Korean shows to watch if you’re a fan of suspense-thrillers

These Korean shows are packed with interesting plots and mind-blowing twists and turns that make for an exhilarating binge-watch!

 

Kingdom

Based on the webcomic ‘Burning Hell Shinui Nara’, the story started with the king’s inexplicable illness. Due to it, Queen Jo (Kim-Hye-Jun) and her father Chief State Councilor Jo-Hak-Joo (Ryoo Seung-Ryong) have forbidden anyone else to see the King– including Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-Hoon). When rumors of the king’s death spread throughout Joseon, Chief State Councilor Jo-Hak-Joo rules with an iron fist for a time.

However, Crown Prince Lee Chang senses something strange, so he sneaks into the king’s forbidden place. He then sees the shadow of a monster and smells its foul stench. Due to his curiosity, Lee Chang’s guard Moo-Young (Kim Sang-Ho) steals the King’s medical history journal and discovers the name of Physician Lee Seung-Hui (Kwon Bum-Taek) written there. To ask for some information about his father’s demise, Lee Chang and his guard travel to the Jiyulheon Clinic, located in faraway Dongnae to meet the physician. When they arrive, they discover dead bodies around the clinic and meet the only person to have survived; Seo-Bi (Bae Doo-Na), a medical staff member. Seo-Bi reveals that the dead bodies will soon rise to destroy humanity.

Squid Game

‘Squid Game’ became the talk of the town after its release in 2021. This South Korean drama series follows the story of 456 players who received a mysterious invitation to participate in a survival game with more than 38 million US dollars as the prize. As they accept the challenge, they are abducted and huddled together on an isolated island. Playing deadly versions of the 70s and 80s kid’s games, the players will do whatever it takes to win—even in the face of death.

 

Law School

This Korean series is surely one of the must-see thrillers of all time and probably the best legal courtroom K-drama ever produced. The story revolves around law students and their professors, who encountered an unprecedented case.

Former Prosecutor Yang Jong-Hoon (Kim Myung-Min) is currently a professor at Hankuk University Law School. He is hated by many students because he is straightforward and cold. Regardless, he is focused on enhancing students’ skills to become meaningful members of the legal field.

On the other hand, Kang Sol (Ryu Hye-young) and (Kim Bum) are first-year law students. Kang Sol is a struggling student, while Joon-Hwi is at the top of the class. When a law professor was murdered on campus, the two cooperate to prove Professor Yang’s innocence.

 

Save Me

‘Save Me’ or ‘Rescue Me’ is quite different from other dramas you see as it tackles one of the most sensitive topics to talk about: religious cults.

This psychological thriller is about Sang-Mi (Seo Ye Ji), a woman who is caught up in a pseudo-religious cult. When he heard about what happened, Taec-yeon (Han Sang-hwan), the son of a corrupt politician, tried to save her from the cult. With the help of his friends to help Sang-Mi escape, Taec-yeon also uses his power and wealth to break into the cult but discovers a darker secret lurking inside.

 

My Name

‘My Name’ is a 2021 mystery drama following the life story of Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee), a woman who goes down a dark path of vengeance after witnessing the death of her father. She knows that the reason behind her father’s murder was her involvement with Dongcheon, South Korea’s largest drug crime ring. As she’s ready to take on her revenge, Ji-Woo will know the startling truth behind her father’s demise.

 

Flower of Evil

This romance crime thriller revolves around the story of a ‘psychopath’ named Baek Hee-sung (Lee Joon Gi) who tries to conceal his dark identity through marriage. He attempts to hide his past from Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won), his detective wife.

While Baek Hee-sung seems like a perfect husband and father to his daughter, he has hidden a series of murder cases in the past. Their ideal marriage shatters into pieces when his wife finds out the truth through an investigation.

 

Strangers From Hell

‘Strangers From Hell’ is a 2019 South Korean series based on the Naver Webtoon of the same name. The series follows Yoon Jong-woo (Im Si-wan), an aspiring crime novelist who moves from a small town to Seoul after landing a job at his new company. He stays in a cheap room in the hostel, Eden Gosiwon, which shares its kitchen and bathroom with other residents. After dealing with the weird and suspicious residents there, he begins to wonder if he made the right choice.

 

Happiness

This apocalyptic nail-biter series tells the story of Yoon Sae-bom (Han Hyo-joo), a special agent with fast reflexes and special qualities. She moved to a coveted apartment complex by pretending to marry Jung Yi-hyun (Park Yung-sik), a detective investigating the spread of a mysterious infection. They are trapped in their apartment building when Han Tae-seok (Jo Woo-jin), head of the task force, orders the complex to be sealed off from the rest of the city to control the spread of the disease. The lockdown will bring out the best and worst in the apartment residents.

 

All of Us Are Dead

This Zombie Apocalypse series is based on the Naver Webtoon ‘Not at Our School’ by Joo Dong-geun. It tells the story of the Jonas virus and how it infected many high school students and teachers at Hyosan High. The virus was created by Lee Byeong-chan (Byeong Cheol-kim), a genius scientist and substitute teacher whose son experiences constant bullying.

One day at school, a girl student gets bitten by a rat that was part of Byeong Chan’s experiments. She then turned into a zombie and spread the virus to others.

Trapped in Hyosan High School, a group of students will fight for their survival against the zombie outbreak.

Other POP! stories that you might like:

Enjoy the ‘month of love’ with these upcoming K-dramas

K-Drama recommendations to help change Sen. Estrada’s mind in ‘banning’ Korean dramas in PH

New K-drama ‘The Fabulous’ invites viewers to a glittering world of fashion and dreams

5 K-Drama friendships that are absolutely #goals

Interesting things to know about K-drama ‘Our Beloved Summer’

Follow POP! on Instagram.