10 Must-See K-Dramas Based on True Events Rated 7 or Higher by IMDb
From the lives of extraordinary individuals to suspenseful detective investigations.
Not everyone knows that some of Korea's best movies and TV series are based on real events. From gruesome murders to heartwarming dramas, these projects are sure to hit home with their true backgrounds.
1. If You Wish Upon Me, 2022
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Yoon Gyeo-ree is a young man who is already tired of life. But despite all the difficulties he has faced, he has not lost hope for a better future. An unexpected incident turns his life upside down and sends him to a hospice as a volunteer. Here begins a new chapter in his life, full of important encounters and experiences.
Drama tells the story of hospital staff who try to fulfill the last wishes of their patients. This story is not fictional, but based on the true story of a hospice hospital in the Netherlands.
2. Through the Darkness, 2022
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Song Ha-young becomes the first profiler in the South Korean police force. It all started with the search for a mysterious madman who was attacking women.
While investigating the case, Song Ha-young talked to a prisoner to better understand the killer's mind. Such methods almost led to a scandal, but in the end they became a promising new tool in the hands of detectives.
The drama is adapted from the autobiography of the same name, co-written by Korea's pioneering crime novelist Kwon Il-yong and journalist-turned-author Ko Na-mu.
3. The Hymn of Death, 2018
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
The Hymn of Death is a drama based on true events. The story is set during the Japanese colonial period in Korea and tells about two people, Kim Woo-jin and Yun Sim-deok.
Kim Woo-jin was working as a screenwriter when Korea was under Japanese occupation. He was already married, but fell in love with Yun Sim-deok.
Sim-deok was the first Korean soprano. In 1926, she recorded Praise of Death, which became the first Korean pop song. As the title of the drama suggests, the fate of Woo-jin and Sim-deok ended tragically.
4. Juvenile Justice, 2022
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Juvenile Justice is one of the best Korean legal dramas with several cases based on true events. For example, the case of the eight-year-old child, the case of the leaked college entrance exam answers, and the case of the falling brick.
This is the story of Shim Eun-seok, a judge who hates juvenile delinquents. After being assigned to the local juvenile court, he tries to reconcile his dislike for petty criminals with his strong belief in justice.
5. Move to Heaven, 2021
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Han Jeong-woo, a trauma cleaner, and his son Geu-ru, who has Asperger's syndrome, run a company called Move to Heaven, which cleans the homes of the deceased. They treat the memory of their clients with respect and collect important things of the deceased to pass them on to relatives.
Suddenly, Jeong-woo dies and the guardianship of Geu-ru passes to his uncle, who has just been released from prison.
The plot of the drama is taken from the essay Things Left Behind by Kim Sae-byul. The drama was also inspired by Kim Sae-byul himself, the first person to become a trauma cleaner.
6. Taxi Driver, 2021-…
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Do-gi’s life changed the moment a madman killed his mother. Feeling broken, Do-gi meets Jang Sung-chul, who hires him to work for his company, Rainbow Taxi. Taxi service is a secret organization that takes revenge on victims who are not protected by the law.
The series is inspired by real crimes committed in South Korea: from bullying and murder to the abuse of workers.
7. Narco-Saints, 2022
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
A Korean businessman in Suriname is in trouble with the law. In exchange for his freedom, he is offered to help the NIS catch another Korean – a drug lord who has organized a large smuggling network in the country.
The plot of the drama is based on real events related to South Korean drug traffickers operating in Suriname.
8. Silenced, 2011
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
The main characters of this emotionally difficult drama are schoolchildren with hearing impairments. They were victims of sexual assault for many years, until a new teacher discovered how children with disabilities suffered cruelty at the hands of their own teachers.
The movie is based on real events – in one of the Korean schools, deaf students were repeatedly assaulted by teachers. The film also describes the legal process that allowed the teachers to receive minimal punishment.
The premiere of the film led to the closure of the school and the South Korean authorities abolished the statute of limitations for sexual crimes against minors.
9. Way Back Home, 2013
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IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Jeong-yeon and Jong-bae's life changes after their friend commits suicide – the head of the family becomes the guarantor for his friend's loan, which he took out shortly before his suicide. The couple sells their apartment to pay the loan, but their financial situation remains critical.
Then, without her husband's knowledge, the wife takes on the task of transporting drugs. However, she is arrested at the Paris airport and charged with transporting a large amount of cocaine.
The prototype of the main character was Jang Mi-Jung, who served two years in prison in Martinique. In 2013, she published a book describing her life in prison and the difficulties of adapting to Korean society after her return.
10. Signal, 2016
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Fifteen years ago, an unknown person kidnapped a girl on her way home. Schoolboy Park Hae-young witnessed the kidnapping but could do nothing to help.
After becoming a detective, Park Hae-young cannot forget this incident. He finds a mysterious walkie-talkie that allows him to contact his colleague from the past who is investigating the case of the Hwaseong Maniac.
As in the movie Memories of Murder by Bong Joon-ho, the drama deals with the case of the same serial killer, who unfortunately could not be brought to justice due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for his crimes.