There are many different horror K-dramas, but like with the best horror movies ever, some of them are much scarier than others. Horror is a popular subgenre that can be found nested in countless different K-dramas, adding a certain set of aesthetics to everything from sweet romances to dark, gritty dramas. In fact, some of the best dark romance K-dramas are also considered horror K-dramas for one reason or another. ‘
Because the genre is so wide-reaching, there have also been horror K-dramas that lean more into camp, ending up more comedic than scary. This is not the case for K-dramas like All of Us Are Dead, which rely on building thick tension that genuinely puts the viewer on edge. Despite the fear factor, these binge-worthy K-dramas will have viewers glued to the screen in genuine fear.
10
Goedam (2020)
This Web Series Scares In Short Episodes
A bit unique when it comes to K-drama horror, Goedam is an anthology series that depicts different stories in each of its short 10-minute episodes. The narrative typically revolves around an urban legend, with the most popular episode of the series, titled “Dimension,” involving a missing child and a portal to a different dimension. The series itself is easy to breeze through, offering the perfect horror experience a piece at a time.
Though it is a web drama, Goedam is distributed by Netflix.
Evidently, a lot can be done in 10 minutes, with the series providing just enough to scare viewers and leave them satisfied with the short story. Each tale is told in cool colors with cinematography that adds to the atmosphere of horror built around the main theme. The short presentation allows for innovation, making Goedam worth a watch to see what horror stories can be told in such a short time.
9
Save Me (2017)
This K-Drama Was Produced By The Creator Of Signal
After the tragic death of her brother, young Im Sang-mi and the rest of her family struggle to cope in the K-drama Save Me. However, the true horror lies in the shadows, lingering in the form of a cult that has taken root in Muji County. This cult takes advantage of Sang-mi’s parents and their grief, leading them to become fully taken in and brainwashed by the group, and in turn trapping Sang-mi.
Save Me stars Ok Taec-yeon of 2PM fame, with acting that puts the focus on how debilitating the cult actually is. Save Me paints the desperate picture of a girl who wants nothing more than to be free, abused at the hands of people who stole her family through the manipulation of a tragedy. The struggle to save Sang-mi is tense, with her fate constantly hanging in the balance, making this show truly chilling.
8
Hellbound (2021-2024)
This Thrilling K-Drama Series Is Based On A Webtoon
Focusing on the otherworldly battle between angels and demons, Hellbound begins when a mysterious being appears and starts condemning different people to Hell. These people are told a specific time that their death will come, upon which demons sprout up from the ground to kill them and take their souls in a terrible demonstration of power. When a growing cult is on the rise and no one is safe, the world must decide how to continue going forward.
Related
10 Hit TV Shows You Didn’t Know Are Based on Hit Manhwa Titles
Despite their popularity, many hit TV series were actually based on manhwas and are even better than their live-action counterparts.
Upon release, Hellbound was so popular that it even surpassed Squid Game for a time, with the series currently holding a rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the otherworldly nature of the plot, the story remains grounded, with believable interpersonal drama between the characters. Hellbound is frightening because of the ideas presented, as well as the paranoid feeling that arises when learning anyone’s time could be coming.
7
The Cursed (2020)
One Girl’s Curse Is At The Center Of This Horror Drama
The Cursed is an interesting series that revolves around a girl who can kill someone through things belonging to them, including their name. This is because this girl, So-jin, is possessed by a dangerous spirit. When she and the spirit come into contact with a well-meaning reporter named Jin-hee, the world around them becomes a little stranger and more conspiratorial.
A sequel film to the series titled The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey was released in 2021.
As a whole, the series was received well by audiences, being nominated for a best actress award and even winning one for best original screenplay with different awarding bodies. There is a certain threat underlying the main plot of the series, only becoming more apparent as the danger lurking within So-jin becomes more worrying. The Cursed is built from the ground up on this suspense, leading to a winding journey filled with spectacular moments.
6
Revenant (2023)
Another Possession Story Manages To Dazzle Audiences
Another series revolving around possession, Revenant takes a bit of a different angle from other popular possession narratives like The Cursed. In Revenant, not only is the possessed protagonist a professor of folklore, but this possession allows her to see the ghosts lingering around her. This pushes her to go on a quest to solve a string of suicides that have been happening around the city, using this newfound power to save those around her.
The acting performances in this series are top-tier for all involved, perfectly getting across the emotions that come from dealing with such sensitive deaths. The spirits portrayed in the show are also done perfectly, walking the line between being frightening and sympathetic. Revenant brings the paranormal to the real world in a way that feels organic, shining a light on the spirits that linger in the dark.
5
Sweet Home (2020-2024)
This Post Apocalyptic Horror Piece Is Also Based On A Webtoon
Terrifying to its core, Sweet Home offers a look into a world where people’s desires slowly begin to turn them into horrifying monsters. Not only must the protagonists survive, trapped inside an apartment building, but they must also keep tabs on one another to make sure that no one transforms into another monster and kills them all. This creates a tense environment that lacks trust, where every character is a potential future threat.
Sweet Home is an iconic series in Netflix history, as it was the first South Korean series to hit the Netflix Top 10 in America.
Taking cues from many different zombie series that came before, Sweet Home finds the horror in the relationships between human beings that continue to survive amidst the chaos. While the monsters themselves are frightening and unsettling to look at, there is somehow even more danger in the opportunistic or even defensive nature of humanity. No characters are safe in this series, adding another layer to the horror.
4
Happiness (2021)
This K-Drama Takes A Look At A Possible Near Future
When a drug called “Next” is released to the public, the world quickly begins to spiral out of control. As it turns out, instead of healing the patients who set out to use the drug, it instills a sort of madness, causing them to act out and devolve into a blood-frenzied state. They act similarly to zombies, robbing these people of their humanity, but some still believe that the afflicted can be saved.
There is a certain horror in Happiness that stems from the relative likelihood that something such as this could happen in real life. Perhaps not a full-on zombie apocalypse, but the frightening idea that something could go wrong with medication still feels very real. This, coupled with the push and pull of trying to save these people, makes Happiness a uniquely compelling series.
3
Strangers From Hell (2019)
A Slow Burn Horror Series, Also Called Hell Is Other People
When office worker and aspiring writer Jong-woo moves into the crumbling dormitory at the center of Strangers from Hell, he quickly learns that his neighbors are hiding plenty. The most dangerous of these neighbors is a man named Moon-jo, a local dentist who doesn’t seem as though he needs to live in the dormitories. However, it quickly comes to light that Moon-jo is a demented murderer, more interested in causing others to go down the same path.
Few shows portray the inner life of a serial killer as successfully as Strangers from Hell does, depicting Moon-jo in muddled strokes as a terrifying villain who is extending an olive branch to Jong-woo. This is only amplified by Lee Dong-wook’s career-defining performance, changing from an actor who so often plays romantic leads to a terrifying manipulator. It is impossible to guess what Moon-jo will do next in Strangers from Hell, and even more so, how Jong-woo will react, making for a show that is constantly surprising viewers.
2
All Of Us Are Dead (2022-present)
This Visceral Zombie Survival Show Has Real Moments Of Danger
When a rogue teacher inadvertently starts the zombie apocalypse at the center of a high school, a group of students must survive against all odds. This is the story at the center of All of Us are Dead, a series that pulls no punches in showing the bloody horror that comes with zombie survival. It is immediately compelling, crafting great characters that the viewer wants to see survive another day even if there are no guarantees.
Related
10 Most Bingeworthy K-Dramas That You Can’t Stop Watching
Sometimes, a K-drama comes along that you have to watch all in one sitting. Shows like Twenty-Five Twenty-One have compelling stories and characters.
The cramped nature of All of Us Are Dead comes from the fact that so much of it takes place inside the school itself. The high school these students go to is ground zero for the zombie apocalypse, which also makes it quite possibly the most dangerous place for any of them to be. This series is an adrenaline rush, and it is more than enough to get viewers’ hearts pumping.
1
Kingdom (2019-2021)
This Zombie Series Is Set In The Distant Past
Another series featuring a unique spin on an age-old subgenre, Kingdom introduces the idea of deadly zombies to the 17th century. A deadly plague has swept the kingdom, and it is up to the crown prince, Lee Chang, to do what he can to stop it. Along the way, political intrigue is woven perfectly into the plot of Kingdom, adding another layer to the threats that beset the crown prince on all sides.
Kingdom was created by writer Kim Eun-hee, who also wrote both Signal and Revenant.
This series is not only frightening because of the truly horrific zombies that litter the story’s landscape but also because of the real political threats that seem to come from every angle. There is no safe place for Lee Chang to rest, creating a well of tension that never truly goes away. As a K-drama, Kingdom is an excellent example of how horror can be perfectly implemented into the medium.
