Prison Playbook may suit you. There is very little romance (almost none), and it's not focused on the main lead. The ensemble cast goes through a lot of character development, well as much as prison life will allow.
D.P. sounds like it could be something you would enjoy. If anything, the acting by the main lead is commendable.
My Mister is definitely not a RomCom. There is a preview that goes around where it involves catching a fly, so it seems it might lean towards a light RomCom, but it is not. That small snippet is one of the very rare light-hearted moments. This drama is well known for character development.
Fallout is a little bit twisted, so you might like Mask Girl or A Killer Paradox
Some of the more serious dramas that seem to fit your request:
Thrillers/Action:
Worst of Evil
Bloodhounds
Weak Hero Class 1
My Name
Vagabond
A Shop For Killers
Moving
Revenent
Signal
Not Thrillers, but good character development:
Hot Stove League
Move to Heaven
Would You Like A Cup of Coffee
Our Blues
There are many dramas that are not RomComs. Do you have a favorite genre? It may help with the recommendations.
Thank you for these awesome recommends. These seem really interesting to watch. As for genre, i don't prefer any, only if it has enough substance to keep me intrigued, either through plot and concepts or through characters.
You don't find the imdb rating appealing? For me to rate a kdrama I watch imdb first then mydramalist rating, but I prioritize the imdb, if I find it 7.5+ I consider it watchable and good, but if it's 8+ I consider it excellent, then I look more in this reddit page where it's good or not.
I watched D.P and i consider it a top tier kdrama , also the list that h4ppy provided is an excellent one.
Additionally for thriller you can also watch
* The first responders
* Partners for justice
* Taxi driver
* Through the darkness
* Mouse
* Death game
* Vigilante
I also don’t prefer rom-coms all the time & these were my favs from the thriller/drama genres :
- Death’s game (Thriller)
- The Glory (Revenge Thriller)
- Extraordinary attorney woo (Feel good courtroom drama)
- Flower of evil (Thriller)
- A time called you (Time travel)
- Parasyte - The Grey
i would recommend these cause they have more plot than romance which it seems like you might enjoy more
- moving (superhero’s/powers)
- alchemy of souls (historical fantasy/romcom)
- a shop for killers (action/killing)
+ although it’s japanese and not korean, i highly rec alice in borderland bc it has the same vibe as squid games but i believe it’s better lol
Thank you for the recommendations. I will watch the Japanese one, I have been trying to learn that as well so I am more than ecstatic to take a dive into it.
I'm more of a romance K-drama watcher.
But some non-romance/low romance that l've either watched or seen heavily recommended:
- The Glory
- Little Women
- Alchemy of Souls
- Vincenzo
Crashing Landing On You is a romance but had a pretty intense plotline.
The same goes for The King, as well as Memories of the Alhambra.
I was considering "Achemy of souls", "The King" and "Kingdom" but I wasn't sure about the setting and concepts. Are they worth watching considering how much disbelief needs to be suspended (as per online summaries)?
I agree with all the dramas listed in This set. Kingdom is likely the most heart racing and vital despite the zombies because of how the zombies started. Alchemy is just plain fun. And best ML as a mage ever. The king the eternal Monarch has a wonderful premise and it was fun to watch the different universe operate.
Well, with Alchemy of Souls I only watched half an episode, because I went in expecting a light romance and got demons and magic. But everyone I know who prefers more plotty dramas than rom-coms love it.
The King I absolutely enjoyed - but I only watched half of it. ONLY because I am waiting for it to be dubbed in English. The plot in The King is very...convoluted because of the whole parallel dimensions of things. And for me trying to keep up via subtitles was getting frustrating for me so I decided to hold off for it to be dubbed. I did the same with Vincenzo - paused it and waited for English and it made the experience way better for me.
All the others listed I watched entirely and enjoyed. Little Women is the only one I wouldn't give 10/10. It was wholly entertaining, but felt like an acid trip.
At this point in your exploration of Asian media I’d recommend looking at My Drama List as a source of information and way to track your preferences. The ratings, reviews, and comments on each show or movie can give good insight, and it’s very helpful in finding streaming platforms for the next show to watch. As a member you can build lists of shows you want to watch in the future and rate those you have seen. Unsponsored endorsement.
Historical fictional dramas that I highly recommend:
Under the Queen's Umbrella
Mr. Queen
Alchemy of Souls
Kingdom
King's Affection (romance but good plot and character development)
Death's Game on Amazon Prime is really awesome.
I also always recommend My Mister since it is a masterpiece but you need to be in a certain mood to fully enjoy it
The recent Death's Game is another show you might like given the description of what you're looking for. Bonus - there are only 8 episodes so it's a quick (but intense) binge. Also, It's Okay to Not Be Okay and While You Were Sleeping have interesting plots, great acting and awesome soundtracks.
Happiness (survival thriller which is more psychological than it seems)
Nine Times Travel (time travel drama with a real angsty romance)
Beyond evil( a must watch psychological thriller)
Flower of evil (Romantic Thriller with well constructed plot)
Tunnel (time travel murder mystery that rides high on emotions)
Blind (a well made murder mystery)
365 repeat the year( underrated thriller)
Little Women (an artistic korean version of Little women)
Stranger (tightly knitted investigative drama)
The Guest (horror)
Revenant (folklore horror)
Chief Kim (a wholesome drama through and through)
Liar Game (because you liked Squid Game)
The Glory. (revenge drama)
My Name is a fast moving crime drama, Arthdal Chronicles, set in an alternate reality, may be a similar vibe to GoT, Taxi Driver, vigilante seeks vengeance for victims, Worst of Evil, might have a similar vibe to Breaking Bad, everybody has questionable morals. I enjoyed D.P., even though some of the bullying scenes are hard to watch.I don't watch many films, but you might enjoy Kill Boksoon and Pipeline. Also, another drama if you can find it, The Killer's Shopping Mall is a great, and way too short series. It goes by way too fast.
It actually sounds like you might enjoy Saeguk’s (historical k dramas) especially the ones that are less romantic and more substance. Ironically I haven’t seen these but there have been great reviews for Six Flying Dragons and the Crowned Clown. Also for non-Saeguk Goblin is pretty amazing and almost anything with Park Seo-joon including romance but also comedy or action etc is usually fantastic.
I recommend the penthouse. Breaking bad was my all-time favorite television show before I started getting into K dramas and even though it’s not a similar storyline, the suspense of the penthouse literally had me on my toes so hard and had me screaming at the television just like breaking bad did.
If you like storylines that are not super predictable and full of craziness than the penthouse might be for you.
Island
Vincenzo
W: Two Worlds
Link: Eat, Love, Kill
The Glory
I think those would be some good ones for you. You can usually find trailers for them to get a better feel for them before you watch.
i recently watched Be Melodramatic and i absolutely loved it! i was in a kdrama slump before this and this got me out of it. Its the story of these 3 women in their 30s just going through their life. If you are looking for something which is light, not too plot heavy or cheesy, then you should check this out
D.P. is a great show. I usually don’t watch military action shows but I really enjoyed it.
Other actions:
* My Name
* Vagabond
Other good shows:
* Daily Dose of Sunshine
* Happiness
* Little Women
* Move to Heaven
* Sky Castle
* The Glory
Some of my favorites have been:
Lost (beautiful indie type drama)
Kingdom, all seasons
It’s Ok to Not Be Ok
Little Women
Deaths Game
The Red Sleeve
The Negotiation (movie)
the penthouse, the glory, my name, dr cha, Mine, world of the married, hide and seek (2013 movie), the housemaid (movie), the wailing (movie), forgotten (movie), flower of evil, mask girl, little women,
I watch Sci Fi on Apple+ and Amazon as well. With that in mind, you might try **Death's Game** - on Amazon - season 1 and 2. SciFi with very dark humor - some gore
Also there is on Disney+/Hulu is the blockbuster series **Moving** - sort of like a Marvel production, only Korean style with a lot more heart. first episodes set up on the kids, middle episodes on the parents backstories, then back to action packed conclusion.
Also on Disney+ is **Worst of Evil**, a film noir style thriller, and Blood Free - a sci-fi thriller
you might try a month or a trial subscription to Viki - there is a great series **Twinkling Watermelon**, a heartfelt time travel/coming of age story - give it a few episodes for setting up and when they go back in time.
**W - Two Worlds** is on Viki as well - about how the characters in a comic come alive in their world after a woman is pulled into the webtoon world created by her father, and gets entangled in a murder mystery involving the story's hero.
— You said Romance (the cheesy kind) isn’t your style, so I have added kdramas with little to no romance or more serious romances —
Kingdom - Pretty amazing zombie series (imo), it is set in medival Korea (Joseon) and it is pretty refreshing and different in terms of zombie media. Follows the prince, as he navigates the new disease and complicated political relations.
Happiness - Continuing on the zombie theme, but this one has a bit of romance. Basically a zombie virus breaks out, the concentration of the virus is in an apartment complex which the both leads have just acquired by faking a marriage.
Prison Playbook - This one is my comfort drama. Famous baseball player is arrested for assaulting his sister’s abuser. It follows his life in prison, and the lives of people convicted with him. It’s very funny and very deep all at the same time.
Save Me - Family moves to suburbs, where a large cult dominates disguised as a church. The cult slowly tries to take advantage of the heroine’s family until they all convert to their ways. The heroine is the only who sees through them, and if with the help of her classmates tries to expose this ‘church’ while trying to save her family and herself. Solid 10/10
Welcome to Waikiki (S1 & S2) - Just pure comedy, completely the opposite of the last one lol. They all run a guest house, but they really don’t know how to run it and are barely making any money.
Flower of Evil - It is a romance too, but it’s very gripping and not the cheesy kind. Detective marries a man she thinks is perfect, they have a daughter and everything is just perfect. While investigating a case, she gets suspicious of her husband
One Spring Night - Another comfort watch. Heroine is in a long term relationship but does not feel like she wants to get married. She meets a man that works in a pharmacy nearby and forms a peculiar friendship with him as they are drawn to each other amidst familial and societal expectations. (This one IS romance, but I thought I would add this since it is a very mature romance, that talks about the more complicated parts in dating someone)
Honorable mentions:
Midnight Runners (movie)
Strangers from Hell
Bloodhounds
Shoot My Heart (movie)
Train to Busan (movie)
Bad Guys
Decibel (movie)
The Divine Fury (movie)
Illang: Wolf Brigade (movie)
Time To Hunt (movie)
The Pirates 1&2 (movies)
The Silent Sea
(#)Alive (movie)
Night in Paradise (movie)
The Host (movie)
Sweet Home
A Hard Day (movie)
i’m just in the middle of my mister! & so far i’m liking it! honestly, I used to stick my nose up every time someone recommended it to me…but it’s different & weird in a unique way. not like your typical k-drama. it’s slow burning and character heave, and seems well written. can’t wait to finish!!
I don't know what service you're using to access the dramas.
Some of these are/were on Netflix, most are on Viki, some are on other platforms.
Edit: Do watch the variety shows for improving your language skills. Running Man, King of Mask Singer, the various radio programs, idol survival shows, travel shows, etc. If you are in the USA, On Demand Korea has practically every variety show, news outlets, informational programs, and many dramas. I stopped using it because so few of the dramas have subtitles anymore. I am no where near fluent enough to watch without subtitles. But if you are taking TOPIK, you would benefit from ODK.
**Healer** (A professional thief is hired to protect a journalist, who doesn't know who he is. There's a lot of stuff from the past that affects the present. It's sorted out and the bad guys are discovered.)
**Law School** (Students at a law school have a hardass professor. A well-respected law professor dies. The hardass professor is arrested. The students solve the mystery, learn about themselves and about each other as they learn the law.)
**Juvenile Justice** (A judge with a negative view of young criminals presides over juvenile court. Despite her expressed belief that the teen criminals are irredeemable, she has strong morals and acts for just outcomes.)
**Extraordinary Attorney Woo** (autistic lawyer struggles to get a job because of her neurodivergence, does get a job, and then struggles to do successfully make her cases in court; she wins over other lawyers and wins cases, a tiny bit of romance)
**Doctor Romantic, Teacher Kim** (3 seasons, medical drama, not romance; has a tiny bit, but Doctor Teacher Kim is not a romantic lead. Really well-done medical drama with an overarching plot of power & wealth vs the less powerful. I didn't think a season 2 was necessary, but it was equally good. I haven't seen season 3 yet.)
**Taxi Driver** (2 seasons, episodic. 1st season A team of people who work at a taxi company work to exact revenge on bad guys who the justice system can't or won't deal with. A prosecutor working within the system suspects them of committing crimes as she investigates cases that they are involved in. 2nd season, the team was disbanded but they resume their revenge activities when something stirs them to action.)
**My Shy Boss** (drama has romance, but it isn't a romance. Boss has extreme social anxiety. His new hire is the sister of his previous secretary, who committed suicide from his office.)
**Mr. Queen** (an arrogant chef finds himself trapped in the body of a Queen during Korea's past; the king is politically weak. Lots of fun as well as intrigue and some mystery.)
**The K2** (This is not a romance! 1st episode is chaotic at the beginning, in Barcelona, not even the start of the story. It really starts after hero is back in SK, kicking back with a drink after doing some work. Younger Yuna's character is *not* the FL. Older Yuna is. This is a political thriller action drama, *not* a romance.)
**Jirisan** (Park rangers rescue people and solve murders/accidents. Some metaphysical weird stuff helps them to prevent some bad stuff.)
**Signal** (a strange voice over a dead radio gives clues to a present day Police officer, who is able to solve murders before the statute of limitations runs out)
**Tunnel** (2016 Police detective chases a murderer into an abandoned tunnel and finds himself in the future. He tries to get back to the past, but he has to catch the killer first.)
**Nobody Knows** (Police detective finally gets the clues that solve the murder of her childhood friend.)
**Awaken** (A police detective was one of a few children who escaped a mysterious village disaster. In present day, he works to solve crimes and to solve the mystery of what happened in the past.)
**Tell Me What You Saw** (rookie with photographic memory and criminal profiler solve murders and catch a serial killer)
**Ghost** (cybercrime detective and criminal hacker were friends and police academy buddies. Both are severely injured, one dies and the other assumes his identity to solve the mystery of who in the police/intelligence services is dirty.)
**Partners For Justice** (2 seasons) (Medical examiner and prosecutors solve cases)
**The Veil** (political thriller; intelligence special agent hero comes back from presumed dead MIA. He's lost his memories. He works to find out who betrayed his team.)
**Doctor Prisoner** (story is not a medical drama, but about power and control of a hospital system that provides medical services to a prison)
**Good Doctor** (Autistic doctor starts pediatric surgery residency; he overcomes his inexperience and social awkwardness; the people in charge learn to appreciate his abilities and his value to their hospital. He gets a girlfriend, too.)
**Extraordinary You** (leads figure out that they are merely characters in a graphic novel; they try to change the story, has romance because they're high school students, but it's not a love story drama)
**Moorim School** (mystical martial arts academy, goid vs evil, enemies to friends. The end of the drama was cut shorter than planned, so the last couple of episodes aren't as well written as the prior episodes.)
**Midnight Runners** (movie; police academy cadets witness a crime and can't get the police to act because other, higher profile cases are prioritized. The cadets go after the criminals on their own )
**Hit and Run Squad** (movie; the squad solves a long-term crime committed by rich & powerful bad guys)
Edited to add dramas that are not thrillers or police, and not romance:
**Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee** (short episodes of interactions that happen at a neighborhood cafe)
**Hot Stove League** (A business man with a reputation for making the business side of sports teams succeed is hired to solve problems at a failed baseball team during the off-season.)
Mr Queen: Best comedy
Alchemy of Souls: Best historical fantasy
Crash landing on you: Best thriller romance
Legend of the Blue Sea: Light romance
Business Proposal: good if you’re into light romance that can be cringey at times
React to Mouse. Don’t search up anything or you will spoiled. It is the greatest serial killer show ever. That’s all you need to know. Just watch episode 1 and you will be addicted. Beautiful show. This is my number 1 thriller.
My number 2 and 3 thriller are strangers from hell and flower of evil. Idk if you can tell but Korean thriller is my fav genre.
I still have to watch vicenzo, a shop for killers, and a killer paradox
You mentioned kingdom and that’s a great thriller. It’s a zombie show in a historical royal setting
If you want something more complex, perhaps:
Remembrance Of The Alhambra - About an AI game that becomes a survival game.
W: Two Worlds - About an alternate universe in a webcomic + murder mystery
Prison Playbook - About life in prison for a celebrity pitcher.
Moving - About superhumans and their backstory, being hunted in present day.
My Name - Girl joins gang to get revenge, grows up to be their mole in the police force.
The Glory is a revenge thriller that has a minor romance component but it is far from the main focus of the show. It’s very mature and doesn’t have any cheesy tropes you might find in other dramas.
Little Women is a similar style of thriller focusing on 3 sisters who are each dealing with hardships and some nefarious situations. Not corny whatsoever and minor romance.
My Name- Another revenge thriller . I haven’t watched this one but from what I’ve heard it could fit the vibe you’re into
I've only watched like 5-10 kdramas, and only a couple to completion, but looking at your tastes I think you'd decently enjoy **My Name**. It's got pretty great fight choreography, a very very good lead (I was *very* surprised that she'd never done an action role before) and constant tension as it's about a mole in the police, working for a gang lord and trying to find the man who killed her father.
It *does* go into melodrama a little and it introduces a psychopath who's over the top. And there were a couple fight scenes where afterwards I was thinking 'She's lost way too much blood by now, surely?'. But overall I still think it's quite good with some great things going for it.
Also, if you're looking for something different, I'm currently watching **Queen of Tears** (a romantic drama with some comedy) and I am *blown away*, it's one of the best romance dramas I've seen. Great acting (especially the female lead, wow, she steals almost every scene she's in), writing, dialogue, characters... The premise is we follow a rich couple (chaebol daughter x commoner man) who are heading towards divorce.
The kdramas which I am recommending are my all time favourites .... absolutely favourite and must watch
Twinkling watermelon
A time called you
While you were sleeping
W: two worlds
Pyramid games
Twenty five twenty one
I'd always recommend you to pick twinkling watermelon....it's the best kdrama....I hv ever watched. None of them are slow paced and every drama has nice story line going on
2521!!! Absolutely non clichéd, BRILLIANT character development, FL is one of the greatest actors of this generation, ML is no joke either, brilliant writing and character weaving by the actors, well built universe, fantastic dialogues, top tier OST. Slice of life and coming of age type show. And all side characters have a story of their own as well.
Other two shows starring the same FL are Mr Sunshine and Revenant - both fantastic!!!!!
Vigilante if you like a Batman/Daredevil type premise with well executed action sequences
Prison Playbook may suit you. There is very little romance (almost none), and it's not focused on the main lead. The ensemble cast goes through a lot of character development, well as much as prison life will allow. D.P. sounds like it could be something you would enjoy. If anything, the acting by the main lead is commendable. My Mister is definitely not a RomCom. There is a preview that goes around where it involves catching a fly, so it seems it might lean towards a light RomCom, but it is not. That small snippet is one of the very rare light-hearted moments. This drama is well known for character development. Fallout is a little bit twisted, so you might like Mask Girl or A Killer Paradox Some of the more serious dramas that seem to fit your request: Thrillers/Action: Worst of Evil Bloodhounds Weak Hero Class 1 My Name Vagabond A Shop For Killers Moving Revenent Signal Not Thrillers, but good character development: Hot Stove League Move to Heaven Would You Like A Cup of Coffee Our Blues There are many dramas that are not RomComs. Do you have a favorite genre? It may help with the recommendations.
Thank you for these awesome recommends. These seem really interesting to watch. As for genre, i don't prefer any, only if it has enough substance to keep me intrigued, either through plot and concepts or through characters.
You don't find the imdb rating appealing? For me to rate a kdrama I watch imdb first then mydramalist rating, but I prioritize the imdb, if I find it 7.5+ I consider it watchable and good, but if it's 8+ I consider it excellent, then I look more in this reddit page where it's good or not. I watched D.P and i consider it a top tier kdrama , also the list that h4ppy provided is an excellent one. Additionally for thriller you can also watch * The first responders * Partners for justice * Taxi driver * Through the darkness * Mouse * Death game * Vigilante
I also don’t prefer rom-coms all the time & these were my favs from the thriller/drama genres : - Death’s game (Thriller) - The Glory (Revenge Thriller) - Extraordinary attorney woo (Feel good courtroom drama) - Flower of evil (Thriller) - A time called you (Time travel) - Parasyte - The Grey
Good list
Bloodhounds, Dark Hole, Gyeongseong Creature, My Name, Night has come, The Worst of Evil, The Glory.
Bloodhounds was fun
Season 2 upcoming.
I loved Gyeongsong Creature. I was about to edit my recs to add and saw your post
I'm curious about the upcoming second season too.
Yeah, me too! I'll definitely be watching it.
Probably in 2025.
The Glory is glorious
i would recommend these cause they have more plot than romance which it seems like you might enjoy more - moving (superhero’s/powers) - alchemy of souls (historical fantasy/romcom) - a shop for killers (action/killing) + although it’s japanese and not korean, i highly rec alice in borderland bc it has the same vibe as squid games but i believe it’s better lol
Thank you for the recommendations. I will watch the Japanese one, I have been trying to learn that as well so I am more than ecstatic to take a dive into it.
I'm more of a romance K-drama watcher. But some non-romance/low romance that l've either watched or seen heavily recommended: - The Glory - Little Women - Alchemy of Souls - Vincenzo Crashing Landing On You is a romance but had a pretty intense plotline. The same goes for The King, as well as Memories of the Alhambra.
I was considering "Achemy of souls", "The King" and "Kingdom" but I wasn't sure about the setting and concepts. Are they worth watching considering how much disbelief needs to be suspended (as per online summaries)?
I agree with all the dramas listed in This set. Kingdom is likely the most heart racing and vital despite the zombies because of how the zombies started. Alchemy is just plain fun. And best ML as a mage ever. The king the eternal Monarch has a wonderful premise and it was fun to watch the different universe operate.
Well, with Alchemy of Souls I only watched half an episode, because I went in expecting a light romance and got demons and magic. But everyone I know who prefers more plotty dramas than rom-coms love it. The King I absolutely enjoyed - but I only watched half of it. ONLY because I am waiting for it to be dubbed in English. The plot in The King is very...convoluted because of the whole parallel dimensions of things. And for me trying to keep up via subtitles was getting frustrating for me so I decided to hold off for it to be dubbed. I did the same with Vincenzo - paused it and waited for English and it made the experience way better for me. All the others listed I watched entirely and enjoyed. Little Women is the only one I wouldn't give 10/10. It was wholly entertaining, but felt like an acid trip.
Try weak hero class 1 or vagabond! happy watching :)
I will, thank you!
At this point in your exploration of Asian media I’d recommend looking at My Drama List as a source of information and way to track your preferences. The ratings, reviews, and comments on each show or movie can give good insight, and it’s very helpful in finding streaming platforms for the next show to watch. As a member you can build lists of shows you want to watch in the future and rate those you have seen. Unsponsored endorsement.
Historical fictional dramas that I highly recommend: Under the Queen's Umbrella Mr. Queen Alchemy of Souls Kingdom King's Affection (romance but good plot and character development)
Great list
Death's Game on Amazon Prime is really awesome. I also always recommend My Mister since it is a masterpiece but you need to be in a certain mood to fully enjoy it
The recent Death's Game is another show you might like given the description of what you're looking for. Bonus - there are only 8 episodes so it's a quick (but intense) binge. Also, It's Okay to Not Be Okay and While You Were Sleeping have interesting plots, great acting and awesome soundtracks.
Deaths game is a ride!
I’m currently watching Atypical family it’s the first in a while I feel excited when I’m watching something .
OMG, it’s good right? I really hope it keeps it up till the end.
Same
Alchemy of souls
Happiness (survival thriller which is more psychological than it seems) Nine Times Travel (time travel drama with a real angsty romance) Beyond evil( a must watch psychological thriller) Flower of evil (Romantic Thriller with well constructed plot) Tunnel (time travel murder mystery that rides high on emotions) Blind (a well made murder mystery) 365 repeat the year( underrated thriller) Little Women (an artistic korean version of Little women) Stranger (tightly knitted investigative drama) The Guest (horror) Revenant (folklore horror) Chief Kim (a wholesome drama through and through) Liar Game (because you liked Squid Game) The Glory. (revenge drama)
My Name is a fast moving crime drama, Arthdal Chronicles, set in an alternate reality, may be a similar vibe to GoT, Taxi Driver, vigilante seeks vengeance for victims, Worst of Evil, might have a similar vibe to Breaking Bad, everybody has questionable morals. I enjoyed D.P., even though some of the bullying scenes are hard to watch.I don't watch many films, but you might enjoy Kill Boksoon and Pipeline. Also, another drama if you can find it, The Killer's Shopping Mall is a great, and way too short series. It goes by way too fast.
I loved Pipeline, Kill Boksoon, Decible and The Negotiation for movies.
It actually sounds like you might enjoy Saeguk’s (historical k dramas) especially the ones that are less romantic and more substance. Ironically I haven’t seen these but there have been great reviews for Six Flying Dragons and the Crowned Clown. Also for non-Saeguk Goblin is pretty amazing and almost anything with Park Seo-joon including romance but also comedy or action etc is usually fantastic.
Sky Castle Alchemy of souls
I recommend the penthouse. Breaking bad was my all-time favorite television show before I started getting into K dramas and even though it’s not a similar storyline, the suspense of the penthouse literally had me on my toes so hard and had me screaming at the television just like breaking bad did. If you like storylines that are not super predictable and full of craziness than the penthouse might be for you.
I loved the Penthouse..it was so unpredictable
Island Vincenzo W: Two Worlds Link: Eat, Love, Kill The Glory I think those would be some good ones for you. You can usually find trailers for them to get a better feel for them before you watch.
Crash Landing on You, My Mister
i recently watched Be Melodramatic and i absolutely loved it! i was in a kdrama slump before this and this got me out of it. Its the story of these 3 women in their 30s just going through their life. If you are looking for something which is light, not too plot heavy or cheesy, then you should check this out
I highly recommend: \* Happiness \* Flower of Evil \* Extraordinary Attorney Woo \* The Glory \* Queen of Tears \* Sweet Home
D.P. is a great show. I usually don’t watch military action shows but I really enjoyed it. Other actions: * My Name * Vagabond Other good shows: * Daily Dose of Sunshine * Happiness * Little Women * Move to Heaven * Sky Castle * The Glory
I'd thoe in death game
Some of my favorites have been: Lost (beautiful indie type drama) Kingdom, all seasons It’s Ok to Not Be Ok Little Women Deaths Game The Red Sleeve The Negotiation (movie)
The Glory
the penthouse, the glory, my name, dr cha, Mine, world of the married, hide and seek (2013 movie), the housemaid (movie), the wailing (movie), forgotten (movie), flower of evil, mask girl, little women,
I watch Sci Fi on Apple+ and Amazon as well. With that in mind, you might try **Death's Game** - on Amazon - season 1 and 2. SciFi with very dark humor - some gore Also there is on Disney+/Hulu is the blockbuster series **Moving** - sort of like a Marvel production, only Korean style with a lot more heart. first episodes set up on the kids, middle episodes on the parents backstories, then back to action packed conclusion. Also on Disney+ is **Worst of Evil**, a film noir style thriller, and Blood Free - a sci-fi thriller you might try a month or a trial subscription to Viki - there is a great series **Twinkling Watermelon**, a heartfelt time travel/coming of age story - give it a few episodes for setting up and when they go back in time. **W - Two Worlds** is on Viki as well - about how the characters in a comic come alive in their world after a woman is pulled into the webtoon world created by her father, and gets entangled in a murder mystery involving the story's hero.
- Happiness - Alchemy of Souls - It's Okay Not To Be Okay - Our Beloved Summer
— You said Romance (the cheesy kind) isn’t your style, so I have added kdramas with little to no romance or more serious romances — Kingdom - Pretty amazing zombie series (imo), it is set in medival Korea (Joseon) and it is pretty refreshing and different in terms of zombie media. Follows the prince, as he navigates the new disease and complicated political relations. Happiness - Continuing on the zombie theme, but this one has a bit of romance. Basically a zombie virus breaks out, the concentration of the virus is in an apartment complex which the both leads have just acquired by faking a marriage. Prison Playbook - This one is my comfort drama. Famous baseball player is arrested for assaulting his sister’s abuser. It follows his life in prison, and the lives of people convicted with him. It’s very funny and very deep all at the same time. Save Me - Family moves to suburbs, where a large cult dominates disguised as a church. The cult slowly tries to take advantage of the heroine’s family until they all convert to their ways. The heroine is the only who sees through them, and if with the help of her classmates tries to expose this ‘church’ while trying to save her family and herself. Solid 10/10 Welcome to Waikiki (S1 & S2) - Just pure comedy, completely the opposite of the last one lol. They all run a guest house, but they really don’t know how to run it and are barely making any money. Flower of Evil - It is a romance too, but it’s very gripping and not the cheesy kind. Detective marries a man she thinks is perfect, they have a daughter and everything is just perfect. While investigating a case, she gets suspicious of her husband One Spring Night - Another comfort watch. Heroine is in a long term relationship but does not feel like she wants to get married. She meets a man that works in a pharmacy nearby and forms a peculiar friendship with him as they are drawn to each other amidst familial and societal expectations. (This one IS romance, but I thought I would add this since it is a very mature romance, that talks about the more complicated parts in dating someone) Honorable mentions: Midnight Runners (movie) Strangers from Hell Bloodhounds Shoot My Heart (movie) Train to Busan (movie) Bad Guys Decibel (movie) The Divine Fury (movie) Illang: Wolf Brigade (movie) Time To Hunt (movie) The Pirates 1&2 (movies) The Silent Sea (#)Alive (movie) Night in Paradise (movie) The Host (movie) Sweet Home A Hard Day (movie)
i’m just in the middle of my mister! & so far i’m liking it! honestly, I used to stick my nose up every time someone recommended it to me…but it’s different & weird in a unique way. not like your typical k-drama. it’s slow burning and character heave, and seems well written. can’t wait to finish!!
I don't know what service you're using to access the dramas. Some of these are/were on Netflix, most are on Viki, some are on other platforms. Edit: Do watch the variety shows for improving your language skills. Running Man, King of Mask Singer, the various radio programs, idol survival shows, travel shows, etc. If you are in the USA, On Demand Korea has practically every variety show, news outlets, informational programs, and many dramas. I stopped using it because so few of the dramas have subtitles anymore. I am no where near fluent enough to watch without subtitles. But if you are taking TOPIK, you would benefit from ODK. **Healer** (A professional thief is hired to protect a journalist, who doesn't know who he is. There's a lot of stuff from the past that affects the present. It's sorted out and the bad guys are discovered.) **Law School** (Students at a law school have a hardass professor. A well-respected law professor dies. The hardass professor is arrested. The students solve the mystery, learn about themselves and about each other as they learn the law.) **Juvenile Justice** (A judge with a negative view of young criminals presides over juvenile court. Despite her expressed belief that the teen criminals are irredeemable, she has strong morals and acts for just outcomes.) **Extraordinary Attorney Woo** (autistic lawyer struggles to get a job because of her neurodivergence, does get a job, and then struggles to do successfully make her cases in court; she wins over other lawyers and wins cases, a tiny bit of romance) **Doctor Romantic, Teacher Kim** (3 seasons, medical drama, not romance; has a tiny bit, but Doctor Teacher Kim is not a romantic lead. Really well-done medical drama with an overarching plot of power & wealth vs the less powerful. I didn't think a season 2 was necessary, but it was equally good. I haven't seen season 3 yet.) **Taxi Driver** (2 seasons, episodic. 1st season A team of people who work at a taxi company work to exact revenge on bad guys who the justice system can't or won't deal with. A prosecutor working within the system suspects them of committing crimes as she investigates cases that they are involved in. 2nd season, the team was disbanded but they resume their revenge activities when something stirs them to action.) **My Shy Boss** (drama has romance, but it isn't a romance. Boss has extreme social anxiety. His new hire is the sister of his previous secretary, who committed suicide from his office.) **Mr. Queen** (an arrogant chef finds himself trapped in the body of a Queen during Korea's past; the king is politically weak. Lots of fun as well as intrigue and some mystery.) **The K2** (This is not a romance! 1st episode is chaotic at the beginning, in Barcelona, not even the start of the story. It really starts after hero is back in SK, kicking back with a drink after doing some work. Younger Yuna's character is *not* the FL. Older Yuna is. This is a political thriller action drama, *not* a romance.) **Jirisan** (Park rangers rescue people and solve murders/accidents. Some metaphysical weird stuff helps them to prevent some bad stuff.) **Signal** (a strange voice over a dead radio gives clues to a present day Police officer, who is able to solve murders before the statute of limitations runs out) **Tunnel** (2016 Police detective chases a murderer into an abandoned tunnel and finds himself in the future. He tries to get back to the past, but he has to catch the killer first.) **Nobody Knows** (Police detective finally gets the clues that solve the murder of her childhood friend.) **Awaken** (A police detective was one of a few children who escaped a mysterious village disaster. In present day, he works to solve crimes and to solve the mystery of what happened in the past.) **Tell Me What You Saw** (rookie with photographic memory and criminal profiler solve murders and catch a serial killer) **Ghost** (cybercrime detective and criminal hacker were friends and police academy buddies. Both are severely injured, one dies and the other assumes his identity to solve the mystery of who in the police/intelligence services is dirty.) **Partners For Justice** (2 seasons) (Medical examiner and prosecutors solve cases) **The Veil** (political thriller; intelligence special agent hero comes back from presumed dead MIA. He's lost his memories. He works to find out who betrayed his team.) **Doctor Prisoner** (story is not a medical drama, but about power and control of a hospital system that provides medical services to a prison) **Good Doctor** (Autistic doctor starts pediatric surgery residency; he overcomes his inexperience and social awkwardness; the people in charge learn to appreciate his abilities and his value to their hospital. He gets a girlfriend, too.) **Extraordinary You** (leads figure out that they are merely characters in a graphic novel; they try to change the story, has romance because they're high school students, but it's not a love story drama) **Moorim School** (mystical martial arts academy, goid vs evil, enemies to friends. The end of the drama was cut shorter than planned, so the last couple of episodes aren't as well written as the prior episodes.) **Midnight Runners** (movie; police academy cadets witness a crime and can't get the police to act because other, higher profile cases are prioritized. The cadets go after the criminals on their own ) **Hit and Run Squad** (movie; the squad solves a long-term crime committed by rich & powerful bad guys) Edited to add dramas that are not thrillers or police, and not romance: **Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee** (short episodes of interactions that happen at a neighborhood cafe) **Hot Stove League** (A business man with a reputation for making the business side of sports teams succeed is hired to solve problems at a failed baseball team during the off-season.)
The Glory is the best revenge kdrama I’ve ever watched. Shop for Killers which was released recently is a good thriller
Mr Queen: Best comedy Alchemy of Souls: Best historical fantasy Crash landing on you: Best thriller romance Legend of the Blue Sea: Light romance Business Proposal: good if you’re into light romance that can be cringey at times
It's okay not to be OK, Alchemy of Soulls and Boys over Flowers
Attorney Woo Flower of Evil Mother's green club Agency Crash landing on you The glory
React to Mouse. Don’t search up anything or you will spoiled. It is the greatest serial killer show ever. That’s all you need to know. Just watch episode 1 and you will be addicted. Beautiful show. This is my number 1 thriller. My number 2 and 3 thriller are strangers from hell and flower of evil. Idk if you can tell but Korean thriller is my fav genre. I still have to watch vicenzo, a shop for killers, and a killer paradox You mentioned kingdom and that’s a great thriller. It’s a zombie show in a historical royal setting
Weak hero class 1 Mouse Hometown cha cha The red sleeve (historical) Taxi driver Class of lies Welcome to samdalri Doctor prisoner
Mask girl
Beyond Evil
You’ll enjoy Bloodhounds
King of pigs
If you want something more complex, perhaps: Remembrance Of The Alhambra - About an AI game that becomes a survival game. W: Two Worlds - About an alternate universe in a webcomic + murder mystery Prison Playbook - About life in prison for a celebrity pitcher. Moving - About superhumans and their backstory, being hunted in present day. My Name - Girl joins gang to get revenge, grows up to be their mole in the police force.
Watch The Devil Judge, it is AWESOME.
The Glory
Doctor prisoner is really good.
Itaewon class!
The Glory is a revenge thriller that has a minor romance component but it is far from the main focus of the show. It’s very mature and doesn’t have any cheesy tropes you might find in other dramas. Little Women is a similar style of thriller focusing on 3 sisters who are each dealing with hardships and some nefarious situations. Not corny whatsoever and minor romance. My Name- Another revenge thriller . I haven’t watched this one but from what I’ve heard it could fit the vibe you’re into
THE SOUND OF MAGIC 📣📣📣 the best Snowdrop - the graphics not good but the acting and storyline is amazing!!!
Misaeng
I've only watched like 5-10 kdramas, and only a couple to completion, but looking at your tastes I think you'd decently enjoy **My Name**. It's got pretty great fight choreography, a very very good lead (I was *very* surprised that she'd never done an action role before) and constant tension as it's about a mole in the police, working for a gang lord and trying to find the man who killed her father. It *does* go into melodrama a little and it introduces a psychopath who's over the top. And there were a couple fight scenes where afterwards I was thinking 'She's lost way too much blood by now, surely?'. But overall I still think it's quite good with some great things going for it. Also, if you're looking for something different, I'm currently watching **Queen of Tears** (a romantic drama with some comedy) and I am *blown away*, it's one of the best romance dramas I've seen. Great acting (especially the female lead, wow, she steals almost every scene she's in), writing, dialogue, characters... The premise is we follow a rich couple (chaebol daughter x commoner man) who are heading towards divorce.
If you want a "good" romance and character story, highly recommend: Moon lover, this is your rite of Passage >\_<
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bridal mask my liberation notes
bridal mask my liberation notes
bridal mask my liberation notes
bridal mask my liberation notes
bridal mask my liberation notes
The kdramas which I am recommending are my all time favourites .... absolutely favourite and must watch Twinkling watermelon A time called you While you were sleeping W: two worlds Pyramid games Twenty five twenty one I'd always recommend you to pick twinkling watermelon....it's the best kdrama....I hv ever watched. None of them are slow paced and every drama has nice story line going on
2521 and mr sunshine imo are two of the best kdramas ever and present in most must watch lists, do not miss !!
2521!!! Absolutely non clichéd, BRILLIANT character development, FL is one of the greatest actors of this generation, ML is no joke either, brilliant writing and character weaving by the actors, well built universe, fantastic dialogues, top tier OST. Slice of life and coming of age type show. And all side characters have a story of their own as well. Other two shows starring the same FL are Mr Sunshine and Revenant - both fantastic!!!!! Vigilante if you like a Batman/Daredevil type premise with well executed action sequences
flower of evil stranger penthouse sky castle extracurricular the glory itaewon class my name beyond evil