mine' (2021)
Created by Baek Mi-kyeong
K-drama fans who watchedSKY Castleand are intrigued by the materialistic motivations of the rich and the beautiful will rejoice in havingMineon their watch list. Thisdrama series about the 1%revolves around women working to protect their families and attain the highest levels of praise and wealth. However, their lives become intertwined, and they discover terrible truths about their friends, families, each other, and themselves.
Minepacks a heavier punch thanSKY Castlein terms of thriller elements. Average viewers' emotions range from sympathy to rage and utter confusion, and sometimes all while watching one episode.This dramadismantles personal greed and shows the struggle of finding one’s true identityoutside of others' perception — in this case, extremely wealthy and perfect individuals.
7’Little Women' (2022)
Created by Kim Hee-won
One of the most recent dramas on this list,Little Womenwas an instant hit. It was “fed in doses” to viewers, as Netflix released two episodes per weekend across six weeks. The story revolves around the sisters Oh who grew up working for scraps and now get a chance to get into some serious money.
The youngest sister becomes involved with a mayoral candidate’s family, the middle sister is a skilled and highly intuitive journalist trying to topple him from his pedestal, and the eldest sister befriends a coworker who has many secrets and hidden skills. The cast did a superb job in thistense, twisted drama full of unpredictable moments and harsh truths about greed. Many fans ofSquid Gamewill also be happy to seeWi Ha-joonin another cool role.
6’My Name' (2021)
Created by Kim Jin-min
My Namefollows Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee), a young woman who joins a drug cartel to avenge her father’s death who was a police officer, killed while investigating the said cartel. As Ji-woo becomes more involved, she must navigate the dangerous and complex world of drug trafficking while keeping her true identity a secret.
My Nameis an intricate and well-writtenrevenge-themed K-drama on Netflix, keeping viewers interested and guessing right up until the very end. The program also examines Ji-woo’s psychological and emotional costs as well as the repercussions of her choices. Moreover,it addresses issues like loyalty, vengeance, and the hazy boundary between good and evil with twists and turns, making viewers uneasy. Although it may not be a mind-bending thriller in the conventional sense, the show excels due to its psychological complexity and emotional depth.
5’Beyond Evil' (2021)
Created by Kim Soo-jin
Fans that watchedSignaland want to continue the wave of ominous and mysterious detective stories will have their hands full withBeyond Evil. This drama came out on Netflix in 2021 and didn’t garner too much attention. However, its plot is anything but dull - and again, can be easily spoiled if too much is said.
In short, the story is about serial killings in a small South Korean village. The main detective is one of the oldest and most respected police officers in the village. However, since the cases aren’t new, the authorities find it fitting to hire a young rookie detective from Seoul. The two detectives aren’t only separated by an age gap, but by their views on life, being police officers, and the case itself.Beyond Evildelivers punch after punch to the unexpecting audience, although it’s quite a slow burnand may not be for everyone.
4’Signal' (2016)
Created by Kim Eun-hee
Signalis one of those South Korean gems that everyone loves and a great representation of thethriller/mystery genre in K-dramas. The story revolves around a private detective who finds a mysterious walkie-talkie while on a case, forcing him to team up with a detective who may know something more about it.
The series takes cues from unsolved mysteries that have plagued South Korea for years, with the Hwaseong case serving as a prime example. There’s not much more that could be said without spoiling the story. Fans who’ve never seen the show should know thatit’s a detective story, full of tense and unpredictable moments, and it may involve a time loop and time travel. Intrigued?Signalis worth the watch and hype, which can be difficult to live up to.
3’Stranger' (2017 - 2020)
Created by Lee Soo-yeon
Strangeris one of the first K-dramas to go mainstream and get global recognition. It was also one of the first Korean dramas on Netflix back in 2017. The story revolves around a brave detective who gets help on a case from a highly praised and talented prosecutor. However, the prosecutor is unable to feel emotions and lacks adequate social skills for various situations.
The strange case of the prosecutor without empathy seems to work in his favor; he’s able to understand and digest facts from a more objective and logical side — but is that actually good? Fans have two seasons of this gripping thriller with unexpected turns on Netflix, and if anyone needs more convincing, the fantasticDoona Baeplays the detective in charge.
2’SKY Castle' (2018 - 2019)
Created by Yoo Hyun-mi
SKY Castleis a satirical but at times very dark depiction of South Korean elite families living in a gated community called SKY Castle. Everything gets upturned when the Hwang family moves in, as they’re not the most typical residents; the housewives in the community attempt to shake things up as they don’t trust the Hwang family, especially the wife, Soo-im (Yum Jung-ah).
This drama is filled with dramatic twists and turns. It’s often difficult to tell who’s telling the truth and who’s bending reality. In the middle of the story is also a harsh college entry tutor with a 100% success rate; she’s almost determined to see the people of SKY Castle fail.The materialistic desires of the families often clash with their (in)abilities to be humaninSky Castle.Viewers may be intrigued to know that a major, significant shocker happens in the first few episodes of themust-see Korean drama on Netflix.
SKY Castle
1’Flower of Evil' (2020)
Created by Yoo Jung-hee
Flower of Evilis one of those dramas with such shocking twists that, even if they are expected, they’re still surprising. The story shows an ambitious and clever detective who seemingly has a perfect home life. However, when she starts uncovering new clues from a series of similar murders, she realizes her husband might be more than just a perfect partner.
This suspenseful thrillercan get rather soapy at moments (many K-dramas are at fault for that) but it still manages to deliver an excellent and exciting story. The actor starring as the mysterious husband isLee Joon-gi, who’s widely known as the K-drama prince. His unusual features and subdued but strong acting make his character more creepy and hard to trust.
