When you think of Korean dramas, the first thing that comes to mind is probably romantic comedies with cheesy jokes and good-looking leads. Well, as a matter of fact, that’s not all Korean dramas have to offer.
While they’re still teeming with good-looking leads—aren’t they all—Korean dramas also offer a great selection of choices that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Thriller Korean drama is still underrated, which is a shame considering the various thrilling narratives they offer. From tales of bad decisions, serial killers, to zombies, here are seven must-watch thriller Korean dramas to watch this week!
15 Thriller Korean Drama Recommendations
1. Tunnel (2017)
A unique drama Korea thriller that adds time-travel into the narrative? Yes, please.
The year was 1986, and Detective Park Gwang-Ho (Choi Jin-Hyuk) is ambitiously chasing after a serial killer. But as he chased them through the tunnel and emerged from the other side, he found himself in the year 2017.
What’s worse, the serial killer had resumed the killings he’d started 30 years ago.
Tunnel tells a different case in each episode, guaranteed to always keep you engaged throughout the show.
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2. Save Me (2017)
Where to watch: iQIYI and VIU
Are ghosts scary? If you said no, think again, because Save Me will make your skin crawl out of sheer horror.
This chilling drama is based on a popular webtoon titled Out of the World. It centers around four young men who faced a woman in an alley, where she said “save me”.
As it turns out, the woman was deeply connected to a cult. The four men didn’t know what they were getting into just yet—and the lengths the cult would go to prevent the woman from leaving.
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3. Kingdom (2019)
Where to watch: Netflix
You’ve seen zombies roam around a dead modern city. There are crumbles of what was once a tall building and car wrecks all over the street. But have you ever thought of what it’d be like to face zombies in the olden times?
This first Netflix Korean original series is a political horror thriller based on a webtoon series titled The Kingdom of Gods.
Set in the 1590s Joseon Dynasty, specifically three years after the Imjin War, the story follows the story of Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-Hoon) and his subordinates who stumbled across an unnatural plague.
Amidst the investigation of rumors surrounding the King of Joseon’s death, the plague somehow resurrected the dead. Among all the chaos, the prince had to gather allies to keep the plague from spreading and causing more death.
The drama was well-received and ended up getting renewed for a second season on March 13, 2020. It also has a special feature-length sidequel episode titled Ashin of the North that explored the origins of the infected.
4. Extracurricular (2020)
Where to watch: Netflix
Another Netflix original series you shouldn’t miss, Extracurricular is a drama that follows the story of Ji-Soo (Kim Dong-Hee), a model high school student.
He was a smart student, but due to his economic condition, he had to stretch himself thin to save up for the tuition fee. He ended up making a bad choice and involving fellow students Min-Hee (Jung Da-Bin) and Gyu-Ri (Park Ju-Hyun) in a serious crime.
5. Mouse (2021)
Where to watch: VIU
For someone who a big fan of Lee Seung Gi, you have to watch this.
Do you like a game of cat and mouse? Well, then you should definitely tune in to Mouse.
The story is set in an imaginary scenario where a scientist believes that you can detect a psychopath gene, creating a moral dilemma on whether or not children with this gene should live.
Amidst the debate, a cop named Ko Moo-Chi (Lee Hee-Joon) and his younger partner Jeong Ba-Reum (Lee Seung-Gi) were trying to catch a psychopathic serial killer. He had a history of witnessing an awful incident as a child.
As you get increasingly frustrated by the serial killer taunting and playing riddles with the cops, you’ll get to put yourself in the cops’s shoes and try to solve the mystery with them.
6. Through the Darkness (2022)
Where to watch: VIU and Netflix
Do you enjoy watching documentaries? If so, you’ll love Through the Darkness, a criminal drama based on various real-life cases.
It follows the story of Song Ha-Young (Kim Nam-Gil), who was inspired by Korea’s famous profiler Kwon Il-Young. The cases presented in each episode were cases Kwon Il-Young managed to solve from the late 90s to the early 00s.
One of the cases adapted into the story concerns serial killer Yoo Young-Chul, also known as Yellow Raincoat Killer. Not only full of suspense, this drama will also give you insight into how true investigation operates.
7. All of Us Are Dead (2022)
Where to watch: Netflix
Yet another zombie series you have to watch, All of Us Are Dead is a show based on the webtoon series called School Attack. It follows the story of high school students who had to deal with a sudden zombie apocalypse.
They had to survive with limited resources, fighting off zombies that continue to rampage the school as they wait for help on the school premises.
Due to its popularity, the drama ended up getting renewed for a second season on June 6, 2022.
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8. The Flower of Evil (2020)
Where to watch : Netflix
“Flower of Evil” tells the story of a happy married couple, namely Baek Hee-sung (Lee Joon-gi) and Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won). However, behind their happiness, it is revealed that Baek Hee-sung is harboring a secret related to a serial murder case in Yeonju that occurred years ago.
“Flower of Evil” also seems to invite viewers to contemplate what they would do when someone they love becomes the target of others’ long-standing suspicions. How strong is our trust in our partners or the people we care about?
9. Strangers From Hell (2019)
Where to watch : Netflix, Viu
The story revolves around Jong Woo (Im Si Wan), a character constrained by financial limitations to reside in a cramped and densely populated Goshiwon. He shares the vicinity with Moon Jo (Lee Dong Wook), a dentist harboring enigmatic qualities.
Jong Woo starts experiencing a series of unusual occurrences in his living environment. The narrative becomes suspenseful as you witness Jong Woo’s encounters with fellow residents who exhibit peculiar and somewhat eerie behavior.
10. Tell Me What You Saw (2020)
The story tell us about the police’s relentless pursuit of an unidentified serial killer.
After the death of his fiancée in an explosion, the once-famous profiler Oh Hyun Jae (Jang Hyuk) mysteriously disappears.
It is eventually revealed that the explosion involving his fiancée was the work of a serial killer.
This drama’s allure lies in its multitude of mysteries and unforeseen plot twists, making the narrative delightfully unpredictable.
11. Memorist (2020)
Tells the story of a man named Dong Baek. He has the unique ability to read other people’s memories through touch.
At a young age, Dong Baek is appointed a police detective tasked with solving various cases, including murder. One by one, the murder cases are uncovered by Dong Baek.
One time, he worked with another detective named Han Mi Sun. They are asked to solve a serial murder case, which turns out to be related to their past.
12. Blind (2022)
The Korean drama Blind tells the story of three people from different backgrounds: Ryu Sung Joon, Ryu Sung Hoon, and Jo Eun Ki.
The three of them try to solve the mysterious serial murder case that haunts their town. This Korean drama is unsparing in presenting sadistic and tension-filled scenes for the audience.
13. Jirisan (2021)
The Korean drama Jirisan tells the story of the mystery of a mountain called Jiri. Mount Jiri is known as a beautiful mountain and has several caretakers who faithfully guard and go around to inspect each location.
On the other hand, there is a rescue team working to save the missing climbers. However, their work became more serious because many people decided to end their lives and even killed them on Mount Jiri.
14. Beyond Evil (2021)
Beyond Evil is a crime-genre drama thriller that tells the story of two police officers. Lee Dong Sik is a former detective who was demoted, and Han Joo Won is a police chief with a dark past.
The two of them met in a remote village and worked together to solve a serial murder case whose motive was the same as the serial murders 20 years ago.
15. Happiness (2021)
Happiness tells the story of apartment residents who are trapped in an apartment environment and try to save themselves from zombie attacks that arise as a result of the spread of illegal drugs.
A police officer named Yoon Sae Bom and Detective Jung Yin Hyun try to protect the surviving residents from zombies.
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