South Korea has been masterful at turning niche cultural exports into global phenomena. From music to fashion, from YouTube to TV and cinema, the Korean wave swept over the whole world and swept us off our feet as a result. The Guardian even reports that more than 20 new words of Korean origin have been added to the latest edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, and Netflix has said that 97% of its American audience has watched a non-English title in 2020-2021.
The mid-1990s in South Korea saw rapid growth in the filmmaking industry. Before Train to Busan and Parasite, South Korean cinema exploded onto the international scene in the early 2000s with Oldboy, The Host, and many more, leading to a period rightfully called the golden age for South Korean films. Then of course was the K-drama boom, and Korean rom-coms that focused on character development instead of driving the plot senselessly forward. Audiences had long grown tired of uninspired sex scenes devoid of genuine chemistry between the leads — on the contrary, a desire for courtship, for some sense of naïveté, has risen.
Korean thriller series have the same focus on interpersonal relationships, coupled with unabashed sentimentality and open critiques of capitalism and social inequality. Unconventional for the Western viewer, Korean cinema is astonishingly emotional — and tragic. This list of the best Korean thriller series on Netflix will allow the viewer to get to know another facet of modern South Korean media.
10 Sweet Home
Sweet Home is certainly no sweet story. This series is for fans of apocalyptic stories where heroes have to fight monsters and adapt to a new reality that completely changes the social order. At first, Sweet Home poses as a regular horror show about murderous creatures that kill people in a confined space… It is worth overcoming skepticism about the quality of visual effects, however, to see how this multifaceted story unfolds.
The characters and their relationships are complex, and the plot is pretty smart — just as this dangerous game of hide-and-seek risks becoming repetitive, the script changes direction drastically. Sweet Home quickly became one of the best horror series on Netflix, hammering home the question of whom we should really be scared of: monsters or ordinary people who are given power over others.
9 Stranger from Hell
An alternative translation of Stranger from Hell was Hell is Other People, which refers to the play by Sartre, No Exit. True to its inspiration, this psychological thriller explores the ghastly extent of human monstrosity. The writing is sharp, decidedly not relying on jump scares, raising tension with little unsettling details, rewarding those who pay attention.
The story follows Yoon Jong-woo, played by Im Si-wan, who has to move into an apartment complex, ostentatiously called Eden. From the very first glance, it is obvious Eden is no paradise. The small rooms are claustrophobic, the cats disappear one by one, and the blinking light in narrow corridors sets the mood of paranoia and suspense expertly, in a world where the neighbors include a thug and a porn junkie. Thankfully, the owner of the studio seems like a totally nice woman, and there’s a handsome dentist who loves reading classic literature, so nothing should go wrong…
8 Extracurricular
Extracurricular seems like a spiritual successor to Breaking Bad, but with a touch of farcical teenage angst. Managing to balance taboo topics, copious violence, and farcical dark comedy, this series constantly keeps viewers on their toes. The series follows Jisoo, who resorts to unconventional ways to earn money to pay for his tuition: he manages a security service for underage prostitutes. One of them goes to the same school as him, which threatens to uncover his real identity. Jisoo finds himself torn between his illegal operations and his crush, struggling to keep the two lives separate.
As The Decider puts it: “The irony of Jisoo is rich. Here’s this teenager, running a sex ring; meanwhile, he stumbles and flumps over his own hormones like a colossal doofus”. The Deciders goes on to put a hard “Stream it!” verdict on the show, and viewers wholeheartedly agree, judging by the audience score of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
7 Vagabond
Dynamic and unpredictable, Vagabond continues the tradition of the greatest conspiracy thrillers. Stuntman Cha Dal-gun’s life is changed forever when he loses his nephew in a plane crash en route to Morocco. As he investigates the tragedy, he stumbles upon a conspiracy on an international level. Determined to get to the truth, he partners with the National Intelligence Service. Vagabond is not looking for a scapegoat, or attempting to show that the system is good albeit fallible — it goes deeper and fervently attacks the whole system, showing the full extent of the behind-the-scenes games where human lives are expendable and people become monsters.
6 My Name
Neon, synth-pop, and violence. Only three days after its release, revenge thriller My Name entered the top ten most-watched shows on Netflix. Yoon Ji-woo, who is played by Han So-hee, tries to find the man who killed her father and enlists the help of a mafia boss in the process. By the rules of the revenge movie’s ethics, she loses everything in the process, even her name, unable to answer: Was it all worth it in the end?
My Name is a raw and stylish action-packed thriller that explores the dark and heartbreaking side of loyalty and friendship. The chemistry between the main characters, who form a father-daughter relationship, is palpable. Yoon Ji-woo has cemented her place as a great representation of a female spy in modern cinema.
5 Save Me
Save Me uses one of the most common cliches of the horror genre — an ordinary family moves to a small remote town; with its own cult, of course. However, this story is not about demons from hell but demons inside people. A girl sends a plea for help to a group of boys she knew from school. When they attempt a rescue mission, horrifying secrets about the cult stir up the sleepy town, forcing it into the center of national attention. Save Me cuts deep and salts the wound. It is a show that stays with the viewer long after its finale.
4 Beyond Evil
A philosophical parable about human relations in the shape of a deft whodunit, Beyond Evil mercilessly teases its audience with its unreliable narration. It gives viewers facts and lets them play detective, just like Han Joo-won, a young detective on a single-minded quest to close the case his father couldn’t. The series competently distributes questions and answers, not letting it turn into a flustered stockpiling of riddles and themes.
The further Han Joo-won goes in his investigation, the more personal it becomes. From an indifferent observer, he becomes an active participant. In this way, a classic detective story turns into a psychological journey — to the feelings and memories immured in cellars of the soul.
3 Stranger
Stranger lulls you in with its unhurried pace, just as the perpetrator sweet talks to get closer to their victims before a strike. Hwang Si-mok is one of the star prosecutors of Korea despite (or perhaps because of) lacking empathy and social skills. He teams up with Police Lieutenant Han Yeo-jin, who is righteous and approachable but has a blind spot for people she admires. Together, they try to uncover high-level corruption schemes, which are accompanied by serial killings.
The climax turns all the viewer’s expectations upside down. There are no empty dialogue exchanges, filler scenes, or excessive rhetoric in Stranger’s well-thought-out plot. Watching it requires concentration in order not to miss the important details as all the little things fall into place, creating a stunning thriller detective show.
2 Squid Game
Who hasn’t heard about Squid Game? It is one of the best original features Netflix has to offer. Adgully suggests that Squid Game aptly tapped into the growing frustration of people today, especially the youth, struggling with upward economic mobility and social injustice. Inside the candy wrapper of chic and colorful but nightmarish dollhouse sets, a survival game plot, catchy soundtrack, and striking cinematography is a biting critique of a capitalistic society and its delusional view of ‘equality.’ It is no surprise that a second season is on the way, though fans will have to wait a practically unbearable two years.
1 Kingdom
Can there be an intricate and intelligent historical drama that is at the same time one of the best zombie series? Kingdom proves that such a show can exceed any expectations. Ingeniously utilizing its time and spatial prerequisites, this story depicts the decimating clash for the throne of Joseon. Special praise goes to the gorgeous costumes and sophisticated sets in this rare combination of period drama with the horror genre. The scenery is truly breathtaking, and overall, the cinematography is so great that it is worth pausing just to admire the picture.
The acting, however, is tantamount to the visuals. Kingdom boasts a stellar cast of acting powerhouses. The amazing Bae Doona gives one of her best performances as Seo-bi, a physician who relentlessly searches for the cure to the plague. Ju Ji-hoon is effortlessly graceful as the honorable Crown Prince Lee Chang. Even the zombie horde is entrancing in its menace, though the rival clan Cho, with their ploys for power, is even more frightening. Kingdom is a truly cinematic joy all around.