K-Dramas are famous for their ability to pull at your heartstrings and sometimes, let's just admit it, for laying the cheese on thick; but there's a whole other side to these shows that stick closer to real life, making them way more relatable and gripping.
These shows are about everyday stories or brutal fantasy settings, from the struggles of finding your first job to the literal zombie apocalypse; they make you feel all the feelings all without resorting to over-the-top scenarios or too-good-to-be-true endings.
1. "Happiness" (2021)
In a near-future city, an outbreak of a mysterious illness that turns people into violent, unthinking creatures traps residents, including detective Jung Yi-hyun and his old friend, Yoon Sae-bom, in a high-rise apartment building, leading to a desperate struggle for survival and order amidst growing paranoia and societal breakdown.
2. "Kingdom" (2019)
In Joseon-era Korea, Crown Prince Lee Chang stumbles upon a horrifying zombie plague ravaging his kingdom and must lead a daring investigation to uncover the source of the infection, all while facing a political conspiracy that threatens his claim to the throne.
3. "Moment at Eighteen" (2019)
High schooler Choi Jun-woo, marked by loneliness and a past incident, transfers to a new school where he meets Yoo Soo-bin, a top student grappling with her mother's expectations, and the two navigate their final year of adolescence dealing with friendship, love, and the pains of growing up.
4. "Just Between Lovers" (2017-2018)
Survivors of a tragic building collapse, Lee Gang-doo and Ha Moon-soo, find each other years later and bond over their shared trauma and losses; together, they embark on a healing journey, confronting their pasts and forging a future amidst the ruins.
5. "Lawless Lawyer" (2018)
Driven by the desire to avenge his mother's death, Bong Sang-pil uses his skills as a lawyer and his fists to take down corrupt officials and a powerful judge who rules the city from the shadows, leveraging the law and underground tactics in equal measure.
6. "Flower of Evil" (2020)
A seemingly devoted husband and father, hiding a past identity, becomes the prime suspect in a series of murders, forcing his detective wife to question their life together and hunt for the truth in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that tests the boundaries of love and trust.
7. "Vincenzo" (2021)
Vincenzo Cassano, a Korean-Italian mafia lawyer, returns to Korea to recover a hidden fortune but becomes embroiled in a fight against a ruthless conglomerate, using his mafia skills to exact justice and protect the community that becomes his unlikely home.
8. "Mine" (2021)
Seo Hi-soo, a former top actress, and Jung Seo-hyun, from a chaebol family, navigate the high stakes of their wealthy, complex family dynamics and personal ambitions, uncovering secrets and lies that threaten to unravel their lives.
9. "Extracurricular" (2020)
A top student, desperate to cover his university tuition, leads a double life orchestrating a crime ring that spirals out of control, dragging him and his classmates into a world of danger, violence, and desperation.
10. "My Name" (2021)
Following her father's murder, Yoon Ji-woo joins an organized crime syndicate and infiltrates the police as an undercover agent to uncover the truth behind his death, embarking on a path of vengeance that blurs the lines between justice and retribution.
11. "Sweet Home" (2020)
After a tragic family incident, reclusive high school student Cha Hyun-soo moves to a new apartment, only to find himself and other residents fighting for survival against grotesque monsters that reflect their innermost desires and fears, in a world descending into chaos.
12. "Diary of a Prosecutor" (2019-2020)
Set in a local prosecutor's office, the series delves into the daily lives and challenges of public servants as they deal with mundane, yet impactful, legal cases, balancing personal struggles with the demands of justice and societal expectations.
13. "The Crowned Clown" (2019)
In a perilous attempt to avoid assassination, a tyrannical king replaces himself with a clown who bears an uncanny resemblance; the clown, Ha Sun, navigates court politics, love, and the king's enemies, leading the nation with a compassion that the real monarch never possessed.
14. "Save Me" (2017)
Four young men encounter a woman whispering "save me" in a dark alley, unraveling their involvement in a dangerous rescue mission to free her and her family from a religious cult with deep ties to their small town.
15. "Uncanny Counter" (2020-2021)
A group of demon hunters called "Counters," posing as employees at a noodle restaurant, recruit a high school boy with unique abilities to help them track down and fight evil spirits that prey on humans, uncovering larger mysteries and personal histories along the way.
