If Squid Game Piqued Your Interest In K-dramas

The most similarly plotted K-drama out there

This is also a remake of a Japanese show. The characters have to compete on a game show with a huge reward. Lots of mind games and strategising - u/Sam98tha

Liar Game is a tightly plotted, well-acted tense psychological mystery thriller that will keep you guessing until the final second. - u/Julie-in-Portland

Liar Game is very addictive! It has lots of interesting plot twists and it’s only 12 episodes long. - u/roevese

Liar Game! i dont see many people talking abt it, maybe because its a fairly old one, but 100% worth a watch. its been stuck in my head as one of the best ones ive ever watched. plot was constantly moving very fast-paced, everything kept you in suspense and all the plot-twists were so well-thought out. shin sung rok did an amazing job playing a coy anti-hero, and i loved lee sang yoon's acting too. a really memorable drama for me. - u/kookiekiwii

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Another dark Netflix production 

Extracurricular - It's a dark high school drama, not romance, the leads are like partners in crime but it's a popular girl x nerd dynamic - u/MIUUZICK

Cannot recommend Extracurricular highly enough, it’s dark, it’s gritty, if it was a film, it would have been held in same (or higher) regard as Parasite. I am currently watching Squid Game and like it, but it’s not the same thrill ride as Extracurricular! - u/SandyOhSandy

One of my all time favorite dramas, and for sure best of 2020 so far. But for me it wasn't a slow burn it had a really good pacing, never a boring moment. It just keeps you guessing but I don't call that a slow burn, is normal in dramas you don't get all the answers right away. Loved the cast especially the ''uncle'' and one great fight scene he had. I really love this drama for the plot and great acting, just one hell of a good drama! - u/LaughingGor108

Watch on Netflix

Another dark Netflix production 

Sweet Home- A group of residents at a run down apartment must fight for their lives after people start becoming monsters. - u/chillzu

I loved Sweet Home, it's an emotion packed horror and the characters all have their own perks which is pretty cool. It has the same vibe as the movie "Alive" but more action. The characters are all stuck in an apartment complex surrounded by monsters, and the main lead is already battling a monster within him. It's got a bit of gore though. - u/nsnsjss

Sweet Home is another Netflix Original that I think is worth checking out for those who enjoyed Squid Game. Both tackle very human emotions and decisions when it comes to crisis especially in a group setting. - u/chelleml

If you like dark non romantic stuff with some horror, just go watch it. I finished it in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't stop watching. - u/KiwiTheKitty

Watch on Netflix

Another dark Netflix production 

Kingdom - zombie/historical thriller with excellent production value (Netflix original) - u/mikapple

Kingdom - Set in one of Korea's many monarch eras, this is a Zombie series with the fast moving (think World War Z/Train to Busan) zombies. It is also a political thriller. Beautifully made fun. - u/nwgrl

One of the best zombie shows I've ever seen with a non stop plot, great acting and high production values. - u/Silly_Merricat

Kingdom, for that historical style. Horror, fantasy, mystery. Seasons 1 & 2 are 6 episodes each, so an easy binge. This is great writing, cinematography, and acting. You'll be introduced to some of Korea's respected actor - u/aliasamandawho

Watch on Netflix 

Another short drama in which characters put their lives on the line in an attempt to make them better

365: Repeat the Year - a group goes back in time one year to see if they can change their lives for the better. - u/LcLou02

365: Repeat the Year - Fast paced mystery drama which involves time travelling. Really good and you get to guess who's the culprit. No romance. - u/simonling

I found it pretty exciting with lots of unexpected twists and sooo binge worthy - u/-rebel8852-

365: Repeat The Year - The story is about a group of people going a year in the past and then things starts happening because it. I remember that each time an episode ended, I needed to start the next one to see what happened. Lots of twist and turns! - u/3dmarie

Watch on Viki & KOCOWA

A similarly dark and mature drama set in the world of crime

Cruel City (2013) is a good one, I binged it in a few days. There are some things that date it, but overall it was such an enjoyable drama for me. It has a little bit of melo and a very little bit of romance, but I would say it borders on thriller too. - u/KiwiTheKitty

Cruel City / Heartless City is a drama about drug lords battling internally for control over the organization, so there are tons of vicious fight scenes, betrayals, and reversals. Highly recommend. - u/setlib

Heartless City - Heartbreaking story. The world presented is truly heartless. I love that there are no black and white characters, everyone is a taint of grey - u/Mikoutdoors

I don’t normally watch crime/mob/drug/prison shows, so I was surprised at how compelling I found this drama. I think it’s because Jung Kyung-ho gave such an emotionally compelling performance as “Doctor’s Son”, so I really empathized with his tragic backstory, his desire to protect the people he loves, and his pain at being betrayed. The female characters held their own and the many action scenes were well done - I especially enjoyed the knife fight in the zoo library :) and I loved the OST especially the song Everyday by Cho Jung-hee. - u/setlib

Watch on Viki

A lighter hearted drama with unlikely heroes that fight evil spirits

The Uncanny Counter is a show about “counters” who are people with extraordinary powers bestowed by heaven. Their job is to fight evil spirits and exorcise them. Very exciting show from the start till the end. - u/lovelifelivelife

The Uncanny Counter, the main leads have superhero powers who fight evil spirits. Enjoyed this drama because of the refreshing vibes. - u/dramafan1

The Uncanny Counter - this one has a lighter vibe but has some school scenes. it’s action-heavy with supernatural abilities, and the characters have great teamwork/chemistry. - u/Mysterious_Box7499

This was one of those rare dramas that got a 10/10 from me. The pacing of the drama was fabulous. The writing, the direction and most importantly the actors, everything was on point. It's so wholesome and intriguing. It will make you emotional and at the same time it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The subtle humor is also well done. I have nothing but praises for this drama. - u/Fatooz

It's a refreshing change of pace from all the ongoing romance-heavy dramas nowadays. There are some silly things about it, but the story gets relatively serious pretty quickly. Apart from its interesting premise/world-building, the acting is another aspect of it that jumps out to me. It's not over-the-top or too bland and you'll find yourself rooting for the main cast. Do give The Uncanny Counter a try! - u/stirfrypork

Watch on Netflix

A slow burn mystery, 2021 Baeksang winning drama starring Heo Sung Tae (#101)

Beyond Evil - slow burn mystery around a small town with multiple disappearances - u/mikapple

Beyond Evil -it's an amazing drama and I loved every second of it (also one actor is also in Squid Game, so that's pretty cool). - u/Vicky135246

BEYOND EVIL is overall masterpiece! it brings all your emotions in one stage eventually. sure it's slow burn but you won't regret it if you once start. - u/catterpiller_4177

I found each episode really engaging and wanted to binge my way through it to find out what was going on. I will say the first few episodes I think were intentionally frustrating, but it’s worth it in the end. - u/Ajf_88

Beyond Evil is one of the most exquisitely made dramas I've ever seen and it probably always will be. - u/Sanryna

Watch on Netflix & Viki

A slice of life, dark comedy set in a prison, starring Park Hae Soo (Sang Woo/#218)

Prison Playbook is about a professional baseball player that is sent to prison. The drama is about his story and the stories of his fellow inmates and guards. It not light but it's surprisingly heartwarming. There's minimal romance. - u/ComplicatedShadows

Prison Playbook - this show is full of dark comedy and lovable characters in a prison setting. Premise is a high profile baseball pitcher gets sentenced to jail for assault after saving his sister from a sexual predator, and in there he meets all sorts of inmates, mostly nice ones. The characters are really endearing and lovable and there are many touching moments in the storyline. - u/uzzues

Watch on Netflix

An excellently plotted crime drama that will keep you hooked

Defendant - is just a good drama overall is fast paced good acting, is also a mature drama with some twists. Yes is just an other crime drama ( but then we can say almost none drama is original or unique as most have something we've seen before....) but the plot is centered on the murder case and the ml, not to much distractions with other side plots or romance and so on. - u/LaughingGor108

Solid acting all round, fast paced writing, emotionally charged and you have people to root for. I think check out the first ep and if you’re hooked then keep watching. - u/zaichii

It is one of the best dramas I watched. Ji Sung is brilliant as usual and Uhm Ki Joon as villain was perfect. It has totally thrilling OST and very intense plot. You will not get bored for sure - u/ememberremember

Watch on Netflix, Viki, KOCOWA & SBS World Youtube

Another short one-of-a-kind drama 

Circle - It is the epitome of a dystopian drama. There are two settings in the drama. Smart Earth is where the wealthy live, while Regular Earth is for everyone else. - u/arandano

Circle is AMAZING! I watched it while it aired and it never disappointed. The actors did a wonderful job portraying their parts. There are a lot of twists and turns ; definitely a wild and fun ride. I highly recommend. - u/Yeolie

Circle was really great. Interesting surprises, good acting, nice plot twists, a nice division of the 'feel' between the 'two worlds'. I'd categorize it more toward sci-fi than fantasy but it's very very good. Highly recommend it. - u/eroverton

Circle: Connected Worlds - I was sold in the first 5 minutes. what a gem. each episode features two time periods - the first half in 2017, the second half in 2037. Only 12 episodes. - u/LcLou02

Watch on Youtube

Another gateway drama 

Crash Landing on You is about a chaebol heiress and beauty company CEO who ends up in North Korea due to a freak accident that lands her in the DMZ between countries. There she's helped by a North Korean captain and his squad who hides her and plots to send her back home. A sweeping romance with two fantastic leads with undeniable chemistry and a very entertaining and solid ensemble cast, this drama is going to be considered one of the all time classics. Plus watching the pampered, spoiled, ice princess chaebol melt as she deals with hardships in an enemy country and gets to know the handsome and dashing captain helping her is pretty swoonworthy. - u/Silly_Mericat

Crash Landing on You - though not my first kdrama, this was one of the first and the one that got my kdrama obsession started. This drama still has the ability to create very passionate emotions (romance, family, community, country) for viewers of all ages. - u/deelikesbar

Crash Landing on You - it’s an amazing drama with incredible actors. It has an incredible story, quite unique really, and the relationships are well developed and you can fell the depth of emotion of the characters. - u/uniquelybuzi

If you haven't seen Crash Landing On You, you definitely should. It's the kdrama formula done to perfection. - u/Thoughtful-Pig

From the classics I would particularly suggest Crash Landing On You since many of my friends (both males and females) tried kdrama with that since last year it got a lot of traction even in some western newspages and they all liked it. I feel like with a good balance of action, horizontal plot and romance it can please different kind of people and it also has an original premise. - u/vivianlight

Watch on Netflix

Another gateway drama, starring Gong Yoo (Salesman at the trainstation)

Goblin - Grim Reapers, Ghosts, a 900+ year old Dokkaebi, all interacting with one human girl. Weirdly it's their interactions with the very mundane things that makes this show hilarious.  - u/UkEuropeEarth

Goblin is one of my favorite dramas! There's a historical aspect to it that touches on multiple eras, but it's largely a modern fantasy romance. The soundtrack is still my favorite out of every drama I've watched. The secondary characters are complex and support the main characters very well while also having their own stories. The show sets up the fantasy mythology slowly, which I felt worked very well. - u/maillerkait

Goblin - This will always be my number 1. For me, it's perfect in every way and leagues beyond anything else in story, meaning, acting, cinematography, characters, music, and execution. I love everything about it and have seen it many, many times. - u/sharjoy3

Goblin - I cannot say how many times I rewatched this drama while it was airing, after it aired, many years after it's aired or listened to the sound track. Gong Yoo is the best and even though people freaked out about the age difference I did not. It's a fantasy drama people, of course there's going to be some age difference. Second leads held their own. Loved the bromance. Loved the fantasy. Loved the romance. Loved the history and connection between everyone's reincarnations. Loved everything. - u/Glittering_Giraffe_5

·Watch on Netflix, Viki, Iflix