HYH's Top 5 Kdramas with Darker Themes

WARNING: This article contains animated graphics (gifs) with blood, violence, etc.; please proceed with caution. Contains spoilers/scenes from thriller/horror dramas which may be frightening. (All gifs are taken from the first episode to avoid heavy spoilers.)

안녕 (Annyeong)! It's me again, your fangirl-y fellow drama lover/enthusiast, and whoa, has it been a long time since I've written an article. An entire year to be exact. Many dramas have come and gone, with so many new ones on the horizon.

Thanks to my binging and love for darker themes, I will be listing out at least 5 (my top 5) darker-themed dramas for all of those who also enjoy the darker elements in Korean dramas.

Please be warned that all of these dramas listed below have dark elements in them. This means they may contain (but are not limited to) gore, varying amounts of blood, crime, ghosts, possession, character death, violence, and more.

Please note: this is all a personal opinion and does not reflect the opinions of anyone else other than the writer of this article.

The below dramas ARE NOT listed in order of worst to best; they are listed in no particular order.

	Sweet Home: After an unexpected tragedy, Cha Hyun Soo moves into an apartment complex. His solitude is soon interrupted by a strange occurrence that slowly starts to affect everyone, along with those in his apartment building. As the world slowly develops into chaos outside, those trapped indoors soon begin to change too. Hyun Soo and the other residents must fight against the monsters outside and within themselves.  Stars: Song Kang, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Si Young, Lee Do Hyun, +++ Runtime: 52 minutes - Network: Netflix - Episodes: 10 - Content Rating: 18+ Writer's thoughts: Although heavy in CGI, it comes loaded with metaphors (that make you think) and gruesome imagery.
	Hotel Del Luna:  Located deep in the heart of Seoul sits a hotel that only the dead can see. The establishment has been in business for years, it's CEO having been bound to it by a deity. Jang Man Wol is doomed to spend an eternity catering to the only souls that can see it. Daily life in the hotel takes a turn when Goo Chan Sung shows up and is forced to take on the job of assistant manager. Stars: IU, Yeo Jin Goo, Shin Jung Keun, Bae Hae Seon, +++ Runtime: 1 hour, 20 minutes - Network: tvN - Episodes: 16 - Content Rating: 15+ Writer's thoughts: Mixes romance in with horror so well that you forget the romance is a part of the storyline. With its extravagant set and imagery that can be tragic at times, it makes a place in your drama-loving heart with ease. Although this is our lightest in the lineup, it doesn't falter in its darker aspects.
	Kingdom: Taking place after the famous "Battle of Unpo Wetland", Kingdom follows the story of the Crown Prince who sets out to find the truth to the rumors circulating about the king dying of smallpox. What he soon finds is a bit more terrifying than what he could have ever imagined.  Stars: Joo Ji Hoon, Ryu Seung Ryong, Bae Doo Na, +++ Runtime: 51 minutes - Network: Netflix - Episodes: 6 - Content Rating: 18+ Writer's thoughts: To me, this is a creative take on a Zombie "virus" in the form of visual infection of a form of something; I had seen many Zombie films and tv shows before this but never one done quite like this one. This one has a sequel as well as a spin-off.
	Strangers From Hell: Yoon Jong Woo moves to Seoul after his friend offers him an internship at his company. The place he chose to stay is a cheap, ominous apartment complex with a bathroom and kitchen that all of the residents share. Not at all thrilled by the quality of the place, he decides to put up with it until he can save enough money to move out. But after mysterious occurrences start happening, he soon finds himself fearing the apartment's residents. Stars: Im Shi Wan, Lee Dong Wook, Lee Jung Eun, +++ Runtime: 60 minutes - Network: OCN - Episodes: 10 - Content Rating: 15+ Writer's thoughts: For me, the constant state of unease is what sets this drama apart from others. I couldn't shake the unease with each episode that only grew stronger the closer it reached to the end.
	The Guest: Hwa Pyung, Priest Choi Yoon, and Detective Kang Kil Yeong reunite after years once the demon who ruined their lives starts killing again. The trio decides to work together to try and drive out this demon who is now wreaking havoc. Stars: Kim Dong Wook, Kim Jae Wook, Jung Eun Chae, +++ Runtime: 1 hour, 7 minutes - Network: OCN - Episodes: 16 - Content Rating: 18+ Writer's thoughts: It boasts a villain that is almost unrivaled when it comes to possession dramas. I have yet to see one with such a strong presence as this one. The drama itself gained notoriety and was mentioned in a few dramas/shows afterwards.

     BONUS          Squid Game (2021) :    
When Seong Gi Hun's life finally hits rock bottom, he joins 455 people with various backgrounds to compete in various children's games. The winner will get a prize of 45.6 billion won. Soon he and all other participants realize that the games aren't as simple as being eliminated and going home; instead, they come with deadly consequences.

Writers' thoughts: At the time of starting this article (it took me a while to write this out), I had no idea how big Squid Game would get. I just knew I liked it and wanted to include it here as a bonus once I had finished it. A lot of you may already know everything there is to know about Squid Game, so I will keep my thoughts minimal.

This drama speaks volumes on many subjects and is very thought-provoking. With sets that feel like an eerie dream and moments that can either have you crying or shocked, this drama will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last second.

Please be warned that out of all of these dramas, this one is almost the one with the most gore as well as MANY violent scenes that DO NOT cut away or find ways to spare you the gruesome details. It is unapologetic in its honesty with its plot/storytelling.

Dramas that almost made it into the top 5 but didn't quite make the cut. These are recommended if you've already seen the top 5.

Save Me	Beyond Evil	Come and Hug Me
Sell Your Haunted House	The Cursed	The Crowned Clown
Dark Hole	The Devil Judge	The Witch's Diner

And if you're looking for one that has recently completed (October 28th), Hometown is a very good option! 

Joseon Exorcist: Set during the late 14th century, King Taejong abolished the Goryeo Dynasty and established the Kingdom of Joseon. Though in doing so, the king made a deal with an evil spirit, and now the spirit is set on targeting the royal family. 

This drama could have been iconic. Not only does the very little bit that was released show such detail and an interesting take on zombies in the form of possession, but it also packs on the unease and gore that comes with some of the best of the best. It would be worth it to check out what was released, but due to how you'll feel like you missed out on something iconic... it might not be best.

I hope all of my thriller/horror avid fellow fans enjoyed this! Please let me know what dramas you think should have been here or what you thought of those included.

That's all from me for now... until we give our heart a voice again; thank you for reading, my fellow drama lovers and enthusiasts! 화이팅 (Hwaiting)!

[Author notes] The images used are from the official sites of each film mentioned or Google or IMDb. Some photos have been edited to be sharpened/resized to fit. All graphics have been created under the fair use copyright law 106 and 106A.

      Other articles by HideYourHeart can be found here.        

^{Edited by: Sumi (1st editor), BrightestStar (2nd editor)}