Over the past few years, South Korea has undoubtedly become a prominent country in the world by showcasing its talents and culture globally like K-pop, K-dramas, tempting food, Korean fashion, etc. When it comes to K-dramas, the industry has offered numerous mind-blowing series in a variety of genres. Besides its well-known melodramas and romantic K-dramas, South Korea produces some of the best thriller K-dramas that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
K-dramas often address worldwide societal concerns, encompassing social injustices that viewers may be able to relate to, such as class hierarchy, economic inequality, and power abuse. K-dramas have the ability to evoke strong emotions in viewers by making them consider the morals and humanity of the characters in the simplest of ways. This is something that other countries’ productions have not been able to do.
Best Thriller K-dramas Of All Time
Here we will put together some of the best thriller K-dramas which have been a classic for every thriller Korean drama lover. If you are new to the K-drama world then you can start adding these dramas in your watchlist but if you are already a die-hard K-drama fan and still haven’t watched it then you are missing out big. Go watch them now, you won’t regret a single minute of yours!
1. Mouse (2021)
Mouse is a thriller Korean drama that captured the audience’s attention with its original, thought-provoking plot that was mind-bending. The protagonist of the series is Go Moo-chi (Lee Hee-joon), who is pursuing a deranged serial killer while facing his inner demons from his childhood trauma. Mouse has a mysterious beginning with a significant backstory that establishes the show’s concepts, but it pays off greatly when you get the plots and execution behind its secrets and revelations.
With each and every episode, the thriller series will play with your mind and force you to think about who is the actual culprit. In the end, you’ll be totally satisfied with how the lines connect and make a sensible reason behind everything. Every K-drama fan should give it a try if they are into thriller and after passing 2/3 episodes, they’ll get totally hooked with the story.
Also Read: 5 Hyped Upcoming Korean Series That Are Making a Comeback With Season 2 In 2024.
2. Flower Of Evil (2020)
The beginning of Flower of Evil is quite innocent. A joyful family is shown, including metal welder Baek Hee-sung, who owns a shop, his detective wife Cha Ji-won, and their daughter. With parents who are devoted to their daughters, they appear to be the epitome of what a model family looks like. However, when we start to discover that Baek Hee-sung isn’t really Baek Hee-sung, things start to change.
A man pretends to be the perfect partner to his detective wife, disguising a dark past, until she starts looking into a string of killings. The drama is well-balanced including action, good OSTs, romance, and the real need to solve the murder and finish the job—without the wife becoming involved emotionally since her husband is under investigation.
3. Strangers From Hell (2018)
A young man in his twenties named Yoon Jong Woo moves to Seoul from the countryside when his college mate Jae Ho gives him a job offer. He finds Eden Gosiwon, an inexpensive hostel where guests share a kitchen and bathroom while seeking a place to live. He is not overly fond of the place’s condition or its other peculiar residents. However, Jong Woo chooses to endure it for a period of six months in order to accumulate sufficient funds to relocate. But as strange things start happening in the flat, Jong Woo starts to worry about the people living there.
The thriller Korean drama seems a bit slow for a while but with the twists and creepy incidents, it gets more and more interesting. Especially, the residents living in the building acted very well and successfully created a spine-chilling environment where you’ll feel worries about the main lead living with those people. The drama is worth watching at least once to feel the thrill and nerve-wracking excitement in every twist.
4. Squid Game (2021)
If you ask any thriller lover about K-drama suggestions, the name “Squid Game” will be one of the top names. The thriller Korean drama had a mind-blowing response from people all around the world about how amazingly the whole K-drama was made. In fact, Squid Game has brought a huge audience to the K-drama world.
The thriller Korean drama is a cruel and violent story of capitalism taking advantage of needy people for the amusement of a wealthy few, and it became an unexpected worldwide sensation. Participants are individuals who are in financial difficulties who owe a lot of money, mostly from gambling, and who are desperate. It is set in today’s culture. As it is so well-made, you will experience a range of emotions while you watch the thriller Korean drama, including fear and shock.
5. Vagabond (2019)
For fans of K-dramas, Vagabond is among the greatest thriller K-dramas. Furthermore, the series features the comeback collaboration of Suzy Bae and Lee Seung Gi, making it a must-watch. Thriller action-packed and full of unexpected scenes, Vagabond will leave you stunned with its twists and turns. You’ll be amazed at how Cha Dal Geon handled all of his close calls with death in order to bring his nephew’s death to justice.
Vagabond falters at the last hurdle, leaving several plot strands unsolved and leaving a terrible aftertaste for anyone who has grown invested in this thriller Korean drama. There are also doubts about whether this one will be renewed. Vagabond is definitely worth checking out if it gets a second-season renewal, but even while it’s an enjoyable journey, it falls short where it matters most, making it fall short of greatness and into mediocrity.
